Caching on Tuesday and Finally a Few Pictures 10/14/2008

We set out on Tuesday morning to do a few caches in Myrtle Beach as it was a gorgeous day and perfect for caching. Our first two caches were located way back off of RT 31 along a dirt road near The Battery housing complex. This housing development has is along the Intercoastal Waterway and has about a dozen houses in it , of which about 3 are occupied. They are huge 3 story homes and are very lovely but they are so close you can shake your neighbors hand out the side windows.The first one was tied to a guardrail and when I went to pick it up it had thousands of red ants in and on it as the top had cracked open and they had made a home for themselves in it. The second cache there was in a pile of old concrete way back in off the road. Next cache was on the way back out of the dirt road located at a power station back in the woods. Next cache was of International Dr. in a forest preserve in the woods on a pine tree. Then we did a cache on the guardrail along International Dr as it runs over the Intercoastal Waterway. We then drove into Myrtle Beach and went to River City Cafe for our next cache which was a puzzle cache where we had to locate a certain license plate which was on the wall of the cafe. There walls are covered with license plates that customers have given them to put up and there are all kinds of funny and unusual plates all over the walls. While we were there we also talked to the manager about having our December geocaching meeting there.
Then we did a very interesting cache located at the MB Convention Center called "The Whaling Wall". The cache was located in one of the many trees along the parking lots of the center but it was the Convention Center wall that was the attraction for us to see. The Convention Center is the home of artist Wyland's 49th 'Whaling Wall" mural, entitled: "Right Whales off the South Carolina Coast." This life-sized mural lies tucked back behind the Myrtle Beach Convention Center and was dedicated September 6, 1993. The interesting story is about the artist Wyland and his works. "Marine Life Artist Wyland has earned the distinction as one of America’s most unique creative influences, and a leading advocate for marine resource conservation. An accomplished painter, sculptor, photographer, writer, and SCUBA diver, he has traveled the farthest reaches of the globe for more than twenty-five years, capturing the raw power and beauty of the undersea universe. His non-profit Wyland Foundation has supported numerous conservation programs since 1993, including Wyland’s monumental Whaling Wall mural project — an epic series of more than ninety-five life size marine life murals that spans twelve countries on four continents, and is viewed by an estimated 1 billion people every year. The artist’s efforts, moreover, have been recognized by the United Nations, Sierra Club, the Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, where he is listed among its Diving Hall of Fame, and private and public institutions throughout the world. Hailed a “Marine Michaelangelo” by USA Today, Wyland’s work is sought by millions of collectors and his galleries throughout the United States are considered a must-see on the itineraries of travelers everywhere. His equally successful Wyland Foundation, in partnership with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around engaged in teaching millions of students around our oceans, rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands. Listed in Who’s Who in American Art, the Guinness Book of World Records, and many other national and international publications, the multi-faceted artist has even hosted several series for television, including, “Wyland’s Ocean World” on the Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet Network. Today, he is considered one of the most influential artists of the 21st Century, with artwork in museums, corporate collections, and private homes in more than one hundred countries." His walls include walls in California, Hawaii, Washington, Florida, Canada, Japan, France, Australia, Michigan, Arizona, Oregon, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Alaska, Mexico, Louisiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Utah, New Zealand, Palau, and Guam.
That was our last cache and we were back to the house and we had lunch and Mom did our logs and I showered and we watched a little TV until dinner. We had dinner and I worked on our caches for the next day as I had 2 puzzle caches to figure out. Mom watched TV and after I was done I went to bed. Well time to say until next time and we love you all. Mom & Dad


Picture List:1,2,3-The Whaling Wall at the MB Convention Center.