Secrets Submersed
There is a picturesque little beach on the south shores of Burrard Inlet.  One hundred years ago, this small stretch of sand was popular with the townsfolk living in the eastern section of  Barnet.  Today, it has become forgotten to all but a few sunbathers looking for a private retreat and teenagers looking for late night parties.



Those that venture onto this beach may notice the tell-tale signs of past inhabitation strewn along the sand.  Bricks and mortar from long demolished buildings are everywhere.    What few people realize is that this beach has a unique and somewhat sinister past.

It was on this beach that a "Sea Monster" exceeding the length of two grown men was found. In reality, the 12 foot long carcass was a giant octopus much like the one pictured to the right.

It was the largest octopus discovered in the Pacific Northwest to date and the biological oddity spawned a media frenzy.  News reports of man eating beasts graced headlines for weeks after the find.  What the newspaper editors of the day did not know is that something even more sinister was lurking below the waterline...

In 1915, World War I was in full swing and it was here that a group of men donated something rather sizeable to the war effort.  The people living in the nearby town of Barnet were oblivious to what was going on in a hastily built warehouse along the beach.

Keeping a secret in a small town is a hard job under the best of circumstances but an American entrepreneur managed to do it.  This secret was so well kept that Burnaby's city council and the Government of Canada didn't learn what was going on until long after the deed was done.

There was room for speculation amongst the townsfolk, however.  It was no news that the lights behind locked doors burned well into the night.  The noise of hammers on steel echoed 24 hours a day.  But in polite society, "NO TRESPASSING" signs were obeyed and  the 460 men that toiled in the factory were very good at holding their tongues.  The pay was far too good to let the secret slip.

It was widely assumed that behind the frosted windows ship building was in progress.  That wasn't far from the truth.  On a moonless night, the first "secret" slid down a gangplank and under the water.

After the War, the secret surfaced -- in more ways than one. 

It was found that the American entrepreneur held a contract to build five submarines for the Russian Navy.  Barred from building them in the United States, he slipped across the border and secretly constructed them in Canada. 

In the cover of night, submarines were tested in the waters of Burrard Inlet.  During the day, the submarines were well hidden from prying eyes.

Below are actual photos of the Submarine Works Yard.


The geocache is located at chest height and not accessable during high tide.

Enjoy your visit.

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