This single tree may have been the first to sink its roots into a sandbar that was formed by a storm long ago. This single tree, followed by others, may have been the one that anchored the sediments and began the island building process that created Pavilion Key so long ago. This interesting process continues today all over the Ten Thousand Islands area and in Mangrove forests the world over.

I do not know the age or species of this tree and do not want to know--it does not matter. All that matters is that the tree is REAL...it EXISTS and has existed for longer than most of us temporary humans can concieve. It is very likely that this tree was there...on that tiny windsweapt island...before any of our ancestors were even in this part of the world and it is likely that it will remain behind after most of us reading this are gone.

What I do know for certain about this tree is that--however ancient it is--it has seen every sunrise and every sunset from its remote vantage point since it began growing! This twice daily event is a sight that cannot aptly be described so it must be experienced...it is for this reason that this cache has been placed.

Getting to Pavilion Key:

You will need a boat. Kayaks are excellent but I met some folks on the island who sailed in, dropped anchor and came in on their dinghy (you can just make out their sailboat in the photo of the sunset below)! Your best put in for a day trip is Chokoloskee Island or Everglades City to the NE. Pavilion is a grand place to camp but you will need to check with the NPS in Everglades City for permits/maps.

To access the cache-site directly you should visit during high tide--if you have a flat bottomed boat--if a V-hull you will need to anchor your boat in deeper water a few hundred yards out and walk/paddle in. It is for these access reasons that I have given this cache a high terrain rating.

You can beach most smaller boats on the North end of the island near the campsites at:

N 25 42.438

W081 21.118

...and walk to the cache. It is a beautiful beach walk for most of the way but for the last 1/3 of the walk you will be clambering over many piles of driftwood, walking through spiderwebs and fighting off Mosquitos--but it is worth the effort. I doubt if many humans have ever seen the tree.

When you visit please do not harm the tree--take only pictures and leave only footprints.

To prove that you made the journey - log your visit here...with pictures!!

Remember! This is a WILD area with all of its components: live wild creatures(that may hurt you--oh my!), mud, dirt, scat(fresh and sunbleached...the fresh will be accompanied by a rather unpleasent odor so WATCH OUT! Often, if you poke a stick at scat, fresh works best, just the right way you will be able to determine what type of creature left it there and just what that creature had eaten for its last meal!! WOW-ain't nature grand!), uneven ground, rough surfaces(that may abrade your skin), heat, cold, wet water(that becomes hard and cold in the colder times and OH MY--this often will fall unpredictably from the sky and if you are not prepared it will make you and your coverings WET!! See: Weather below), dryness(may also chap exposed skin), rocks(watch out for these things--you may trip on them and fall down!), plants (some you can eat and some will make you itch and bleed), sand (that makes you itch if you get it in your nether-regions), pollen(a by-product of the above plants that may make some of you sneeze, itch and cough), wind(that may chap exposed skin and disturb carefully placed hair), air(this could be anywhere from hot to warm or cool to cold), weather(a combination of many of the factors present here. This is entirely unpredictable unless you believe what the NWS tells you), light and dark (and all the shades in between), unpredictable sounds created from unknown sources (some of these may be pleasent...but sometimes not...and they will hurt your ears!), sometimes you will see a very bright disk overhead (but don't look directly at it as it will damage your eyes. It may also cause red burns on your exposed skin so bring your protective devices and chemicals), often there is a lack of light accompanied by a glowing disk in the sky that is pleasent to look at...and much more! Just remember: there will be plenty of random unplanned events that you will encounter on this hunt and on any venture you take into the natural world--so be ready for them as they are the things that make life worth living!

Additional Hints Hints

4/4/2005 by Lj&Co
On this gorgeous Monday morning, three of us headed out to the Everglades. A girl could ask for more than this beautiful day and to have two men at her beck and call. After hitting Waton’s place we headed out to Pavilion Key. Saw a lot of campers out on the North sand bar, and even say a couple of dolphins off to the east of the key. Sad to say I was still a little queasy from our adventure at Ed place, but we circled the island a few time and OB was sure he spotted Sunset Tree. So we made short work of this cache and head off to Everglades City so I could get a little break before heading back to Homestead. Thanks to OB for all his efforts in making this an enjoyable trip and to Chico for aiding and abiding a couple of geocacher in their goal.

Thanks for bring us out to such a beautiful spot.
Lj

4/4/2005 by OB Jets
We flew over to do the other near by virt so while we were in the area we buzzed over the Key. I got some pictures of the Key and what I suspect is the Sunset Tree which I will post later...thanks it was a GREAT day for flying!

Ob

5/30/2004 by Cnofish
Great place to visit& fish the shore line,but be ready for the bugs.

4/24/2004 by Magellin
What a ride! The tree looks as if it were once a prop for an old Boris Karloff movie. It's defenitly freeky looking compared to all the other vegetation surounding it.
Great virtual.

Visit http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=45b85cfb-f000-4a39-b13f-f6d27848f7cc
for pics of me and Litngbug

[This entry was edited by Magellin on Tuesday, May 18, 2004 at 7:38:36 PM.]

4/24/2004 by litngbug
FTF/Log at 1:50 PM today with Magellin! Long boat ride from Lovers Key. Very nice island in the middle of nowhere, ospreys were very noisey. lots of raccoon tracks in sand, loads of plants on island, including catus. saw remnants of compass rose beneath tree. pics are posted
thanks for the cache
litngbug

[This entry was edited by litngbug on Saturday, April 24, 2004 at 6:02:29 PM.]

Decoded Hints

none