King Arthur Dampier, Western Australia, Australia
By Team Gunn Parker on 01-Feb-03. Waypoint GCCD53

OCW PelDroedGwin Well thats a little unexpected.what a lovely thing.Tftc

Tftc our first stop on day of exploring

Love this place, TFTC.I think the odd thing has been damaged but, we had a nice time visiting all the same

Very nice spot to chill and break away from reality TTFC

Found on a trip to Western Australia from Adelaide with FeatherWaite. We camped at Point Samson last night, then made our way to Karratha, finding a few caches of interest along the way.It rained early this morning and we are enjoying a cool day today.Thanks Team Gunn Parker for the cache.

Found with e.gregory1 on a trip from Adelaide to north-western Western Australia. We spent four nights in the north-west, staying at De Grey River near Port Hedland, Point Samson, Dampier and SW of Karratha to target a selection of caches while in the general area. Very happy to find one of the very early caches! Thanks for the cache Team Gunn Parker!

This does look very out of place----------Decided to do a long road trip, flying in from Canberra, starting and finishing the drive in Port Hedland. It was a long day of flights, followed by 7 days of lots of kilometres. I stopped at every 'point of interest' along the way, I wanted to miss nothing! Earthcaches, Virtuals & AL's are always very good waypoints for interesting things as well.Every night I downloaded a bunch of podcasts and these made the kilometres fall away. This was the first outback road trip I have done where I saw more emu's than kangaroos. The wild camels walking in the desert were also very cool to see. My trusty swag served me very well.

We had heard about this castle that was built on our way down the coast. Would love to have had a closer look at it.

A beautiful day, a little windy, but ok for water activities. Thanks for bringing us here.

This geocacher reported that the container is damaged.

Beautiful spot TFTC

Stopped past here to check out the castle, great spot thanks for highlighting it for us

Came to Dampier for the iconic Red Dog photo but noticed this cache while looking for tonights accomodation.
Headed as close as we could get and took a photo as required. Tftc

I saw the castle. Unfortunately it is so windy so we couldn't take the boat out, tftc!

An old school one we had solved long ago and has taken a long time to get here. Photo attached. TFTC

We arrived in Karratha this arvo and after parking up our caravan,we headed out to see some sights and find some caches. Even though the sun was going down, we managed to get a distinctive photo. We've never actually done one of these type of geocaches before!

Thanks for find #4519
TNLN

It was too dark for the camera to pick it up, but yes, we saw the castle. Thanks for the cache, Team Gunn Parker.

On my way to Perth via Broome with a few detours for LGAs. TFTC.
Looks like some castle visitors today.

Day 13 of our 3 week break in the north, we spent the day exploring the sights of Dampier & Sam's Castle was one of the things we spotted on our tour... Amazing story, shame you aren't allowed to visit as we would love to spend some time checking it out

TFTC Team Gunn Parker [^]

I went out with a friend today who has a boat, and was able to get a photo here on Tidepole Island. TFTC

Lovely spot and amazing piece of history. Tftc!!

Really loved learning about the history here. TFTC and a fav for a great cache!

Lovely beaches, fascinating history, thanks for bringing us here

Managed to pull in for a quick couple of photos at this beautiful spot. This is the first of this kind of cache I have seen. Pretty cool, have a fave. TFTC Team Gunn Parker

Previously logged under team account BoogieRogue. Re-logging with my individual account. #Find#: 3698#

Found on: 8 August 2021 16:57

Buddies: none

Muggles: none

Weather: sunny

Cache condition: good



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Great history of the island.

**TFTC for the Other Mystery Cache Team Gunn Parker TNLNSL**

Discover my trackables: 654EMY, GSVG86, TAKM0W, GM5KY0

#Find#: 3698#
Found on: 8 August 2021 16:57
Buddies: none
Muggles: none
Weather: sunny
Cache condition: good

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Great history of the island.
**TFTC for the Other Mystery Cache Team Gunn Parker TNLNSL**
Discover my trackables: 654EMY, GSVG86, TAKM0W, GM5KY0

Only in town for the night

Extremely pleased to check this ne off the list, the last time I was up this way I didn't even look at it as it was a ? geo. Luckily I read the description and managed to claim the smiley without any trouble. Great back story about the place. TFTC

Up in Dampier for a Saturday morning run. Saw the castle on the way.

I caught a glimpse of Sam’s castle on a night with a magic sunset!

TFTC TGP

Have seen this island a few times over the years, and knew the story about Sam, but that was all prior to geocaching days. Today, we went out on the boat with family, so could get quite close to take a photo. Thank you Team Gunn Parker for making this a nice easy one to log.

