Odin's Intuitive Adventures Presents
GEOCACHING FOR A CAUSE
Benefits: Friends of Felines
Catered by Stoked Restaurant
GEOCACHING: Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world.
DECRYPTIONS: Decryption is a process that transforms encrypted information into its original format.
ABOUT THE CHARITY: Friends of Felines is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization dedicated to reduce the overpopulation of feral cats in our community by working with committed caretakers through a trap/spay neuter/vaccinate and return program.
Friends of Felines, was organized in 1996, Friends of Felines caretakers and volunteers have trapped, spayed/neutered, and released back to their colonies over 15,000 feral cats, thereby preventing the birth of tens of thousands of unwanted, homeless kittens.
Do you have any spare time? We are asking for anyone who loves animals and has as little as 2 (two) hours a month to spare for a great cause to contact Friends of Felines about volunteer opportunities. We need volunteers to help with writing grants, write newsletter articles, hands-on work at spay/neuter clinics, helping trap and transport for people who are disabled and other fundraisers and educational/informational events.
HISTORY, HERMITS, & HIDEAWAYS
HERMIT HANGOUT MINI SERIES
ABOUT THE AREA:
Welcome to beautiful Fort Fisher! This place is not only rich in history, but has one of the most dynamic ecosystems that you will find in the Carolinas! Please observe the parks rules and regulations while you are here, and remember to CITO while you go. The focus of this geocache series is the scenic Basin Trail, a meandering 1.1mile out-and-back that will take you through the salt-marsh, ending at a scenic observation deck overlooking The Basin. I’m told this can be an amazing spot to do some bird watching! The Basin itself is part of the Zeke's Island component of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, an 1160-acre area of outstanding estuarine and ocean resources with extensive marshes and tidal flats. On your way there you will visit the World War II Bunker, home to the Fort Fisher Hermit, and the namesake of this series! From 1955 to 1972, Robert E. Harrill, who became known as the Fort Fisher Hermit, lived out his days in this WWII bunker. He became a celebrity and philosopher of sorts, becoming known to the thousands of visitors who came to Fort Fisher during those years. While placing these caches we imagined Robert’s life down here for so many years, living off the land and teaching from what he called “The School of Life” to his many visitors. Please take time to visit the Fort Fisher Hermit Mystery Cache while you are down by the Hermit's former home!
ABOUT THE SERIES: This is a series of log-only micro caches so BYOP! The first cache in the series will take you to the head of the Basin Trail, located at the Fort Fisher Recreation Area, which is where this journey begins! Plenty of parking nearby, and the park’s operating hours are listed below. We recommend plenty of water and bug spray, depending on the time of year, if you are going to be making to full hike! This is a 1.1mi out-and-back trail, so that’s 2.2mi round trip if you complete the entire series. The second cache will only come after you have proven you are committed to the hike by covering some ground, making your way through the “canopy”, hiking a short stretch of “desert”, and following the trail into the salt-marsh! From there, you will be greeted with more frequent “smileys”, and many fiddler crabs along the way!
This series of geocaches has been placed with the permission of the Park Officials, and special care has been taken to ensure that you will NOT need to set foot off the trail to retrieve any of these caches. This is in order to protect the many flora and fauna in this busy ecosystem, as well as to prevent spur trails and potential harm to hikers.
This series of geocaches has been placed with the permission of the Park Officials, and special care has been taken to ensure that you will NOT need to set foot off the trail to retrieve any of these caches. This is in order to protect the many flora and fauna in this busy ecosystem, as well as to prevent spur trails and potential harm to hikers.
THE CACHES
- Fort Fisher Hermit N 34' 01.ABC W 077' 54.XYZ
- Hermit’s Hang Out Series, “ End of the Road” N 33° 57.339 W 077° 56.148
- Dog Buggy Ride at Fort Fisher Aquarium N 33° 57.856 W 077° 55.479
- Hermit’s Hangout Series, “Almost Home” N 33° 57.501 W 077° 55.743
- Hermit’s Hangout Series, “Into the Marsh" N 33° 57.543 W 077° 55.637
*BONUS CACHE*
Bloody Handprints Engagement Café N 33° 58.341 W 077° 54.904
1. FORT FISHER HERMIT
Start at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Visitor Center,
NOT the sharp curve in S Fort Fisher Blvd which may bring you in contact with ALLIGATORS and dense swamp.
