Cache by Kayak #01 - Reybridge Traditional Geocache

Housekeeping

Logistics

I highly recommend tackling this series heading downstream from Reybridge to Melksham as the current can be very swift in places. Therefore it is recommended that a vehicle is left in Melksham (or lift arranged) to return you to Reybridge. I have marked appropriate parking and portage waypoints on the first and last caches. There were, at the time of setting, two blockages that required portaging, one short one just before #3, and one long one between #3 and #4 (See #3 and #4 for waypoints). There were also half a dozen or so partial blockages which require careful navigation. I set the caches in my large 2.5 man inflatable ZPro Tango TA300 so if you are in anything smaller or lighter then there should be no problem - good luck if you're in a big wooden Canadian canoe . There is a very shallow weir just by Lacock Abbey and swift water under the bridge between caches #3 & #4, and although there are some shallow spots I would definitely keep a skeg in place as the river meanders a lot and the current can play havoc with your direction. The whole trip should take around 3-4 hours. Also, please, please be as courteous as possible to any anglers you come across. This stretch of river is not a busy kayaking river and anglers like their peace and quiet. Give a wide berth and pass as quickly and quietly as possible.

The Caches

This river can flood quite spectacularly so please don't attempt this series in anything other than good conditions. I've tried to make the series flood proof by using camo wrapped specimen tubes (which should float if you drop it while retreiving/replacing), which can be either lifted out of their clips by rotating them and easing them past the cable ties (used to stop them floating away) - or position the cache in its clip and then put the lid on in situ. Please, please don't just push the cache into the clip as it does crack the tube. Each cache contains a rite-in-the-rain log and that's it. Please take your own pen. Hopefully this will make your job to retrieve/sign/replace less problematic and make my maintenance easier too.

The Ratings

Being a kayak series means the terrain is automatically 5 because you need water transport of some sort - but that does not mean it's impossible to retrieve the cache without. Please don't, but if you do I expect a long, long, log with an interesting story and photos. Please don't claim a find if you just witness it from the bank - get wet, or get in the boat!
The difficulty rating for these types of caches is even more subjective than usual because river level, current, number of people in the boat, kit you have with you, etc. can all make retrieval much easier or harder than when they were set. I'm basing the difficulty on a combination of how hard to find (not very in most instances) and how hard to retrieve the cache was when it was set. Please come prepared for some awkward stretches or even worse If it's harder or easier when you find it then so be it - I'm not interested in criticism of the ratings - I'm not changing them unless Groundspeak locks the D/T of a cache to your stats when you find it.

The cache

#1 is pretty obvious and should be easy to retrieve. It's attached to a branch of a bush on the east bank just after the bridge.

Disclaimer

Caches of this nature entail a certain amount of risk. Please only attempt it if you know what you are doing and can take all the necessary precautions. You and you alone are responsible for your safety.

Credits