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Geocashing, A.K.A. Geocaching

Geocaching ...

So what is Geocashing?  If you haven't heard of geocaching, it a hightech sport centered around use of handheld GPS navigation devices; a modern day treasure hunt!  With geocaching the basic idea is to locate a cache by it's GPS coordinates posted on the Internet by those hiding the cache.  The caches are containers that vary in size and contents.  They may be as small as a film canister with a log in it, or as large as ammo boxes and even up to 5 gallon bucket size.  A cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards and the "geocashers" exchange items left in the cache with items of their own.  Finding a cache can be easy.  Sometimes it's a challenge.  For some the biggest reward is the thrill of the hunt and the discovery of locations they have never been.  Sometimes just getting to the location of a cache is the reward itself. 

 
  

What is involved in Geocaching?

  1. Get a GPS Receiver

  2. Create an account with one of the caching sites listed below. Membership is free.  Some sites offer additional "premium" members, which allow access to additional features.

  3. Use the search features these sites to find a list of caches in an area.

  4. Choose caches that interest you.  Create a waypoint in your GPS unit for each cache using the latitude and longitude coordinates from the cache's description.  Record any additional details such as hints and description of the cache.  Some GPS units such as the Garmin Rino allow uploading coordinates directly into the GPS.

  5. Bring a small exchange items for trading at the cache.  It should be something you are willing to give away, but might be of some interest or value to another person.

  6. Use your GPS unit's "navigate" features to direct you to the cache waypoint or location.  As you make your way towards the cache, the challenge begins.  Some are easy.  Others are cleverly hidden.  Some are multi-caches where your first find will be hints towards the 2nd or 3rd leg (or more) of the cache's actual location!

  7. Once you find the cache, take note of how it has been hidden. You will need to replace it in the identical fashion that it was found.

  8. Open the cache and browse the trinkets and goodies within it. Consider if you would like to take anything in exchange for the cache item you have brought along with you. You should always trade something of equal or greater value to keep the sport fair and honest. You are not required to make a trade if you don't want to. Alternatively, you can help "restock" a poorly filled cache by leaving your item and taking nothing.

  9. Find the logbook within the cache. Make a new entry in the book noting the date, time, your caching site username, and a line or two about your journey. Also log what you traded by including what you took and what you left, even if it was nothing.

  10. Close the cache back up securely and hide it in the exact same place and manner in which you found it.

  11. Return home and log back into your chosen caching website. Find your chosen cache once again and use the "Log Your Visit" feature (or equivalent) to record that you found the cache. Include the same kinds of details that you wrote in the cache logbook.

Geocashing

How to Go Geocashing
Learn more about the popular sport of Geocashing.  It is an increasingly popular, inclusive, fun and healthy pastime for individuals of all ages. It is also great for groups and families.

Geocashing Websites:

Earthcache.org
Educational/Environmental Virtual caches

Geocaching.com
Traditional caches, multi-stage caches

Geocaching.no
Geocaching in Norway

GPSGames.org
Geocaching & several other GPS games)

Letterboxing.org
LbNA - Caching the Old Fashion way!

Movingcache.com
Moving caches

Navicache.com
Traditional caches

Opencaching.de
Germany

TerraCaching.com
Traditional, multi-stage, Virtual & Locationless caches, with a Rating & Point System

Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint (Multi-Site compilation)

Cache in Trash Out Web site

Cacheopedia Geocaching Wiki

Garmin GPS Units

Geocaching italian site

Geocaching italian Wiki

Geocheating.com
Individual cache hints and other online resources

GeoLex - Geocaching Terminology

History of geocaching
by GPS Games

History of geocaching
by Geocaching.com

Keenpeople Geocaching Stats

Magellan GPS Units

REI's expert advice page on geocaching

TravelerTags.com

Wikipedia entry for geocaching

Geocashing Game - GPS Forum
Geocashing Game - The forum for GPS discussions and sat nav troubleshooting.

Go GeocashingI
I bought the GPS and the book Geocashing for Dummies. I am ready to have some fun!

Geocashing videos, podcasts and video blogs about geocashing
Geocashing videos and podcasts with the geocashing tag on Mefeedia.

Geocashing - Today's "Hide and Seek"

GeoCashing.com from AboutUs

 
  

Geocaching Policy Website
Public land policies regarding Geocashing and related activities

Handheld GPS Navigation Reviews
Read reviews of handheld GPS and leave reviews of your own.

A Beginner’s Guide to Geocaching
It's a high tech Easter egg hunt.

Geocashing - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site
Geocaching is a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity.

Understanding GPS Coordinates 

What is GPS and How Does it Work?

Handheld GPS / 2-Way Radio Reviews

Buxley's Geocaching Waypoint - Compilation of multiple listing sites

earthcache.org - Listing of all active EarthCaches worldwide; EarthCache submission guidelines, submittal form, FAQs, contact information.

Geocaching.com (Groundspeak) - International listing service for geocaching

Geocaching.com.au - Listing service for geocaching in Australia and New Zealand; not related to Groundspeak

Geocaching.be - Listing service for geocaching in Belgium

Geocaching.de - Listing service for geocaching in Germany

Geocaching.dk - Listing service for geocaches in Denmark

Geocaching.fi - Listing service for geocaches in Finland

Geocaching.hu - Listing service for geocaches in Hungary; not related to Grounspeak

Geocaching.nl - Listing service for geocaching in the Netherlands

Geocaching.pt - Listing service for geocaching in Portugal

Geocaching.ro - Listing service for geocaching in Romania

Geocaching.sk - Listing service for geocaches in Slovakia

Geocaching.se - Listing service for geocaches in Sweden

Geocaching.su - Listing service for geocaching in Russia and other Post-Soviet states; not related to Groundspeak

GPSGames.org - International listing service for geocaching as well as similar alternative activities

Navicache - International listing service for geocaching

Opencaching CZ - Listing service for geocaches in Czech Republic

Opencaching DE - Listing service for geocaches in Germany

Opencaching PL - Listing service for geocaches in Poland

Rejtekhely.ro - Listing service for geocaches in Transylvania

Starte.no - Norwegian geocaching portal.

TerraCaching - International listing service for geocaching

TerraCachers.nl - Listing service for geocaching in the Netherlands based on Terracaching.com

  


 

 

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