Hermits are usually seldom known to the outside world. But in the case of Robert E. Harrill, he was actually an unofficial North Carolina tourist hotspot! Hundreds of thousands of visitors that came to the Carolina Beach and Kure Beach area from 1955 to 1972 knew of him, and would stop at the WWII ammo storage bunker that was home to Robert and his "School of Common Sense". Over the course of the 17 years he spent living in the bunker, many people left donations of materials and money. He really had no use for the money, so he buried most of it near the bunker. Nobody knows for sure exactly where the money is buried, or even how much would be there if it could be found. Robert mysteriously died in the summer of 1972. At the time, developers were planning a new development on the area surrounding the bunker. The State also wanted the land, and became involved in a legal dispute with them. There were rumors that Robert had finally made a decision to file a deed to legally claim the land by homestead rights. His death prevented him from ever making it to the courthouse. Today the original bunker still remains on what is now a State Park. Robert E. Harrill the Fort Fisher Hermit is buried in a small Carolina Beach cemetery where his gravestone is inscribed with the words "He Made People Think"
COORDS ARE FOR THE BUNKER WHERE A PLAQUE WILL DECYPHER THE CODE BELOW.
N 34' 01.ABC W 077' 54.XYZ
USE ONLY THE BODY OF TEXT FOR DECYPHERING (IGNORE THE TWO HEADING LINES & SPONSOR LINE)
Please avoid blocking the access gate when parking.
DO NOT TRESPASS OUTSIDE THE CEMETERY FENCE
2. HERMIT’S HANGOUT SERIES:
“End of the Road”
#10786
I had the place to myself, which was good as this took a little looking. Turns out I had the right spot but just looked past it the first time. Found it on my second orbit.
I am not sure what some folks have been logging, if anything, but not all the names with yellow smilies below are in the cache log. Last find I saw was from March 6, unless that last entry should be March 21st.
CACHE SPECIFICS: "End Of The Road" You are looking for a camo bison tube. Head high.
DECRYPTION:
favjg rug ugvj tavtanu
DECRYPTION KEY:
A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z
3. Hermit's Hang Out Series :
"Into The Marsh"
N 33° 57.543 W 077° 55.637
Hidden : 10/7/2013
CACHE SPECIFICS: "Into The Marsh" You are looking for a camo bison tube.
DECRYPTION:
frrax ehbl ab
DECRYPTION KEY:
4. DOG BUGGY RIDE AT FORT FISHER AQUARIUM
"The original geocache has a logsheet, a lucky penny keychain, a NTF (Next To Find) coin, a Shih Tzu Info card and a pen. Enjoy the adventure. And as a little piece of trivia, this geocache location is at the same location where I logged my very first "😊" over ten years ago!"
CACHE DESCRIPTION: This geocache is located near the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher but not at the posted coordinates. Solve the "Frequency Puzzle" found in the cache gallery to determine the true location.
CACHE SPECIFICATIONS: The geocache is a cylindrical shape container with enough room for a log, pen and some small trackable. Information needed to find its exact location and how to unlock it can be found by solving the previously mentioned " Frequency Puzzle".
Possible coordinates for the geocache:
- RED = N 33° 57.843 W 077° 55.528
- BLUE = N 33° 57.910 W 077° 55.367
- VIOLET = N 33° 57.938 W 077° 55.316
This geocache is located outside the fenced area of the Aquarium and has been placed at its final location with the full approval of the Aquarium's director.
DECRYPTION:
Sbe ybpx pbzovangvba, hfr ybjrfg yrggre serdhrapl.
DECRYPTION KEY:
5. HERMIT’S HANGOUT SERIES:
“Almost Home”
03.30.2019 by ncfinn | "My helpers for the day"
CACHE DESCRIPTION: This is a series of micro-caches located along the Basin Trail in Fort Fisher Recreation Area. The Basin Trail is a 1.1mi out-and-back trail so a 2.2mi hike will complete the series. Caches are micro log-only so BYOP! Please respect the park rules, and don't step off of the trail! There is no need to leave the trail to retrieve these caches.
CACHE SPECIFICS: "Almost Home!" Getting close to the Bunker now, you are looking for a camo bison tube.
DECRYPTION:
utvu qnru ghbon
DECRYPTION KEY:
Cache Decryptions Answers:
1. Fort Fisher Hermit Coordinates: N 33° 57.476 W 077° 55.821
2. Doggy Buggy Rides “For location, use lowest color frequency.
For lock combination, use lowest letter frequency.”
3. “End of the Road” Twins the with hanging
4. “Into the Marsh” Knees Your On
5. “Almost Home” High Head About
BONUS: “Bloody Handprints” Under the Ramps, Not the Rocks