The trees were what first attracted our attention and then the castle was a bonus. Very interesting story attached to this cache and we thank you for making us aware. Like the previous loggers, we had to get our shot from as close as we could to the location. Tftc.

Outnabout on a blustery day. Not pleasant in a small boat and so this is from terra firma across the water. I have always been intrigued by Sams story and am pleased that this cache can honour him. A fave from me.

What an inspiring achievement for Sam. Took the required photo from across the bay. Thanks Team Gunn Parker

Out for a drive to Dampier before work. An interesting item in a strange spot.

Visiting K-Town for a couple of days for work. Having only been here for a fleeting visit once before, there were a few caches to find.

Team Gunn Parker SVKR_WA found your cache King Arthur today at 07:45:38 4 Jul 2019.

Team Gunn Parker - Thanks for placing and maintaining this cache for our enjoyment. We love travelling the state and visiting some places that we would only visit due to this game.

Lovely day in the boat.

We had a great time finding caches up here in the Pilbara.
Dampier is such a pretty little town with a beaut foreshore, and an exquisite little island with such an amazing history.
An intriguing life by an amazing man.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful spot.

TFTC

Everyone has been complaining about the wind and not being able to go out in their boats but first thing this morning there are smiles on their faces!!! Boats going everywhere!
Thanks for the cache!

A day out in the boat with the kids a grabbed this one. Sam was a great old north west character. TFTC

No problem finding the feature that might have been of interest to King Arthur. Took some photos as required and wonder when it was built and why. This cache also fills in a blank space on out D/T grid, so that is a bonus. Thanks to Team Gunn Parker for creating this cache. It also gets a favourite point from us.

Day five of Barnzy12 and Cravo10 adventure to the Northwest of WA, filling out boots with LGAs, rare DT, old caches, and good old fashioned red dirt!

Today we had an easier day planned with not so much driving! Staying around the township of Karratha, we had a nice sleep in and then warmed the car up on the way to Dampier to pickup a couple of caches on the way to meeting local cacher grandadbazza at the same location as dimor recent event.

We had a crack at the archived cache nearby but couldn't get it from its hides hole so left it alone even with a previous finders assistance, after a good chat with Barry we parted ways to collect some very rare virtual caches around the burrup peninsula and some semi off road caches including an earth cache.

We were about two thirds of the way through out Dampier caching run when notifications came through for a new multi not too far away, so we completed the 4x4 duties and then backtracked all the way to the red dog statue and claimed a very swift FTF some 1200km from home. Special thanks to dimor for a well put together multi that was simple enough for us simple minded cachers.

We then continued along the plan collecting as many caches around Dampier as possible, with some not attempted due to the extreme heat and the amount of caches hidden ontop extremely hot rock piles which have burnt my hands enough this trip.

We finished up on the Dampier area after seeing my favourite little island around sams island, such a wonderful spot just a hop skip and jump from he shores of Dampier.

After lunch we collected a few more smileys around Karratha before heading to Roebourne, Wickham and point Samson to collect all the smileys in those towns to make tomorow Journey a little easier, as we now only have to detour to Cossack on the small ish drive to port hedland.

A huge day out collecting 3 virtuals, heaps of traditionals, several multis, a puzzle and an earth cache. Full on day for caching finishing up around 8pm with some take away atop a small lookout hill.

Looking forward to heading to Port Hedland tomorrow via Cossack, Whim Creek and a few other sights!

Finally an old cache with a decent DT rating. Great idea! Thanks

Day five of Barnzy12 and Cravo10 adventure to the Northwest of WA, filling out boots with LGAs, rare DT, old caches, and good old fashioned red dirt!

Today we had an easier day planned with not so much driving! Staying around the township of Karratha, we had a nice sleep in and then warmed the car up on the way to Dampier to pickup a couple of caches on the way to meeting local cacher grandadbazza at the same location as dimor recent event.

We had a crack at the archived cache nearby but couldn't get it from its hides hole so left it alone even with a previous finders assistance, after a good chat with Barry we parted ways to collect some very rare virtual caches around the burrup peninsula and some semi off road caches including an earth cache.

We were about two thirds of the way through out Dampier caching run when notifications came through for a new multi not too far away, so we completed the 4x4 duties and then backtracked all the way to the red dog statue and claimed a very swift FTF some 1200km from home. Special thanks to dimor for a well put together multi that was simple enough for us simple minded cachers.

