Need comments -- After all of the comments about questionable caches recently, here is your chance.
After the CITO on Sunday, a small group (Jodi, Duckit, fisnjack, Thunder-4, jaredloser and me), went out to Whale Poop Isle.
Whale Poop Isle
During our search a group came over from the Youth Aquatic Center and told us the rangers don't want anyone on the Island, it's a nesting area for some bird. We found two clutches with eggs and since we only saw ducks, assumed they were duck eggs. We did what all cachers do and continued the search.
While returning the equipment from the CITO, I talked with the ranger staff at the center. This is what I was told. The island is a nesting site for the California Least Tern, a U.S. federally listed endangered subspecies. Anyone seen on the island is asked to leave by the park rangers, lifeguards, and harbor police. They tell the kids at the camp if they are seen on the island, "they'll shoot them out of their shoes".
While I didn't specifically mention geocaching, it was evident that they don't want anyone on the Island. They are currently removing the ice plant, which is not native to the area (Tks-Duncan!) to provide a more suitable habitat.
Since the Least Tern is a small bird, the eggs are small and easily crushed by walking on them. I believe the eggs we saw were ducks eggs, but we could have easily crushed any other clutches in the ice plant. They are also in the process of placing signs, but to the number of agencies involved, it's a slow process, so they are doing what they can by asking people to get off.
While it would be easy to just archive the cache, it's been around since 9/9/2001 and does have history. Before the owner (Iron Chef, lives out of the area and has been inactive since 10/06) and a reviewer are notified, does anyone have comments/ideas.
Here are some possible options --
1) - Just archive it, it's its moved, it will never be the same.
2) - Move it to Fiesta Island
3) - Move it to the main land
4) - Do nothing, cachers should use their own judgement.
5) - Why not try .............
