13th Annual Ice Walk!
Saturday February 16th 2019,
Notre Centre Grande Digue, NB.
Caching on Shediac Island, Cocagne Island, and environs.
If you wish to experience winter caching, this is the event for you!
Check the Announcements on a regular basis for updates on ice conditions, the weather, on the event and on caches. Note that cachers who have logged a WILL ATTEND will receive email copies of announcements of these same updates.
EVENT HEADQUARTERS: NOTRE CENTRE in GRANDE DIGUE
Once again, thank you to MA&PA for building this event into what it is today. Expect another terrific hike/snowshoe, with a few new twists. The Shediac Island caches will have fun new containers, and good times after the snowshoe at the event centre. We have again reserved the hall and the kitchen at NOTRE CENTRE. Registration will begin at 8:30 am. Come in to meet other cachers and plan your caching day. Coffee will be available all day. Feel free to start later if that suits you better. We have the hall until 6 pm and will begin closing down at 5 pm. Please note that we will have a raffle for a nicely stocked gift basket, draw around 4:00.
When you return from your caching, come in, relax and enjoy the company of fellow cachers and trade stories of your day. If you don't go out caching, please drop in anyway and join in the fun. We will have warm comfort food, hot drinks, treats and sweets waiting for everyone. Some of the popular dishes, soups, chillis and desserts will be there again this year, thanks again for participating in the pot luck.
NOTE: If you wish to bring food to be shared, we will have access to the large refrigeration units to keep food fresh all day. We will also have access to the stoves.
YOUR CACHING DAY
Cachers you will have many choices. You will be able to cross the ice to grab caches on Shediac Island or on Cocagne Island. If you do not wish to cross to the islands, bring your snowshoes anyway, because there will be many other caches in the woods and on trails in this area. If you would like to borrow snowshoes, let us know in advance, as we may have a few pairs available.
If that is not your kind of caching, then venture out on our country roads to pick up some of the many caches and cache series or, you may want to do a bit of urban caching in the Cap Pele to Bouctouche to Moncton area.
If heading to Cocagne Island, you may chose to carpool, we have provided a waypoint for a parking spot across from the island., where from you should cross.
PHOTOS/SLIDESHOW FROM 2018 ICEWALK
UPDATES
On a regular basis, we will be providing updates on ice conditions, on the weather, on the event and on caches. Cachers who have logged a WILL ATTEND will receive email copies of announcements of these same updates
Please note that all the caches on the islands are winter friendly which means they are hung high enough to be accessible in winter. The same applies to all the caches in the many series listed further down. So if you plan on staying more than a day, you will not be disappointed. .
We will have a number of door prizes this year. All participants (with or without a caching nic) will be eligible. Simply register with herrminnz when you arrive at the center, either in the morning or afternoon. There is no fee. The draw will take place at 4pm. There is no need to be present for the draw
CLOTHING, EQUIPMENT AND ICE SAFETY
The walk across the ice to Shediac Island may take up to 30 minutes if crossing from Edgewater and you will not be protected from the elements. The walk across to Cocagne Island will take a bit less time. You will spend a lot of time looking for the many caches on the islands and then you will have that same walk back. You should pace yourself and start back if you feel tired. After all, it is a long walk back.
Layering your clothing is the best method of staying warm. This would include long johns and/or snow pants for your legs. We recommend that you include additional clothing items in your backpack. Extra mitts or hand warmers could be helpful as you will be exposing hands to open caches and signing logs. Because of the length of the walk, you should bring a lunch with you and also bring plenty of liquids. Snow is usually not deep on the ice so snowshoes are often not necessary to get over there. Once you are on the islands, snowshoes should be necessary.
The conditions are always changing but we will keep everyone informed. We never venture out on the ice without being as positive as we can about safety. We base it on the activity on the ice and the weather and we also venture over ourselves before the event. We will cancel the ice crossing portion of the event if there is any doubt. Every year we wait until the commercial fishermen have been out on the ice with their trucks.
If heading to Shediac Island, cross to the North side or to the west side. On the island, travel from the North to the South along the trail on the West side of the Island. When you have done the caches on the South, return the way you came. DO NOT GO ON THE ICE ON THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDES OF THE ISLAND. On COCAGNE ISLAND, please cross at the waypoint provided, NOT the short crossing on the northwest side of the Island, please begin your crossing at Surette St and return the same way.
NEW CACHES
If you have not cached in the area before, or if you haven't cached here in a while, you will be surprised with the number of caches. Many new caches have been placed in our area since the last event and there are plans for more before the event.
