Geocaching Ian Baxter

VK3ZIB

Flying Platypus

November 2012

What is it? It is what happens when geeks go outdoors! A worldwide treasure hunt using GPS. There are some 1.5 million caches hidden around the world including many around Geelong

The hobby is centered around the website http://www.geocaching.com or its less common Australian version http://www.geocaching.com.au, although the .com site is more comprehensive and carries many more caches. How did it start Probable basis is a pastime commencing last century, make that early last century called letter-boxing. This hobby called for participants to locate a hidden object, in fact a rubber stamp, based on a set of written clues. All this before GPS. In 2000 the US removed the fuzz previously applied to the GPS system which overnight improved the accuracy of consumer level GPS units from about 30 metres to nominally less than 2 metres. Shortly after a US geek placed a cache although it wasn’t named that yet and published the geographic co-ordinates on a web site / bulletin board inviting others to find it. From there the hobby mushroomed and today there are some 1.5 million caches hidden worldwide and heaven knows how many cachers looking for them.

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What is a cache

“A cache is a hidden container with a log book for the finder to sign.” Caches consist of a container which may range in size between small thimble size “nano”, film container “micro” or more commonly a “small” clipit or Tupperware box. Some are larger, say ammo box size.

Typical cache containers

Most larger caches include a pen and some treasures or trinkets to be exchanged on a take one leave one basis.

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Where are they Caches can be anywhere, in the street, parks, cemeteries although not near graves, in forests, gardens, railway stations, picnic shelters, along walking or rail trails, anywhere although not on private property unless by permission.

• Some are simple hides such as under a rock or sticks around a tree, or in a hollow stump. But many are more imaginative such as inside posts, false bolts on posts, camouflaged as pine-cones, under bridges magnetically attached to objects. One discovered in Wagga was concealed in a lawn sprinkler head whilst a Queensland cache was on a “rope” and pulley system high in a tree, the “rope” being light fishing line. Cache owners like to make hunters work for their prize. The types of containers are limited only by the ingenuity of the hiders. Some of the most difficult are those hidden on old artillery guns in parks and outside RSL’s, not only for the difficulty in locating the cache but the difficulty of not looking really suspicious as you go over the gun inch by inch. There is one on a Centurion tank at Mulwala that we are yet to find despite much searching. Who hides or places them. The answer is anyone! The cache is planned in accordance with published guidelines and hidden and the details submitted to a reviewer who will hopefully approve and publish the cache on geocachng.com The cache will be published several days after submission and there is a fairly competitive group who seek to be first to find FTF, frequently in the wee dark hours. Maybe this is for the honour or for the $1 scratchie that is often included for the FTF The hider, referred to as the cache owner or CO is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the cache.

OK That is what they are so how do we go about finding them. First off it is necessary to register with geocaching.com to access the full cache details and establish a caching name but registration is free and there seems no downside, is no spam etc. Start by searching for a cache in your area e.g. Drysdale Victoria , Access geocaching.com and select “hide and Seek a Cache” . Then select from the list displayed and open the cache page and review the contents. The retrieved cache page will look something like the one on the following page.

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The cache page will include amongst other things the • Name of the cache, sometimes this is a disguised clue • Type of cache, • The terrain and difficulty, more stars, harder. • The all important geographic co-ordinates in degrees, minutes and decimal minutes which provides an accuracy if about 1.5 metres m (in theory) • Attributes indicating certain features or requirements and they MAY be important. • A description which may include some information about the area as well as any notes or warnings the owner thinks necessary. Many have a historical or local interest story included such as the series at the termini of Geelong’s sadly defunct tramways which Gary has found most intriguing. • Maybe a hint, which is encoded so if you have the option of doing it the hard way and don’t have to see it unless you want to. • A basic map indicating the general area • A more detailed map which better shows the location. This map can be zoomed for more detail and also provides satellite view as an option. • Logs provided by previous finders, or non finders. These can be very useful especially when all else has failed. Basic cachers will print out the cache page(s) and manually load the co-ordinates into their GPS. But depending on the type of GPS the data can be direct downloaded allowing paperless caching.

