Visit the birthplace of the Pathfinder
of the Seas, Matthew Fontaine Maury.
And learn information to help you
navigate to this cache while there!
The cache is not at the posted coordinates!
Read on for an explanation.
Born in January 1806 at the home that formerly stood here was Matthew Fontaine Maury, who gained renown as an astronomer, historian, oceanographer, meteorologist, cartographer, author, geologist, and educator. He was nicknamed 'Pathfinder of the Seas' due to the publication of his extensive study of oceanography, most especially, Physical Geography of the Sea, the first comprehensive book on oceanography to be published.
In 1825, at age 19, Maury joined the United States Navy as a midshipman on board the frigate USS Brandywine. Almost immediately he began to study the seas and record methods of navigation. When a leg injury left him unfit for sea duty, Maury devoted his time to the study of navigation, meteorology, winds and currents. He became Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Observatory and head of the Depot of Charts and Instruments. There, Maury studied thousands of ships' logs and charts and compiled the data into his own charts he published which showed sailors how to use ocean winds and currents to their advantage. By using Maury's charts ship captains were able to significantly reduce the time it took to sail from New York to San Francisco.
If you set sail from the historical sign at the Maury birthplace on a course, using a compass like those aboard these ships, equivalent to the average number of days it previously took these ships to make that passage and navigate a distance in fathoms equivalent to the average number of days it subsequently took these ships, you will find the cache at the end of your voyage.
"Fair winds!"
This is a Nautical Knutz cache, part of an occasional series by the Cachew Knutz highlighting our interest in sailing, boating and all things nautical.