Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.
When most think of the town of Port Dover,they think summer,beach,perch, fish tugs and foot long Hot Dogs. But few realise that there is a lot of history to this little town. 350 years of history as of this year. This is but a small part of that history but perhaps one of the most importants. Without these brave men who knows were Ontario or even Canada might be today. They were true explorers and survivors.
Francois Dollier de Casson, a Sulpician Priest and Rene de Brehant de Galinee, a Deacon of that order along with seven soldiers, set out in three canoes from Montreal on July 6, 1669. They were accompanied by a Dutch interpreter,Native Indian guides and a second party led by Sieur de la Salle. Dollier and Gallinee's objective was to reach the Ohio Valley with the purpose of converting the Native Indiains there to Christianity. They had only vague ideas of how to get there,being completely dependent on their Indian guides. At this time the French were knowledgeable of Lake Ontario and travelled to northern Lake Huron/Georgian Bay/Sault Saint Marie by way of the Ottawa River and Lake Nipissing. Warfare with the Iroquois had barred the French from exploring west and south, but now, in 1669, an uneasy peace prevailed.
The Iroquois guides led them down the St Lawerance to Lake Ontario and along the south shore to the vicinity of Rochester NY and then to a small Indian village at Burlington Bay. At this point around October 1 the La Salle party leaves on their own adventure only to return in defeat to Montreal sometime later. Assisted by the locale Indians, Dollier and Gallinee portaged due west to the Grand River arriving in the area of Caledonia arround the 3rd of October,and another native village. The Dollier and Gallinee party canoed down the Grand into Lake Erie,arriving on October 14th, the first Europeans to see it.
On October 17, 1669 Dollier and Gallinee arrived at Port Dover,they travelled up what is now the Lynn River/Patterson Creek to the fork, they stayed to the right into Black Creek and found a suitable site at which to spend the winter. This may seem early in the year for a winter break but they had a lot of work to do in order to survive the winter. Here they found plentiful game ( deer, bear, beaver),fish,plums,walnuts,chestnuts, and grapes in abundance, " The earthly paradise of Canada". With no nails and a few tools they had along with them ,they built a shelter for the canoes,a cabin and a stockade.
The cabin held the nine men in the party, an alter,their larder,and any other provisions. They harvested the grapes and made wine it is said that it was as good as the best made in France. ( interestingly enough wine making in the area has enjoyed a come back and there are many well known wineries now in the area. 350yrs of history). Although the weather was cold they made no mention of it and felt very snug in their cabin. They celebrated mass 3 times a week through this winter. (Interesting side note that this site is one of the few places that the cathlic church celebrates mass outdoors).
On March 23 1670 Dollier and Galinee raised a cross over what is now Port Dover claiming the territory in the name of the King of France. Stage 2 of this virtual will take you to its location. The original cross is long gone but the Historical Sites and Monuments Board of Canada has placed one in its place. This is a national historical site. After portaging canoes and supplies to the shoreline as Black Creek was still frozen they set out on the 26th of March again to brave the waters of Lake Erie. This next part of their journey was perhaps the roughest part. It would see them lose a canoe at Turkey point, forcing 5 of them to walk while 4 remained in the 2 remaining canoes. When they finally reached the area of Port Stanley they found another canoe, but this luck was short lived. At Point Pelee,they would lose all their Chapal Service for holding Mass. Without this they would not be able to perform Mass for the Indians they had set out to convert. This brought an end to their mission,however their story did continue.
They had been told that Lake Erie at it's southern end connected with Lake Huron. Knowing that if they reached Huron they could make their way to Sault Saint Marie. They set out, traveling the detroit river to Lake St. Clair and then on in to Lake Huron arriving at Sault Saint Marie on May 25th, 1670. After a short stay, they headed out on the 28th of May to move east through the North Channel, to the French River, Lake Nipissing and the Ottawa River. Arriving back in Montreal by June 18th, 1670. Gone nearly a year they must of been like the dead come back to life as they returned to those that most likely had figured them long gone in the wild unknown lands of Canada.
As adventures go this must of been one of the greatest. Both Dollier and Galinee recorded much in their journals but Dollier's was lost with one of the canoes. Galinee's however was not he recorded what he saw and made some maps that showed that the great lakes were connected. As there was no real means to track time nor for that matter record distance or coordinates copies of this map are a little dispreportioned but all the features are there.
To log this cache you will need to visit both the Wintering Site which the posted coordinates will take you to and the location of the cross which Stag 2 coordinates are given. At each site take the time to read the plaques and answer the following Questions.
Stage 1 Question
When you arrive at the plaque you will have crossed a fenced in area with opening on either side. If you look closely at this area and read the plaque.
a) What was once contained within the fenced area earthen mounds?
Stage 2 Question
Once at GZ please make sure to read all the plaques.
b)Where was the coat of arms attached on the original cross?
c)What year was Canada ceded by France to Great Britain?
d)What year was this memorial placed?
Final Request
e)At either Stage 1 or 2 take a photo of the surrounding scenery ,include something in the photo to let me know you were there. ( a foot, your gps, thumbs up, your cache name etc...will do fine-although you do not have to show your face if you don't want to).Please add photo to your log. Feel free to add more then one photo if you wish.As I grew up in this area and these two locations are like looking at my own backyard there is not much you can take a photo of that I will not recognize, but to keep it simple. If you choose a photo at Stage 1 please take one looking out towards the river from the posted coords. If you choose Stage 2 from the top of the hill you our on, you will see the Lift Bridge to your right or river running out to the lake to the left or just the river below. Any of these would be great pictures. As I said this is like looking into my own backyard.
Referances and extra coolstuff to check out.
https://www.norfolktourism.ca/dollier-galinee/
https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=13398
http://www.parkscanadahistory.com/series/hs/hs1.pdf
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1a5t5G-ih1QAlEFTPXLclFZAidgc&ll=44.31353121387071%2C-78.96646499999997&z=6
The above link is a cool interactive map of there journey.