The Well Rounded Cacher

CachingGames.com has details of a new game called the Well Rounded Cacher. The idea is simple enough: find one cache of each difficulty/terrain combination. Difficulty and terrain are measured 1, 1.5, 2 etc through to 5. That is nine levels each, 9 x 9 = 81 caches to find! That includes the hard 4/4 to 5/5 caches.

Considering I am just short of 200 caches since I started in 2005 it looks like an impossible challenge.

Taking a look at my current stats, thanks to the geocaching.com.au site (GCA) I can see the skew towards easier caches, but I have done a few of the more challenging ones.

As this is a new game, the rules say you can only claim caches found within the competition period. This means I will have to find one of each combination again.

Looking at the GCA stats for caches hidden by difficulty/terrain, one issue becomes obvious straight away: there are a few missing combinations. Checking these out further it looks like they are available in ACT or VIC but will take some organisation and travel.

CachingGames have dealt with this issue by having three challenge levels: 3/3 (25 caches), 4/4 (49 caches) and 5/5 (81 caches) difficulty/terrain combinations.

I could possibly do all 3/3 combinations which is 25 caches, with many of them in my area.

I will keep planning and working out options for each cache combination and see how I go. Regardless of how many I actually find, it will be a good challenge.

Geocaching Quick Search plugin for Firefox

One of the features of the Geocaching Australia website I like is the search box in the top right hand corner of every screen. From there you can get quick results on caches and cachers.

For even more niceness there is Geocaching Quick Search plugin for Firefox - GQS



GQS allows Firefox and Mozilla Suite internet browsers to easily perform quick Geocache searches from the search bar. GQS is a simple plugin that installs and works striaght away without even having to restart the browser.

With this niftly search bar extension you can search by post code, keyword, travel bug ID or tracking number, cacher finds, hides, profiles and loads more. So get Firefox, if you haven't already and try out Geocaching Quick Search plugin.

DuncanClan (Deception Pass) Geocoin

Duncan Clan (Deception Pass)
Originally uploaded by Greg Harper.

One of the many different interesting aspects of geocaching is the advent of geocoins. These are personally minted coins, or medallions and can be tracked through geocaching.com. Basically geocachers have had their own coin made, based on whatever appeals to them. You can get them individually numbered, and once activated, you can release them into a geocache. From there, they can be taken and dropped off at other caches, and you can track the movement of the coin around the country or around the world.

I had heard about these when I started caching, but there were never any in the caches I found. It was just interesting to finally see one in the wild.

The second one I found was The Relaxin with Dave - SG Apr 06

Caching in Port Stephens

Found the cache
Originally uploaded by Greg Harper.

We took a quick three-day break at Port Stephens and stayed at Shoal Bay. Naturally we had to do some geocaching. Well, this cache was not short on adventure. It was a good walk to the cache, and Lindsay was delighted to be the finder. The walk out went a little haywire. I say we wern't lost, but other family members will argue that. It got dark quickly and it started to rain and we missed the track back to the car. We made it back eventually. Will certainly be memorable.

State Survey Markers, Our Benchmarks

State Survey Marker SSM98484
Originally uploaded by Rikki Photos.

It's anoying to see the Benchmarking option on the Geocaching website and not being able to use it because I live outside the USA.

So as an experiment, I decided to track down the equivalent for New South Wales. These State Survey Markers are controlled by the NSW Lands Department. I searched their online mapping site (http://maps.nsw.gov.au/) and found some markers near me. Along with the GPS coordinates and a print of the cadastral map I went hunting.

The first three markers I tried to find appear to be missing. Where one marker should have been, the road had been patched. The marker must have been removed or buried.

Did have some sucess and found the marker in this photo. Considering there are thousands of these around the state, I don't know if I would make a habit of logging them, if a provision was made.

I would be interesting in logging Trigonometric Stations. There was a recent discussion on the Geocaching Australia website about this.

Cache-a-Day Comes to an End

My quest to do a cache a day came to an end last weekend. Started of on Monday 13th February and did a cache a day through to Friday. All was going well till I kicked my small toe on the door frame at home. It's easy to laugh about it when I try and explained what happened (chasing a bug in the house) but it hurts like hell when I walk on it.

Thanks to daylight saving, I have been managing to do a caches after work while it's still light. Hopefully this damn broken toe wont take too long to heal and I'll be back caching.

Caches this week were in the Carlingford (north west Sydney) area. While doing Beehide (GCK8YZ) the batteries in my GPSr died. So I had to rely on my maps and the cache decription. Managed to find it easily enough but have learnt that I must recharge after one or two caching trips!

I saw first hand what was described in the Geocaching Australia forums were the quality and quantity of cache contents declines over time. The Itchy Palms (GCF550) cache is in much need of some loving. There really wasn't much left in it. It shows what happens when cachers don't trade fair. I don't always trade items in caches. Actually I usually trade when I have the kids, otherwise it's another TNLNSL. So it's sad to see the cache in such a state particularly as cachers with their geokids will be dissappointed.

Jumpin' Jack Flashed Completed

Finally managed to complete the Jumpin' Jack Flash cache (GCEEDA) on Tuesday afternoon. I started looking for this cache on the 8th November 2005 when I first got my GPS. While the first two waypoints of this multi-cache were easy enough to find, I couldn’t get to the cache location without muggles watching. Problem is that there is a café overlooking this site and students were always there. Problem was solved with holidays. Popped in after work and found it.

Made a start on David (GC9F86) yesterday. This multi-cache starts off in Parramatta but the third waypoint is a long way away. But not far for me! (It’s close to home). Will nab that and another multi near this cache location soon.

Would have liked to do more caching over the Christmas holidays but it’s been too damn hot! Now it has been raining almost every day. Grr!