WW1 UB-121 Submarine (Birling Gap, Seven Sisters) Traditional Geocache
WW1 UB-121 Submarine (Birling Gap, Seven Sisters)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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The cache is a 35mm film pot located at ground level. Sorry, this cache is unlikely to be accessible to wheelchair cachers.
UPDATE: there is a National Trust walk out to the site of the WW1 Submarine at 10.30am on Sunday 29 May 16. Cost?
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This cache commemorates the WW1 UB-121 submarine that came aground and struck the wreck of the SS OUSLA (sic).
The boilers of the 'SS OUSLA' (text updated 17 Aug 14) can still be seen at approximately N 50° 44.763 E 000° 11.329 when the tide is very low.
You do not need to visit the boilers to find this cache, but they are very interesting to see and you never know what else you might find washed-up on the beach. Plus children love searching the rock pools along the way.
Warning:
The boilers are approximately 1km (3/4 mile) along the beach to the west of the parking.
Please check the tide times before beginning your walk.
There is a National Trust cafe at the parking area if you need to wait for the tides.
I believe the café also provides free WiFi to its visitors.
UB-121 (French Submarine) 1919:
Allocated to France as part of war reparations, the ex-German submarine UB-121 was under tow to Cherbourg along with the U-118, escorted by a French destroyer, when the tow parted and she drove
ashore in bad weather below Bailys Hill, Seven sisters. Her bow drove directly into the boiler room of the SS OUSLA (sic) which had gone ashore on 05-NOV-1916. The next tide caused the submarine to drift out and she was thrown ashore a short distance to the east. A Welsh firm undertook to break up both vessels in 1928, but only partly demolished both before abandoning them. The remains of UB-121 survived on the beach for a further 15 years, after which further salvage work was carried out in 1959 (I know! 1928 + 15 = 1943, not 1959).
Another U-boat that was beached at Hastings:
The following film shows a close-up of a U-boat that beached at Hastings in April 1919:
(visit link)
Parking:
Pay parking (National Trust) here: N 50 44.580 E 000 12.100
NB: parking is £1 for up to one hour, or £2.50 for up to four hours.
There is additional pay parking to the north of the main road (cost: ???).
This parking area may be free to Eastbourne Residents who display their Eastbourne Leisure Card on the dashboard.
Additional Information:
A few months ago the Coastguard, and then the Bomb Squad, were called to deal with an explosive device (see the attached photo) that was found on the beach ~100m west of the steps down to the beach.
If you find anything suspicious:
Please leave it alone and, if necessary, call 999 and ask for assistance. (NB: you may not get a mobile phone signal down on the beach and would therefore need to use the public phone box back in the car park.)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Onfr bs sbbgcngu fvta.