One of the most unusual and challenging NY City caches is now history.....

1.4k · November 9, 2007

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...b7-1ab6fdeaf117

I remember one night a couple of years ago flipping channels with nothing on stumbling upon one of those "forgotten NY" kind of documentaries on WNYE (channel 25) and they talked about these abandoned islands and their intriguing history. Given the somewhat difficulty of navigating the waters and getting onto these abandoned islands that are quasi-illegal to be on, I was always amazed at how long this cache lasted and that it actually got a few finders up to the challenge.

I can't imagine that a cache like this will ever exist within the boundaries of the 5 boros again and just wanted to pay tribute to it here! I couldn't see ever attempting this myself, but as I note in a note I put in the listing it was kind of a local challenge "geocaching daydream" about this cache that kept it on my watchlist (and this cache had 30 watchers, some of whom probably felt the same way, others who probably were just waiting for the time and means to do it!).

Thanks for the memory of what could be......may the birds enjoy it! (Not sarcasm, I like how Audubon Society helped make it a haven for migratory birds!). :laughing:

Edited November 9, 2007 by HaLiJuSaPa

November 9, 2007

Aw, man. That would've been awesome to hit, even though only a handful of cachers actually did, and a portion of those weren't cachers to begin with. Reminds me a lot of 'As North As It Gets!'. Hmm, I'll have to look into that flight to Alert now.

1.5k · November 9, 2007

It's not quazi-illegal to be on that island, it's just flat out illegal. The city doesn't want anyone on that island period. But that didn't seem to matter. I had half heartedly planned a trip to that one until I found out I'd be tresspassing if I did.

Edited November 9, 2007 by macatac1961

38.2k · November 9, 2007

Bummer, it was on my must do list for some time. I was considering doing it earlier this summer but something came up..

Is it Audobon property or city property? The 9/21 log made me wonder what is up. It said something about being transferred to the city.

1.1k · November 9, 2007

Bummer, it was on my must do list for some time. I was considering doing it earlier this summer but something came up..

Is it Audobon property or city property? The 9/21 log made me wonder what is up. It said something about being transferred to the city.

It looks like it might be being transferred over to the city however, it looks (at least from this one city worker) that they are ok with it there.

Anyone have a boat to go out on Nov. 23rd? I'd love to do it!

1.5k · November 9, 2007

I found out that it's not the city:

It is currently owned by Hampton Scows, Incorporated a Long Island company that dutifully pays property taxes every year but has no plans to develop the seven-acre island. It purchased the island in 1975 for the sum of ten dollars.

I family friend works at Rikers and when I told him about the cache he told me I'd be tresspassing and also that he thought the city owned it.

1.1k · November 9, 2007

I found out that it's not the city:

It is currently owned by Hampton Scows, Incorporated a Long Island company that dutifully pays property taxes every year but has no plans to develop the seven-acre island. It purchased the island in 1975 for the sum of ten dollars.

I family friend works at Rikers and when I told him about the cache he told me I'd be tresspassing and also that he thought the city owned it.

Cache page (last finder) said that it will be changing ownership after November. Who knows what year they are talking about! :laughing:

10.1k · November 14, 2007

The anathema on Andy Bear's Ten-Mile List. We never seriously considered attempting this one. But it is so sad to see such an historic cache archived for such specious reasons. Oh, well. I'm a sentamentalist, and mourn the loss of any historic cache.

November 16, 2007

Was on the island in early october of this year but with no gps. If a cache is archived but not removed can you still log it?If the cache is still on the island in the spring I have a small boat which I take one person with me and we can do a hit and run.

1.5k · November 16, 2007

Was on the island in early october of this year but with no gps. If a cache is archived but not removed can you still log it?If the cache is still on the island in the spring I have a small boat which I take one person with me and we can do a hit and run.

If you do go, you should take the cache with you when you leave and post a note that it has been removed. Whether you can log a find or not is up to the cache owner, who doesn't seem to be interested any longer.

1.4k · November 18, 2007

Was on the island in early october of this year but with no gps. If a cache is archived but not removed can you still log it?If the cache is still on the island in the spring I have a small boat which I take one person with me and we can do a hit and run.

While you're not supposed to log archived caches, I have seen people do it on occasion as Groundspeak's site is not programmed to prevent it, so I would say you should! I have never seen admins actually remove these logs; of course the cache owner can but I doubt he would in this case. Actually, per macatac1961's response to this about going there and removing the cache I think your trying to find it if you can is a great idea! Good luck......

Edited November 18, 2007 by HaLiJuSaPa

1.5k · November 18, 2007

I found a cache a while ago where the approver had unarchived it so someone could remove it:

REMOVE-Hell On Earth

My son and I found it, trashed it out and he archived it again. Going after the Spooky Island cache would be the same idea and I'm sure anyone who cares about the game will be glad to see you take a smiley in order to pick up a cache that would otherwise just rot away out there.

38.2k · November 20, 2007

Just heard on the news this morning that NYC is buying South Brother Island and transferring it to the parks dept. I assume this is South Brother Island because they said it was the last privately owned island in the river.

1.5k · November 20, 2007

Just heard on the news this morning that NYC is buying South Brother Island and transferring it to the parks dept. I assume this is South Brother Island because they said it was the last privately owned island in the river.

That's the one. I just read it in this Newsday article.

38.2k · November 23, 2007

Hmmmm, then I wonder if it can be reactivated once the sale is closed.

1.5k · November 23, 2007

I'm not sure if it was in the paper or that internet article but I read somewhere in there that the place will be off limits.

NY Times article on S Brother Island

Edited November 24, 2007 by macatac1961

1.4k · November 24, 2007

I wonder what's becoming of North Brother Island then.....

November 26, 2007

I wonder what's becoming of North Brother Island then.....

N.B.I. already belongs to the city. It is classified as a bird sanctuary and the state DEP "maintains" the island. I have been on the island and its a real interesting place.

1.2k · January 30, 2008

Just heard on the news this morning that NYC is buying South Brother Island and transferring it to the parks dept. I assume this is South Brother Island because they said it was the last privately owned island in the river.

That's the one. I just read it in this Newsday article.

Anyone have a working link to this article?

I'm curious as to the status of the island and other islands around NYC.

There is another bird sanctuary in the Auther Kill that is periodically opened for visitors by the NY Audubon Society.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...;zm=14&mt=m

I've heard the is a cache on this island too, but I can't seem to located it's page. Maybe it's archived?

Anyone have additional information about this one?

Edited January 30, 2008 by ekitt10

February 11, 2008

This book is invaluable in you want to learn about NY islands

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Islands-New-Yo...y/dp/0881505021

One of the most unusual and challenging NY City caches is now history.....

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