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Geocaching Introduction
The first Geocaching website was
believed to have been setup a couple of years ago, Geocaching is
what is starting to be considered as an active sport. I
suppose you could think of it as orienteering back in the old days
where you would try to find a specific location armed with only a
map and a compass, but Geocaching is somewhat updated. You go
armed with a GPS Receiver and the hunger for the adventure.
Geocaching is a treasure hunt, you get given a co-ordinate to find
or go to, and clues will then take you to another location.
Eventually after visiting numerous locations, you should be able to
find a stash of cache, which can contain anything from lego
blocks, to sweets, to little toys, to coins.
Geocaching really is an adventure game
for GPS users. UK users may remember TV shows
Treasure hunt or even
Interceptor where in both TV shows, there would be either
treasure or a key, and the contestants would be given directions.
Geocaching is pronounced Geo-cashing.
Geocaching Basics
The basics for Geocaching is that
someone creates a cache, on a specific day and broadcasts this on
various Geocache sites, people will then go to the co-ordinates
given and usually several clues later when you get to the final
co-ordinates where the cache is stored, you then
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take something from the cache
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leave something in the cache for
others
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write about your findings in a
logbook
What is usually in a cache
For the person who creates the cache,
it can be placed anywhere. In most cases a cache includes a
logbook, the logbook will contain information from the founder of
the cache and notes from other cache visitors. The logbook can
contain more valuable, rewarding and entertaining information.
A logbook may contain information about local places and nearby
attractions, co-ordinates for other unpublished caches. If you
receive information from the logbook, you should always give
something back. There are several sites on the internet that
create Geocaching coins which can be used and placed into the cache
for a personal touch.
Where can caches be found?
Caches can be found anywhere.
Some people try to be very conservative and hide a cache under a
park bench, others go to the extreme and put a cache on the side of
a cliff. You have to bear in mind that if you are hiding the
cache you do need to make it accessible to all Geocaching users.
Again though, hiding a small logbook and other goodies in a popular
environment where someone who knows nothing about Geocaching finds
it, picks it up and takes it with them is challenging, so hiding the
cache is usually very important!
Moving or re-hiding the Cache ?
In most cases you are not allowed to
move or hide the cache somewhere else when you find it. If you
do, then other Geocaching users will not be able to find the cache.
You can move it if there is a note from the Geocache organiser
saying that you can move the cache, but then and only then it's
within the local vicinity of where the cache was found.
What types of Geocaching games are
there ?
There several different variations
ranging from:-
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Offset Caches
-
They're not found by simply going
to some coordinates and finding a cache there. With the Offset
Cache the published coordinates are that of an existing
historical monument, plaque, or even a benchmark that you would
like to have your cache hunter visit. From this site the cache
hunter must look around and find offset numbers stamped/written
in or on some part of the marker site, or continue based on
instructions posted to geocaching.com
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Multi-caches
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Virtual caches
How long can a Cache exist ?
It does really depend on the location
of the cache and the impact on the local environment. A cache
could be permanent but in most cases it's temporary and only for a
day or two. It really is up to the cache owner to set the
period and let all Geocachers know how long the Cache will remain
for.
What Geocaching websites are there
?
There are many Geocaching websites
around, most are clan style websites, but these are some of the main
ones that can be found:-
GeoCaching
Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint
Geocaching WorldWide
Geocaching (NL)
Geocaching with
navicache.com
Geocaching Fun
Geocaching (HU)
Geocaching-Italia
Tasmanian Geocaching
Great
Plains Geocaching
Geocachers
Exploring Minnesota
Geocaching Australia
Geocaching Arizona
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