Well I now have one more thing to enjoy on our walks; geocaching ! Geocaching is like a treasure hunt without the "treasure" payoff; instead the payoff is the act of finding the hidden item. Caches can be any size from "nano" -- smaller than a film canister -- all the way up to "ammo" containers.
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| An "ammo" container with some items inside for trading. If you want to take an item, make sure you leave something. |
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| My caching buddy, "Jacqui Sum" signing a log. |
Where are the caches ? EVERYWHERE. I bet there is a geocache within 200 metres of your front door! Geocaches are located all over the planet.
The screen capture (below) shows an area near me that is just full of caches. The ones that I have found have been changed from closed boxes to happy faces.
A friend, Jacqui, has mentored me in the wonderful world of caching. I bought the same entry-level GPS that she had. Step one is to choose which caches you want to look for and load the coordinates onto your GPS. Along with the coordinates you can load a description of the location, a hint and comments left by others who'd looked for the cache.
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| Our GPSs, a log and a bunny that was hidden with the cache. Once we'd signed the log we put the bunny back where we found him. |
If it involves going for a romp in the woods, then the dogs are happy to go caching with me.
Finding an item isn't always easy as the coordinates can be "off" by up to 10 metres or the item may be very well hidden.
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| This one wasn't too hard to spot. |
When Sandy was here for a visit she and I even did some caching at Blue Beach.
Occasionally you may find a cache that is very different.
As in, when is a rock not a rock ?
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| A tiny log inside -- don't forget to bring a pencil to sign it. |
Let's finish off with my personal favourite found at Conrad's Beach. Check out the tree below.
Ain't he sweet ?
P.S. Should you want to see if there are any geocaches in your area, go to Explorer and go to geocaching.com In the middle of the screen you will find a field where you can fill in any location you like. Lemme know how it goes.
Yes, I have several friends who LOVE geocaching! It's a great way to get out and about.
ReplyDeleteDebra, I really do enjoy poking about looking for a cache. What I do NOT like is NOT finding said cache. We then have to log on-line as a "DNF" = "Did not find". :-(
DeleteI've enjoyed geocaching too - one of my neighbors even put one out in the Bay, secured to a big rock. I've never had a proper GPS unit, though, so my success is mainly a matter of good guessing. It's fun. I like your gnome.
ReplyDeleteMy entry level GPS was pretty cheap. It would be under $100 U.S.
DeleteDid you know there is a kind of caching that is done without a GPS, called Letter boxing ? You are given hints and landmarks and "take six steps east from the big tree" kind of directions. Great fun with kids !
I did not know about Letter boxing. Must investigate.
DeleteSybil, I hope all the snow that shows in many of your photos has melted away by now and that you are enjoying warmer weather! I remember my daughter's Girl Scout troop geocaching years ago, in fact she was cleaning her room and found a little treasure from one the caches - if the troop found a cache with small trinkets inside, they would exchange them - take something and leave something else for someone to find.
ReplyDeleteKaren, we've had a pretty good Winter so those pics are from January and February. The snow here is long gone. In fact yesterday was crazy mild ... 20 C / 68 F or above in places !
DeleteOne of the caches we found recently was put there by a Brownie Pack. I kept a trinket from my first find (and left something too of course).
How fun! I know a lot of people around here enjoy geocaching, too. Those hunts can be so fun. Having a senior moment--can't remember the name of a hunt that I did once up here. Barbara Rodgers helped inspire it. You went on-line and got clues, then headed out to the woods and followed the clues. OK, am not going to pull back the name of it--but it WAS fun. And I blogged about it. (Guess blogging doesn't always equate with memory.)
ReplyDeleteWhat fun! Your gnome is cute. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)
ReplyDelete