What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is an outdoor game in which a member hides a treasure (usually a waterproof box) that other members using GPS receivers can find. The co-ordinates of the treasure or geocache is put up on one of several web sites. Sometimes there is a first to find prize, but generally the idea is to find the geocache, record in the log book there your visit and then to exchange a treasure that is found in the cache. With the improvement in accuracy of GPS equipment thanks to the US allowing us to use their system, you can usually find yourself within 20ft of a cache. Sometimes there are extra clues on the website to help you, giving for instance the size of the object you are looking for, or a clue to its actual location. The geocaches are getting smaller and can easily be hidden in and around built up areas without the normal members of the public (muggles) finding them.
My wife armed with the equipment looking for a geocache in Hemel Hempstead.
Geocaching Terms and Shorthand
A GPS and a PDA with the notes of where to find the cache.
Equipment
A GPS, a printout of the clue, a camera and a waterproof coat.
We started off with a Garmin Vista GPS but since we have two boys we kept loosing it to them, so now we have a Garmin 550t, a couple of HTC Desires, a Vista Cx GPS as well and an old PDA with GPS. That gives us one each although mostly we use just the one and the Sat Nav to help us drive there.
The Garmin 550t has a built in waterproof GPS camera and also allows for electronic storage of the clues via GPX files downloaded as a Premium memeber of Geocaching.com
The Garmin also replaces the paper clues and this too makes life rather easier. as do the phones. These are sometimes esential when we find ourselves out somewhere and haven't prepared to do a cache. We can just download the information there and then.
The camera isn't at all necessary, except that most of the geocaches are in particularly nice and pretty places.
The waterproof coat of course is.
The kids started off geocaching with us when they were quite small. But now they have their own accounts. However they still prefer to be taken out to a cache rather than finding their own.
Whats the cheapest hardware available?
Many of my students start out with a mobile phone. Most phones with GPS can do geocaching and take the photos to report them.
Is it necessary to have a GPS?
No I have done many caches without one.
Whats the point in having an expensive GPS?
Ease of use and better signal receiving. GPS's often have some extra features to make life easier.
Geocaching Sites
www.geocaching.com
Geocachinguk
Terracaching
Geocaching Merchandise
Geoswag US
ukgeocachers uk
geotees uk
My Hardware
Garmin 550t Review
HTC Desire Review
My Software
GSAK for the PC Review
Google Earth with Geocaches overlayed
Memory Map with 1:25000 and 1:50000 maps on a laptop
Types of Caches
There are several different types of cache, including:
The traditional geocache - a largish box with a log book and collection of treasures. The boxes vary in size from those which only hold a tiny piece of paper log (a micro or nano cache) to something much larger. (a regular cache - a large plastic box) Some of these caches are clever and are hidden in plain sight eg stones, bolts and others are very well camouflaged.
The Multicache - several hidden clues have to be found and solved at several different locations to find the final cache which is often a traditional cache.
The Virtual geocache where you solve a problem or series of problems without a geocache to find. A photograph of the finder at the location is often required.
Puzzle Caches - Some puzzle caches are hidden at the posted coordinates, but cannot be retrieved/opened without solving a puzzle, others post the coordinates of a physical puzzle. Solving this puzzle gives you the location of the cache.
What to hide?
To many cachers the hunt is the most important thing, the challenge of finding something hidden just out of reach. Many caches don't have any treasures, but those that do provide a welcome relief for the children who look on geocaching very differently.
Containers
With the advent of digital cameras the old 35mm film canisters are now disappearing, but they made the ideal small caches. Small cliplock containers that are waterproof.
Travel Bugs, Pins and Travel Coins
In some caches there are little key ring tags - these are travel bugs. The purpose of the bug is to travel somewhere. Where a geocache is found with a bug inside, the finder takes the bug and deposits it in another geocache, sometimes many miles away so that the bug can achieve its mission. The bugs journey is tracked on the web. An alternative to the tags are special coins or other shaped items which do the same thing.
Locations
Where are geocache's found?
All over the world. On one web site there are recorded 269,715 active geocache's in 221 countries. (May 30, 2006).
In 2009 there were 950,000 active geoaches.
In 2010 there were 1,097,028 geocaches available with between 4-5 Million Geocachers looking for them. Wherever we go on holiday in the world there is a geocache nearby.
Certain parts of the country are more popular for caches than others. Around North London there seem to be some of the highest concentrations of geocaches, which means that there is a lot of countryside to explore.
Last updated May 12, 2011