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Swans by the Lake

About the Area: In spite of its seemingly natural beauty, the lake itself was actually man-made and carefully designed during the mid 1950s. For the next several decades, the Furman Swan Lake was celebrated as an aquatic recreational landmark with boating, swimming, canoeing, water sports and lakeside sunbathing. By the 1990s though, algae blooms and rapid bacterial growth marked the end of the Swan Lake’s recreational use and welcomed a growing biodiverse ecosystem of waterfowl, songbirds, fish, plants and insects. This 26-acre Swan Lake soon became home to a large number of waterfowl–– too large a number, in fact. One study conducted by several Furman biology students found that: “By July 2006, there were 362 waterfowl on the lake-- 250 Canada geese and an assortment of 92 muscovy, domestic, and mallard ducks--well in excess of the 50 waterfowl that a 28-acre lake should support.” While many factors have played into this overpopulation, one that we can easily correct is to stop feeding waterfowl. Feeding ducks–– or waterfowl in general–– creates a false food source, resulting in delayed migration and overcrowding. Feeding ducks bread is particularly harmful as it can lead to a peculiar physiological deformity, known as angel wings, that hampers their mobility and further discourages migration. Uneaten bread sometimes will spur excessive algal blooms, crowding out native plants, amphibians, and fish. Finally, overpopulation of waterfowl may also prompt aspergilossis, a fatal bacterial lung disease for waterfowl, and avian botulism, a paralytic and toxic disease for ducks. Fortunately, there are many other excellent ways to enjoy the beautiful Furman landscape without threatening the wildlife, from midday walks to lakeside bike rides to geocaching. With that said, if you happen to catch anyone feeding the ducks, let them know there is a much cooler geocache for them to enjoy instead J Sources:

• http://blogs.furman.edu/library-news/2018/05/15/the-history-of-swan-lake/ • http://www2.furman.edu/sites/LakeRestoration/Progress/Pages/Waterfowl.aspx • http://www2.furman.edu/sites/LakeRestoration/Progress/Pages/Waterfowl10.aspx • http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7001.html • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_wing • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus • http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-09/bird-deaths-avian-botulism/5377918

About Geocaching: This scavenger has been designed as a Geocache. Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity that uses GPS coordinates to hide and locate secret containers, known as geocaches or caches across the globe. Feel free to play along by downloading the app or visiting the website to record your find and tell how close you are at each step, however this scavenger hunt has been designed so that you can play with just this printable guide, if desired.

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About the Cache: This is a sixteen-step multi-cache designed for new and experienced cachers alike. Across Furman campus, you will find ceramic swans scattered around three central locations: the Trone Student Center, the James B. Duke Library, and the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability. There are fifteen total swans that you will need to find–– five near each location–– in order to find the final cache. Be sure to note any differences you spot between the swans, as four of the swans are not quite like the others. The clues below are generally designed to increase in difficulty and may require some Internet sleuthing and cipher decoding at several points. For younger or newer cachers though, the ceramic swans are large enough and prominent enough that you could walk and search around the three central waypoints to find all the swans with relative ease. Final Location: After locating all fifteen swans and making note of any swans that are not like the others, you will be ready to head to the final location. You’ll have to use the information you found from the swans across campus in order to unlock a combination lock. The final cache will be located just outside the Shi Center, not too far off from the final swan. In order to locate the exact spot of final location, you’ll want to make sure you have red all of the directions carefully. Parking & Pit Stops: Public parking has been marked on the map. Campus visitors may use the Trone Center student lot, the Chapel lot, and the Duke Energy Village lot to easily access the cache. Since this multi-cache does involve quite a number of steps, there are several waypoints placed on the map to enjoy a lunch break or take a quick rest throughout. Some may even find it more enjoyable to complete the cache over the course of several different days. Travelling Sustainably: Take an afternoon walk or bike ride along the Swamp Rabbit Trail to access this cache and earn some bonus sustainability points. For more information on access points or local restaurants along the trail, check out the Carrot at: http://digitaleditions.sheridan.com/publication/?m=32050&l=1#{"issue_id":383405,"page":22 Permissions: Thanks to all the Furman University officials and staff that have helped grant permission, provide support, and volunteer their time to help with upkeep, so that that this cache has become a reality. Special thanks to the Furman Facilities staff members for helping install the cache and making sure the cache has been put in the best possible location to preserve the natural landscape.

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Clues:

1. About the Area… 2. VVVVVVVVVVVWVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVAVVVVVVVV

VVVVVVTVVVVVVVVVVVEVVVVVVRVVVVFVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVLVVVVVVVVVLVVVVV

3. Esaidlek Koreovol

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4. 5. PUREHO VA GUR SBHAGNVA

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6. 7. MCMLVI

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10. 11. 日本庭の神社

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13. 14. ena scth ariani

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15. Hints: (#5) ROT 13; (#14) Every other; (#15) Pigpen