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Santa Takes a Holiday Series LbNA #6705 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Nov 28, 2003
Location:
City:Vero Beach - Ft. Pierce
County:Indian River
State:Florida
Boxes:3
Found by: oldhounder & Siamese
Last found:Jan 27, 2009
Status:FFFFFFaFF
Last edited:Nov 28, 2003
“Because with this group, everything’s an effort!”

Location: Round Island Park

Update 3/1/05: As several people have reported, this was one of the many areas devastated by last fall's hurricanes. Access to the island has been restored, and although the main trail is about the same, it no longer loops and some branching trails are still under deadfall. The clues below have been updated to lead you to box #2, which survived very nicely, and box #3, which has been re-planted. Box #1 may still exist, we just couldn't get close enough to figure that out. I'm going to leave the old clues in place in case the old trails get re-established before I return in the fall and someone finds #1.

This is still an easy, easy series – just what you want on vacation. The clues are not hard, the trail is smooth and flat and it can be a fairly quick walk if you choose not to linger. Plan to make a day of it with a picnic lunch and bathing suits if your schedule allows.

Planted by some New York Snowbirds along with Grandma and Grandpa, who winter in Florida. Four days previous they went on their first letterboxing excursion with us to find the other boxes in the area.



Notes:
· Please DO NOT use pigment ink for these letterboxes. The journals are card stock and will not absorb it and the stamps are fine-lined and will clog easily.
· Please re-hide the boxes well, as this appears to be a bit of a “party area” for teens.
· Please do not post information regarding these boxes on any database. Contact the placer with problems or questions.

Round Island Park, located on either side of Route A1A between Vero Beach and Ft. Pierce, offers a wonderful ocean shore beach with good parking, playground and bathroom facilities as well as an in-land boardwalk, boat launch and nature trails. Anglers, small watercraft enthusiasts and manatee watchers are often found enjoying the in-land park. A short footbridge traverses a waterway and leads visitors onto Round Island, which offers well-maintained trails and an observation tower.

Choose the in-land section of the park and park as far back from the road as possible. A small playground, bathrooms and a pavilion are nearby. With your back to the ocean, you’ll be facing a hedge of large-leafed trees. To your left will be the boat launch and one end of the boardwalk, to the right you’ll find a wide grassy path leading to the other end of the boardwalk and the footbridge. Cross the footbridge and head into the woods on Round Island.

Sun

(3/1/05 update: The trail crossing does not exist at this time.) Soon you’ll reach a trail crossing marked by a forked tree. Take the lesser-used trail to the right, due North. The trail twists and turns through a grove of young Australian Pine; you’ll see water through the trees to the right. Eventually you will come out of the grove and approach an area in which most of the trees appear to be dead. You will see two pine trees with trucks crossing to make an “X” on the left side of the trail as it widens into a cathedral-like space, tree branches intersecting overhead. Standing by the “X”, see a multi-trunked tree off the trail to the right at about 75o. Look ahead on the trail and see a tree forming a “V” on the other side of the trail, about 8 paces away. Go to that tree, look at the multi-trunk. Another tree (looks dead) will be just past the multi-trunk, lining up with both the “V” and multi-trunk. Under a fungal growth at the base of this tree, covered with sticks and bark, you’ll see some of what Santa’s been up to while on holiday. Return the way you came to the trail crossing.

Surf

(3/1/05 update: there is no trail crossing right now - just keep going to the first fork. Also, you may have to be creative to get around a big fallen tree that partically obstructs the tower - that just makes it more challenging!) Back at the trail crossing, turn right and get back on the main trail. Continue to the next (first) fork and follow the left branch to another fork, then follow the right branch to the observation tower. Do not go up the ramp to the tower, instead walk along its right side. Count the supporting piers, and find pier number 8 at the intersection of the ramp and first floor deck of the tower. Look on top of this NE post to see what other fun St. Nick’s been having. Now climb the ramp to learn about the many animals and wading birds you might see from the tower, should you choose to climb further. Enjoy as long as you would like, then head back to the main trail.

Sand (trap)

New hiding place, new clues as of 3/1/05: Return to the main trail and back track. Just before you reach the fork, now on your left, spot a multibranching overgrown shrub-like tree. Check out where the branches meet. You might want to walk down the trail branch to a nice deck and bench area overlooking the water to stamp in. Please rehide this one really well!

Please email us if you’re one of the first finders or if there is a problem with the box: Debbie T., “the Bee” at DLT22@cornell.edu, Leslie, “Lily-o’-Vale” at LA4462@msn.com