Sign Up  /  Login

Popeye LbNA #8229 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 13, 2004
Location:
City:New london
County:New London
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Found by: Nap's
Last found:Mar 3, 2008
Status:FFFFFFaFFFFFaFFaaaaa
Last edited:May 13, 2004
Directions

Northbound on I95 in New London CT, take exit 83 and follow to the end. Go straight through the stop light to pass Faith Fellowship Church and head downtown. At the first stop sign, turn right on Jay St.

Southbound on I95, take exit 84S and follow the long ramp to the end. At the 2nd light, turn right on Gov Winthrop Dr. After two more stop lights turn left on Huntington Ave. At the stop sign, turn right on Jay St.

Follow Jay St to the second light and turn left on Blinman St. Going straight through the next light, pass Crocker Boat Yard on your left. At the new traffic circle, turn to cross under a railroad bridge. Quickly come to the next traffic circle in front of the new Pfizer Research Center and follow it around to take the second right. Pass the sewer treatment plant and come down to the waterfront and Fort Trumbull. Whew!

History

The Fort
Built from 1839 - 1852, the fortification is one of a group of 42 forts which were constructed for the defense of the coast of the United States, and for defense of the harbors they guarded. This group of forts became known as the Third System of Fortifications. Fort Trumbull is unique in the "Third System" because of the Egyptian Revival features incorporated in the architectural design. The Fort is a wonderful example of its era, a masterpiece in stonework and masonry. The Fort contains informative markers and displays, a touchable cannon and artillery crew display, and gun emplacements. The fort interior features 19th Century restored living quarters, a mock laboratory, and a 1950's era office furnished to resemble a research and development lab at the facility. The public also has access to the ramparts for a spectacular view of the New London Harbor.

Fort Hours:
The Fort is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm from May 21 through Columbus Day. The Fort is closed between Columbus Day and Memorial Day Weekend.

Visitor Center
The Center contains state of the art multimedia theaters, computer touch screen interactive exhibits, 3-D models, and extensive graphics and text panels. This one of a kind center depicts over 225 years of military history and technological advances from the Revolutionary War to the Cold War. Some of the main themes of the Visitor Center are the September 6, 1781 attack by the British under the command of Benedict Arnold, the U-boat menace during World War II, and the anti-submarine efforts during the Cold War.

Visitor Center Hours:
The Visitor Center will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm through Columbus Day. The Center is closed between Columbus Day and Memorial Day Weekend.

Why is Popeye here?

Well, there has been much discusssion about whether Popeye is a Coast Guardsman or a Navy saiolor, so we thought he'd be wll placed close to the water by facilities for both services. In fact, Popeye was originally a civilian sailor at the turn of the century, when he was hired by Ham Gravy and his girlfriend, Olive Oyl to take them on a romantic excursion to an island. of course those romantic sparks then flew netween Olive & Popeye and the world has never quite been the same since. Over the course of time, both the Coast Guard and the Navy co-opted Popeye and claimed him as their own, and his uniform has been an amalgam of both of theirs.

Of course, Popeye should be close to Olive, who is stuck in some rocks across the river...

Clues

Well, blow me down. This used to say "A relatively easy find about 30 minutes all told from car to car if you do nothing but find the box." We've had a number of emails indicating it ain't so easy...and it took us twenty minutes to find the last time we checked the box, sooo...

Eat your spinach and give it your best shot. Patience and perserverance will serve you well. Here you go:

From the parking lot, with the battery to your right(south), go to the northwest corner of the fort. From the maple tree at this corner, walk towards the obelisk monument across the river, at Fort Griswold until you get to the fence a the edge of the park by the river.

The brick building to your left is Coast Guard Station New London, and below you will see some of their ships. The only white spire on the hill above New London to your left is the chapel at the Coast Guard Academy, which is lit at night as a navigational beacon (navaid). Across the river is the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics, where submarines are built, and up-river past the bridge (beyond your field of view) is Naval Submarine Base New London.

You are now standing at a point where you have all of the navaids required to fix the position of the Popeye letterbox in view. One is the monument you walked toward, one is the flagpole at Fort Trumbull (behind you) and one is New London Ledge Light, the picturesque red brick light house at the mouth of the river. Walk to the south down towards the water and follow the path that goes along the water’s edge as it curves around the fort. When Ledge Light bears 180 degrees, the Fort Trumbull flagpole bears 000 degrees, and the monument at Fort Griswold bears 060 degrees, you are in the right spot. Face south and look for the black and white striped stone, Popeye is hidden in a pooka under some stones in front of it.

Many people have reported that they have been unable to find Popeye with just those clues, so here's a bit more:

If you find the 1st lampost past the silver box (i.e. West of it) go eleven paces from that post to the west, and turn and look at the stones, you should find two black & white striped stones just over the top and Popeye is trapped below. From the second post west of the silver box, it is 16 paces to the east. These are based on a 6 footer's stride. The 5' 2" half of us came up with 12 & 19 paces respectively.

Be sure to go over to Fort Griswold a look for the Olive Oyl box! The Drewclan has also hidden it’s “Letter from a traitor” series boxes at both of these forts.