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Equipment A GPS receiver is needed, these range from about $100 up to about $600 for all the bells and whistles. Many smart phones include GPS and these can be used although most feel that accuracy is not up to proper GPS levels. There are I phone and android geocaching apps available, cost about $10.00 . These may be a good way to try out the hobby. Car navigator GPS’s are not adequate.

Off then to the area and the hunt begins. It will be necessary to get out of the car and this is one of the attractions of caching as it can take you to some very interesting and unusual places. Caching by bicycle is a very enjoyable activity, especially along rail trails and the like. Using the GPS usually in compass mode a cacher can navigate to the area of the cache, called ground zero or generally GZ. A typical GPS unit has an accuracy of nominally about 1.6 metres although in practice 5 metres seems about right, usually. So then it should take you to within 5 metres of the prize, but remember yours has an accuracy of 5 metres and the original hider’s had an accuracy of 5 metres so that is a possible 10 metre error even if everyone does it carefully. It is amazing how many possible hidey holes exist in a 10 metre radius!! There are ways to maximize your accuracy but this comes with experience. From this point is to a matter of observation and what some call caching eyes. Usually you are looking for likely spots, something unusual or out of place, similar hides to those seen elsewhere or sometime the old “where would I hide it” method works. You get better with experience. You can also phone a friend who may have found the cache previously for an additional hint. Finally after more or less time has elapsed during which whist you have been careful that your searching actions have not aroused suspicions of passers by, these are known as muggles by the way, you find the cache. Not always easy in a public place. You can enlist the kids or grandkids as they love the hunt and also look much less suspicious as they climb all over boulders, artillery pieces and monuments and the like. and they are particularly useful around playgrounds. Also I have found they are much better at tree climbing.

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You unobtrusively retrieve the little blighter from its hidey hole, without too much cheering, and slink away to open it and survey the contents. There will be a log to sign, and maybe a pen but usually it does not work especially if you forgot to bring one. In a larger cache there may be some goodies to swap on a take one leave one basis, the kids love these so it is best to come prepared. Occasionally there will be a “travel bug” which is an item that is moved from cache to cache and its progress is logged on the geocaching website, many of these travel around the world over several years. Having filled out the log you repack the container and after ensuring that you are not being watched by a muggle you return the cache to its home making sure that it is exactly where you found it and covered by any camouflage so that the next searcher can enjoy the challenge. When you get home you will log onto geocaching.com and log your find with any comments about your search or experience being careful not to give the game away. If you didn’t find it you should log “a did not find” (DNF) as that notifies the owner either that it is missing or gives the owner the satisfaction that he has been suitably devious and has fooled some poor bunny. Owners like this feeling. That is basic caching, there are variations There are several types of cache. The one described is termed a traditional, that is the co-ordinates will take you to GZ and the cache. The next is Multi or multistage Multi-stage caches may involve locating several intermediate waypoints gathering information such as from memorial plaques or signs and then using the gathered information to work out by a simple formula the final location known as GZ. One most memorable cache is in the East Geelong cemetery and involves 12 waypoints or stages to reach the final GZ. They may include field puzzles to be solved leading to further waypoints or GZ Mystery caches require you to solve a puzzle usually off site which will result in the information to locate the GZ. These can be quite a challenge. There are several other variants such as • Earth caches requiring you to visit a significant site and answer several questions, usually of educational value, • Virtual caches where there is no cache container but to log you are required to take and log a photo of a specific object • Web cam caches requiring you to get your image recorded on a fixed webcam such as at Point Lonsdale lighthouse. • And combinations of all the above. Heather and I, a.k.a Flying Platypus hope this description has been informative and helpful and leave you with this final thought: Geo-caching is addictive but over use should not adversely affect your health.

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