We then continued along the plan collecting as many caches around Dampier as possible, with some not attempted due to the extreme heat and the amount of caches hidden ontop extremely hot rock piles which have burnt our hands enough

After lunch we collected a few more smileys around Karratha before heading to Roebourne, Wickham and point Samson to collect all the smileys in those towns to make tomorow Journey a little easier, as we now only have to detour to Cossack on the small ish drive to port hedland.

On the way home I got the camera out and started taking some photos of the sun setting "the famous Pilbara sunset" trying to remember all the settings to get a great photo

A huge day out collecting 3 virtuals, heaps of traditionals, several multis, a puzzle and an earth cache. Full on day for caching finishing up around 8pm with some take away atop a small lookout hill.

Looking forward to heading to Port Hedland tomorrow via Cossack, Whim Creek and a few other sights!

Another smiley added here today on a 5 week Pilbara and Kimberley break, as a child growing up in the Pilbara, this is my old stomping ground, thanks for the memories and TFTC

Overnight in Karratha, we decided rather than do traditional caches we would do virtuals and learn something about the area. TFTC

Doing the do with Doodle Bug Oz around Dampier TFTC 5th

Out and about exploring Dampier with CAD - great to read about Sams Island .... Thanks Team aging Parker 4TC:)

Very tropical looking island. Hope the photo is okay

Love the island very tropical and got same name as me, hope photos ok. TFTC.

Yay! My 200th cache. TFTC

Always wanted to go to the island, but I don't that is going to happen, so finally I took a photo from shore. T4TC

"Found" was going to paddle out closer to take a better photo but the wind was up. Will go this photo until next time.
I remember Sam coming into town from time to time - a very unique character.
RIP Sam

Is there a round table in the castle. Another cache that predates the publicity.
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This cache was found using a Garmin GPSr, Montana 650t, Oregon 550 or Dakota 20. Waypoints and paperless geocaching downloaded via GSAK 8.
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Been through Sam's house and castle many years ago. Great cache to teach people a bit about Sam and his life on the island.

Have been too and past this one countless times but hadn't taken a photo from the water.

What an amazing place. And a fascinating history too when you find it and read it. We had a brief break in Northern WA recently and we really enjoyed it. Managed a few caches too. We plan a much longer trip next year when we will be back with the 4WD and some friends.
This is certainly an unusual way to log a cache.
TFTC Team Gunn Parker

Remember seeing a small snippet on TV about this man many years ago. He certainly had a beautiful spot to live. TFTC

Now why can't all ? caches be this easy

As we head from town to town as part of our "Purposeful Meander around Oz" the Rats and the Mini Rats found this cache.
What a lovely place that is a credit to Sam who devoted his life to developing this beautiful place.

Thanks for being part of our great adventure.
TFTC

After visiting red dog earlier, I decided to call down here and visit this cache.
The story intrigued me on the previous inhabitant so I thought a visit was in order.
He lived his life his way but what a lonely way to leave this world.

Great story of SAMs Island and sams castle

[Blue]# 10094 Found on the WA leg of our S.K.I.D.R.O. adventure.[/Blue]
On the way out of Red Dog country heading south.
Hardly any muggles around and some good weather up here.
We actually did go over there by kayak to the trad at the other end, but forgot to go close enough for a pic.
The tours are closed so the whole island may be off limits at the moment.
Thanks for the cache Team Gunn Parker,
[Red]Roostaman[/Red] (from Wagga Wagga, NSW).

Love to visit ... Next time tftc

So close and yet so far.

Staying at the caravan park at Dampier, to cache around the area.
Went for an early morning excursion with 'ian-and-penny' to investigate the island.
Ian's camera was better than our, so he was the photographer for the day.
Thanks for drawing our attention to this unique place, Team Gunn Parker.

This was our 1st cache find in a caching run of 1 Finds & 0 DNFs today.
We found it at 08:13 so this now makes our total find count 7083.
[blue]
Out and about caching with The Drovers this morning. As we only have "Solved" puzzles in our GPS they were the team that alerted us to this nearby cache.
[/blue]
Thanks Team Gunn Parker for the hunt today.

Got a permit from the council and had a visit

Had to try over 3 days to get a photo that we want to use.
Would love to get a closer look at Sam's Island
Thanks Team Gunn Parker

Not the best camera and time to take a photo, but that is what I had out there at the moment.
I am planning to go a bit closer later on.

Ripa of a day

I have been here a few times without the camera or time to take a picture
I hope firstly that the photo shows the the item and that it uploads.

