+AntarcticMan Posted January 20, 2005 Share Posted January 20, 2005 I wonder if anyone in or near Mossel Bay would like to create a new cache?? I tried to submit an idea that to me seems a 'natural' (can't imaging why nobody has thought of it already!) But as both a 'virtual' and a 'holiday cache' it had little chance of being approved, (it wasn't) but could be done either as an offset or micro-cache if anyone local was interested? It involves the idea that the worlds first geocache was in fact created here in South Africa (not the USA) and was planted over 500 years ago... Please email me if you'd like to hear the idea! Quote Link to comment
+Willadeursalladeur Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 You make an excellent point. Come Geocachers in Mosselbay! Quote Link to comment
+GlobalRat Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 I hope a local cacher responds, as I know exactly what you're talking about. Quote Link to comment
+Discombob Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 errrrr, I have no idea whats going on with this cache, but I don't often make it out that way I fear Quote Link to comment
+WxGuesser Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Please explain... A 500 yr old cache.... ?? Quote Link to comment
+Willadeursalladeur Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Here is a CLUE http://www.southerncape.co.za/towns/mosselbaai/welcome.html Quote Link to comment
+WxGuesser Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 good story.. i learned something today! Quote Link to comment
trevorb Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 Contact me, I'm close [well 200km away], and could help. Trevor Quote Link to comment
+AntarcticMan Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 Here's the text of my idea - no doubt it, and the name, could be improved on! QUOTE Worlds Oldest Geocache In 1500 Pedro de Ataide, Commander of one of Cabral's ships, on his return journey from the east, left a letter of importance in a shoe or iron pot under or near a large tree in Mossel Bay. In 1501 this letter was found by Joao da Nova, Commander of the Third East India Fleet en route to India. In this way the first Post Office in South Africa was founded. The large tree, a Milkwood (Sideroxylon inerme) has been declared a national monument and is generally known as the Post Office Tree. It is thought most probable that he buried the message in a container and left an engraved stone as a guide to where it was to be found - something the indigenous people would not have been able to read. (Koisan geo-muggles?) Only now can we recognise that he also created the worlds first geocache right here in South Africa! Joao da Nova may not have had GPSr in order to find it, but recreations of navigational instruments of the day may be seen in the nearby museum which is well worth a visit. http://www.diasmuseum.co.za/ UNQUOTE I was hoping to do it as a virtual - but it would not be too difficult to hide a small micro on or near the tree itself. I guess ideally one would write to the administrators of the Museum and get there approval/cooperation. Failing which, one could use the date on the plaque to decode the position of an offset cache? Quote Link to comment
+AntarcticMan Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 BTW I made the coords of the tree: S34 10.826 E022 08.484 I think this would make an ideal cache for tourists to do, as some of the caches along the Garden Route and elsewhere are a bit of a physical challenge for old f**ts like me! I've had to give up on two recently... I'm sure there are many other sites of historical interest too - The Hugeonot Memorial in Stellenbosch is one that comes to mind. Quote Link to comment
+AntarcticMan Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 BTW I made the coords of the tree: S34 10.826 E022 08.484 I think this would make an ideal cache for tourists to do, as some of the caches along the Garden Route and elsewhere are a bit of a physical challenge for old f**ts like me! I've had to give up on two recently... I'm sure there are many other sites of historical interest too - The Hugeonot Memorial in Stellenbosch is one that comes to mind. (If anyone has emailed me, I'm afraid my home account uis doing strange things and I only see emails that are more than 4 days old!) Quote Link to comment
+emzett Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I wonder if anyone in or near Mossel Bay would like to create a new cache?? I tried to submit an idea that to me seems a 'natural' (can't imaging why nobody has thought of it already!) But as both a 'virtual' and a 'holiday cache' it had little chance of being approved, (it wasn't) but could be done either as an offset or micro-cache if anyone local was interested? It involves the idea that the worlds first geocache was in fact created here in South Africa (not the USA) and was planted over 500 years ago... Please email me if you'd like to hear the idea! Actually, I thought the same when I had made there a short stop in December. I think I even took a photo with GPSr at that location. Have to check when I'm back home; I haven't that experience with letterboxes, but naturally it must be a letterbox-hybrid, don't you think so? Greetings from Taiwan! Markus Quote Link to comment
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