Captain Jack was something of an underachiever. While most
pirates sailed the open seas, Jack preferred to haunt the waters of
Calero Reservoir. Other pirates had treasure chests brimming with
gold doubloons, but Jack had to make do with silver. In fact, some
historians go so far as to suggest that Jack's cannons were in fact
mere potato guns and that his peg leg was in fact just Jack
stomping one foot and saying "Thump! Thump!" as he walked.
No matter. What's important is the recent discovery of pages
from Cap'n Jack's log, which offer these tantalizing clues as to
the location of his mighty silver treasure chest:
"Captain's Log entry, October 14th, 1704. Today I drank a lot
once again. First mate Scully was being a major pain in the
Captain's bottom, so I let him have it with me cutlass! Har!
That'll teach that scallywag! And I'm sure his arm will grow back
in no time at all, and anyway the new hook looks rather fetching if
ye ask me...
I think he's lustin' after me treasure again though, so last
night I came up with a plan to hide it from that lily-livered
scoundrel...
I snuck away from our Annual Pirate's Buffet and Rum-Guzzlin'
Contest at Ed's Place (after drinkin' me fair share of rum of
course) and made me way along the water's edge towards the west I
think, to the small dam, takin' the high road there on the other
side just past the logs. I went on to the end of the road, through
the gap to the narrow grass trail, making sure not to trip on that
cursed low wire... I went past the mottled stones, on past cove
corner, and past the green rocks at the turn. I thought it might
have been safe here, but decided 'twould be best to carry on even
further... So I kept going, past the green-frosted rock and on
three dozen paces, keeping to the high trail where the lower trail
crosses the low fence (although it be a fine picnic spot down there
don'tcha know!) Finally after goin' 'round the bend (and Cap'n Jack
knows all about that he does) I staggered the last dozen or so
paces before carefully hiding me chest nearby... Where none shall
ever find it but me! Unless of course, they have one of them
new-fangled GPS doohickies and use the coordinates I wrote there at
the top of this here page..."
The only entry in the logbook after this was an irrational
seventeen pages of mostly gibberish, claiming that his
revenge-minded first mate had foolishly opened a cage below deck
that held something called The Blood Ape, and that they were all
doomed. We'll never know for sure what happened to Cap'n Jack, but
perhaps someday, somehow, someone will discover Cap'n Jack's silver
treasure chest.
Park at the main lot at N37 11.282' W121 46.551' to the right of
the boat ramp, at the north entrance to the
park. There is a park fee (county park pass works though) and
there's no free legal parking anywhere remotely close,
unfortunately. Please obey the various park rules and hours. This
lovely part of the park is rarely occupied except by occasional
fishermen (catch and release only) on the shore and the boaters on
the water. Bikes and dogs aren't allowed on most of the trail, and
the trail isn't shown on the
official map. Snakes and ticks are found in this park and I
have encountered both in season. Near the cache, stay on the near
side of the fence with the no trespassing signs. Good shoes are in
order for the last few yards to the cache.
