Welcome to the Bainbridge Public Library's Shoreline Geocache Quest! You and your family are invited to locate caches hidden on 5 different public shorelines on Bainbridge Island, using your GPS device or comparable smartphone application.
But in order to obtain the complete coordinates for each hiding place, you'll have to correctly answer two multiple choice questions relating to Puget Sound shorelines.
So in addition to the fun of a geocache quest, you'll be learning about the marine life and ecology of our near shore environment. And you'll take away a small shoreline-related prize!
A few caveats:
Wear good walking shoes suitable for beaches and possibly muddy trails.
For the cache hidden at Fort Ward Park, avoid high tides!
This is a Cache In, Trash Out geocache quest! So instead of replacing the prize with your own gift, help yourself to one of the plastic trash bags in the cache and use it to pick up any litter you may find on the beach or trail. Thanks!
Geocache Locations
Format note: Geocache coordinates can be shown in two formats: degrees/minutes/seconds (N47°35' 55.8") or decimals (N47 35.930). Most geocache apps require the decimal format. Both formats are included in the answer page. Or to convert degrees to decimal format, just divide the seconds number by 60.
Once you arrive at the general geocache location, the degrees/minutes/seconds format may be more helpful in zeroing in on the exact location of the cache.
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1st Location |
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2nd Location |
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3rd Location |
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4th Location |
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5th Location |
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| 1st Location |
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1. Moderately Difficult. Avoid high tides. Some climbing over or maneuvering around logs may be required. Wear shoes with good traction, and be mindful of slippery rocks.
Lat. 47 35 __.65
Long. 122 31 __.96
Latitude: How does a sea anemone catch its food?
19. It waits for another animal to brush against its tentacles, then it stings the other animal and eats it.
22. It glides slowly over rocks, eating algae as it moves.
37. It pulls water through its body and filters out tiny particles of food.
58. It reaches out with its tentacles to grab other animals that swim by.
Longitude: What can you can do in your home and yard to help prevent toxic stormwater runoff that pollutes Puget Sound?
37. Make your own or purchase non-toxic cleaning products
19. Wash your vehicle at a commercial carwash or on your lawn rather than in your driveway
29. Use organic fertilizer, compost, mulch, and hand weed
68. Dispose of hazardous wastes and medications properly
15. Build a rain garden
53. All of the above.
Check your answer here!
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| 2nd Location |
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2. Easy
Lat. 47 36 __.3
Long. 122 30 __.66
Latitude: The orca whales who live in Puget Sound live in groups called pods. Researchers have discovered that the pods seem to be led by ______?
36. A Dall's porpoise that lives with the pod
57. The oldest female in the pod
43. The oldest male in the pod
50. The strongest male in the pod
Longitude: How many pieces of plastic litter enter the world's oceans each day?
45. 500,000
29. One million
32. Three million
33. Eight million
Check your answer here!
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| 3rd Location |
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3. Moderate. This requires a walk of about 1/4 mile down and back up a fairly steep trail that can get muddy in places after a rainfall. Wear good walking shoes. The wooden parts of the trail can be slippery when wet.
Lat. 47 40 __.1
Long 122 34 __.8
Latitude: What should do if you find a baby seal alone on a beach?
40. Call the police.
16. Leave it alone.
27. Feed it some fish.
33. Take it home and put it in the bathtub to keep it wet.
Longitude: Plastic litter typically bio-degrades in about
40. Never
23. 500 years
38. 1 million years
17. 50 years
Check your answer here!
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| 4th Location |
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4. Easy terrain, but requires a bit of a search.
Lat. 47 36 __.1
Long. 122 33 __.9
Latitude: Why is it important to protect the eelgrass found growing in tideflats?
61. It is an important part of the ocean food chain.
46. It provides a protective nursery and shelter for many marine and near-shore animals.
24. It helps prevent erosion.
15. All of the above.
Longitude: The major source of pollution in Puget Sound is from:
32. Litter deposited on beaches
54. Acid rain
5. Toxic stormwater runoff from homes and businesses
48. Oil and other spills from ships
Check your answers here!
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| 5th Location |
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5. Easy
Lat. 47 35 __.9
Long 122 30 __.3
Latitude: How do mussels protect themselves from predators?
49. They spin out a thread that ties the attacker to a nearby rock or piling
35. They can change color to blend with the rock or piling that they are attached to
19. They emit a stinging poison that drives the predator away.
21. They move rapidly through the water to a new hiding place.
Longitude: What can you do to protect Puget Sound salmon habitat?
22. Consider alternatives to bulkhead construction.
61. Keep or install a buffer of native plants along the beach or bluff.
45. Keep pollutants from going into the Sound.
38. Keep your septic system from failing with regular inspections and maintenance.
16. Avoid trampling eelgrass on the beach or damaging eelgrass meadows while boating
57. All of the above
Check your answers here!
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