I must get back to this rather pretty little spot with a boat and fishing line.
TFTC

Out to Malus Island for the weekend to celebrate a mates 40th, thought I'd grab this one on the way, haven't been for a few years & looking forward to some kneeboarding, fishing, good company & a few coldies. TFTC.

came with some local friends who told us about the guy who used to live there. TFTC

This entry was edited by CorvettePete on Saturday, 15 September 2012 at 00:09:08 UTC.

Here is our photo of the 'odd man out" and here we are enjoying the view!
Thank you for the cache.

Gotcha !!! Our photography is about as good as our computer skills.But we did visit and look at tha castle in the setting sun TFTC

Took a photo from the bank opposite too. All I have to do is get help to load it onto the log page. Terrible to be old and computer illiterate. Thanks for bringing us here to see the modified island.

Don't know if we really qualify for a find as we only got a photo from the bank opposite the island. Way too wild and wet today to take the boat out there. Thanks.

Got it, great spot and great story...one of Dampiers characters.........

Found it with Ethan and his grandad

Out for a quiet day with friends on the water before xmas and grabbed a photo of King Arthur. It's an interesting story of Sam's Island and castle.

The photo was taken on the work phone which had a misadventure with water and didn't want to work. It was thrown in a drawer at work and forgotten about until recently when a friend called and told me they had found the phone in the drawer. They had got it to boot up and wanted to know if I wanted the pics that were on it. So I was very happy to receive them and be able to log this find.

TFTC TGP

Close as we could get this trip

TFTC

went out fishing with the friends we were staying with. the fishing is great!! this was the only cache i found in the dampier area, even though a was there for a week!!! just got way to busy looking around doing other things with the friends we were staying with... oh well an excuse to return soon!!! TFTC

Logging this as a partial because I feel I have to make the trip over to make it really count. Will be back and update this log once made it across.

Found without to much trouble. Kids were very keen on going over to look at the castle but we couldn't. Looks like there was another cache there too on the island. Would have liked to know more about this Sam fella, sounds interesting.
Thanks for drawing our atenttion to it. Great cache.

A lovely place, but what a mixture of seaside and industry.
Had the canoe on top of the car, but a bit too windy to venture across the gap.

Would have gone over there by boat except for the 30 knot winds.

Went out for a fish and made a drive by of the island. Nice enough looking place if you were marooned. Sam is buried along with his cat where the cross is to the far right of my photo.

TFTC

MCFonz

Kayaked across to the Sam's Island with the kids. Awesome spot. Kids loved the castle.

Interesting looking place, we would have loved to go and have a much closer look. TFTC
Bug passing through

What a little piece of paradise living there would be. Thanks Team Gunn Parker

Spotted while looking for a place to have some lunch. Would be an amazing lifestyle. TFTC

My first time to Dampier. Enjoyed looking around, and would have loved a closer look at the castle, but we didn't have a boat.
Thanks for the cache!

Have seen this before but always enjoy the view.

Dampier is a very nice area. It would be fantastic to live on a little island so close to a town.

Thank you for bringing us to this location, very quite on a sunday

Took photo, LN. Dr Hibbert tb had a good long look before continuing his travels.
T4TH
Keith

I've already logged this one, but I thought I would add this photo, as I took it about 6 hours before the full force of tropical cyclone Clare hit Dampier. This is one cyclone I can say I went through from its birth to its death. We made a run from it on Saturday night from Cape Leveque just before it had developed from a tropical low into a cyclone. Steamed into Dampier on Sunday night, prepared the boat for the cyclone then departed the boat, and booked into the Mermaid hotel on Monday morning, and rode out the cyclone from there. Flew down to Perth on Thursday while it was a rain bearing depression, and had just about pettered out.

Got the drum on the cache from Team Pathfinder and knew what the object would be. Been coming up here for work for many years and met Sam. Sad to see the end of a local legend. Been past his island many times (I work on a boat) and saw him slowly levering rocks into position. Hope they sort something out soon so people can visit this special place.

Thanks for the cache,
Wayne and Jan

Help!! Having trouble uploading the pics!!! , keep getting Error message. Will persevere.

Arrived in Dampier late at night by boat, then left early the next morning so I couldn't get as close as I would have liked to get a decent photo.

On a sad note to this cache - Sam the creator of this wonderful castle, passed away last Saturday (Feb 20) on his beloved island. His passing wasnt noted until the following Thursday when a friend found his body. He had been suffering from prostate cancer.

I am sure it is how he would have wanted to go as he rarely left his island home. (Its a little sad he went out on his own though).

The council is now deciding upon the fate of his creation.

Another easy cache for us to try out the new camera on. We took several photos of the item at various zooms, so we're still hoping that they come out ok. Thanks to Andrew for the cache.