Spend a day hunting these three and you'll be treated to great views
of the Ocean and the Bay.

Fort Story, located on Cape Henry next to Virginia Beach, is off US
60. An active military installation, open to the public, offers
visitors sandy beaches and lots of history. The Old Cape Henry
lighthouse holds it place next to the Fort Story Lighthouse. Spend
some time on O'Keefe's Lookout, looking out over the Atlantic. A
short walk over to the Cape Henry monuments will bring you closer to
this letterbox. Check out the stone map depicting the French/British
engagement off the Virginia Capes on September 5, 1781, and the cross
monument to the English colonists whose First Landing was at this
site on April 26, 1607.

The Fort Story Lighthouse Letterbox

On the grassy knoll of monuments, you'll encounter Admiral Francois
Joseph Paul de Grasse. With the sun at your back, facing the
Admiral, your prize is below the wooden path at the shadow's head.
If there's no sun to guide you, 10 paces behind the statue will lead
you to the spot. A post to your right keeps this box hidden.

Stamp in, enjoy more of the great views at Fort Story, and head down
the road a piece to First Landing State Park.

First Landing State Park is a short drive from Fort Story on US 60
heading back to Virginia Beach. A right turn on 64th Street leads
you to the entrance. Once through the contact station ($3 parking
fee), park in the first Wayside Parking area. I chose the Long Creek
Trail and the Osprey Trail Circuit. I chose to begin the Long Creek
Trail at it's midpoint to join with the Osprey Trail for a 4 mile
hike. To access the Long Creek Trail for this segment, hike down the
paved road approximately one mile, which on most days is a more
pleasant walk, as the access from the Cape Henry trail is very
crowded with hikers and bikers. Randy Johnson's "Hiking Virginia"
describes the Long Creek and Osprey trails as the less crowded trails
in the park, and both lived up to this description.

Box #1 - Long Creek Seahorse

Your reward comes early on the Long Creek Trail. But, don't let that
stop you from cotinuing on for #2, or you'll miss a wonderfully
peaceful and scenic trail. Enter the trail from the paved road
through a fence barrier to begin the orange blazed trail. Just 12
strides down the trail, look to the left. You'll see a fallen tree
which has formed a natural shelf. Tucked under the shelf is the Long
Creek Seahorse. Stamp in and continue your walk to where the Osprey
Trail connects.

Box #2 - Broad Bay Shells

Walking along the peaceful Osprey Trail, you'll hear the toads
popping in and out of the creeks that line both sides of the path.
As the Broad Bay first becomes visible on your left, leave the trail
for an easy scramble on the right hand side of the trail. You'll see
a tangle of fallen trees. At the base of a tall pine still standing,
dig through the twigs and branches to find the Broad Bay Shells.
After stamping in, tuck the box in as deeply as possible and rehide
with the branches and twigs.

Continue on, as the best of this trail is yet to come. A short
distance up the trail on the left is a sandy path. Take that path
and what you'll find is a narrow strip of secluded sandy beach where
you can rest on the shore and listen to the water lap onto the sand.
If you're prepared with your swimsuits, it's a great spot for a swim
or even just to cool your feet or pick up a few shells to take home.

I continued on the Osprey trail as far as I could, but found a bridge
washed out and could not continue to loop back onto the Long Creek
Trail and had to double back the way I came to reconnect with the
Long Creek Trail.

Good Luck and happy hiking!