GC3HRY2

[This was the original log that I wrote, Google-translated into Malay, Vigenere encoded with the keyword being the CO's name, and Caesar-shifted each paragraph by a value equivalent to its paragraph number. I wanted to get my own back for the evil convoluted puzzle he'd set... He deleted it, so the replacement log says "TFTC". But this is my blog... yuk yuk.]

Well, that was a task.

After being alerted to the existence of this cache soon after it was published I managed to get pretty far through it, so I thought.

I had managed to decode the Part A hint, and quickly after that the Parts B and C hints.

Also further meta-hints dropped into place.

But then it all ground to a halt.

Some hope was raised when the cache owner suggested that hints may be available to those watching the cache, but that was quickly extinguished when the offer was asked to be withdrawn, presumably by the team who were first to find.

Well done to them!

Who can blame them for preserving their lead?

Once it was found however, it appeared that part of the cat was out of the bag, and indeed I glimpsed a flash of its tail and was very much on the trail again.

And I had it solved.

I understand all of the "whats" but very few of the "whys".

Nevertheless, an imaginative puzzle with elements I had not seen before, and a nice final location.

I abseiled. Bollocks to seafaring.

Thanks for the cache.