Geocaching

shazartist · Senior Member

Geocaching

DeBe · Guru

Only tried it once, but it was interesting & amazing where the cache is hidden some times. Where they are put some times have spectacular views as a bonus. You dont need an expensive GPS either I use a Garmin Etrex hand held the size of a mobile phone $100 job & will put you within 3 paces of the object you are looking for.

-- Edited by DeBe on Wednesday 31st of August 2011 11:04:06 AM

shazartist · Senior Member

Thanks DeBe,

I have been researching how to get started. I think I have it worked out, it will be something different to do while RVing. We have a handheld Garmin GPS and radio, that is 9 years old and never used, I hope it still works. Like you said they are inexpensive now.

Cheers Sharon

Landfall · Guru

smile We have been geocaching for a few years, not just in Australia but on our overseas holidays.

It can lead you to many interesting and embarrassing places.

Looking for geocahes in countries like China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, can be even more challenging when the signs are in Chinese, the locals don't speak English, the taxi drivers think you are crazy and you are trying to appear "cool."

For the interested people, just look up www.geocaching.com it is better than the Australian site.

Good hunting,

Dusty biggrin

PS. For more info about members on this site who geocache just type in "geocaching" into the search box.

-- Edited by Landfall on Wednesday 31st of August 2011 05:06:30 PM

Happywanderer · The Master

My daughter and her inlaws do it regularly and love it. I know nothing about it.

shazartist · Senior Member

Landfall wrote:
We have been geocaching for a few years, not just in Australia but on our overseas holidays.

Hi Landfall,

I am still trying to find something on the Australian Geocaching site that is close to home. I have never done this before and I want to do something easy and close for my first time.

I will Check out Geocaching on this site...

Thanks Sharon

elliemike · Guru

shazartist wrote:
Landfall wrote:
We have been geocaching for a few years, not just in Australia but on our overseas holidays.

Hi Landfall,
I am still trying to find something on the Australian Geocaching site that is close to home. I have never done this before and I want to do something easy and close for my first time.
I will Check out Geocaching on this site...
Thanks Sharon

I have been Cacheing for about 6 years. I usualy only do it now when we are travelling. In fact we are off to day to Bremmer Bay. I down load caches along the routes we take. Usualy up to a Kilometre either side of the road We enjoy the unplanned stops and interesting places we would never normaly get to.

Go to <geocaching.com> for more Australian Caches.

I am a Premium Member so can utilise the Caches along a Route, and other Query type tools you can use for downloading caches. 500 at a time if reqiured.

Regards

Mike

shazartist · Senior Member

Go to <geocaching.com> for more Australian Caches.
I am a Premium Member so can utilise the Caches along a Route, and other Query type tools you can use for downloading caches. 500 at a time if required.

Thanks Mike, I have been looking on the geocaching.com.au site, as a free member.

Is the .com site better? I cannot seem to get enough info on an easy, close to home Cache for our first try. ALSO, how do actually pronounce Caches?

Thanks Sharon

Jayco Gypsy · Senior Member

Hi Sharon, I had a look at the site last night. Its something I've seen mentioned a few times and after your post decided to have a look. When I put my postcode in it came up with several sites, some just at the end of my street. Try that and see what you get.

shazartist · Senior Member

Jayco Gypsy wrote:
Hi Sharon, I had a look at the site last night. Its something I've seen mentioned a few times and after your post decided to have a look. When I put my postcode in it came up with several sites, some just at the end of my street. Try that and see what you get.

Thanks JG,

Yes, I did the post code too. Not as close for me, also it was difficult to understand the easy, medium and hard...I think I may have to pay..the free site may not be as open. I am on the Gold Coast, Where are you, someone said that queensland does not have as many Caches,

Also which site were you looking on?......I may be on a dud one...lol

Thank you for the post..it looks like a lot of fun......I am so made keen on treasure...and especially if is a hunt...lol

shazartist · Senior Member

This post created a twin..lol

-- Edited by shazartist on Thursday 1st of September 2011 07:29:57 PM

pricey43 · Guru

We started Geocaching in January this year. Its great fun and takes you to places you wouldn't normally see.
The kids bought me some trackables for my birthday and am just sending them out into the big wild world.
It's amazing how far some of these travel. If we have a free day now, in stead of going for a drive, we go out and find some caches.
Give it a go. It's great fun. :)

Cruising Granny · Guru

To the technically dumb such as myself, what the hell are you all talking about?
These new technospeak languages are really playing hell with my vocabulary.

shazartist · Senior Member

Cruising Granny wrote:
To the technically dumb such as myself, what the hell are you all talking about?
These new technospeak languages are really playing hell with my vocabulary.

Hang in there CG....you are going for a ride!

Start searching Geocaching...it is like a treasure hunt with a GPS....I am still trying to work out the treasure....but it does sound like fun!

Jayco Gypsy · Senior Member

Hi Shazartist

I'm South of Perth. Joined the basic one last night and started reading the help page.

Think I've got a very basic understanding of the caches. There is a puzzle one, with 3 close by. I will have to wait a while yet before starting my treasure hunt.

I used the link posted by Landfall. I've tried to copy it, not sure if it will work.

Thanks for the link Landfall, spent a few hours reading last night. Now I need a new GPS my Tom Tom is to basic.

www.geocaching.com

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Happywanderer wrote:
My daughter and her inlaws do it regularly and love it. I know nothing about it.

Is that how your daughter got pregnant? biggrin

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Caches in or around the Gold Coast

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?lat=-28.0067947&lng=153.40657729999998&dist=25&cFilter=9a79e6ce-3344-409c-bbe9-496530baf758

you need to join but you do not need to be a premium member, for that you pay a fee, I'm no longer a premium member, been doing this for about 9-10 years

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Saturday 3rd of September 2011 06:54:37 PM

Jayco Gypsy · Senior Member

Went on my first geocaching trip today in the company of Delta18. Had a ball. Looking for a suitable GPS and hope to hunt some down at the UWE in Dwellingup soon. What a great way to explore.

shazartist · Senior Member

We went on our first Geocaching to day...and I cached nothing..except muggles, which I am sure thought we were trouble.

Thanks Landfall, Ellemike and Jayco Gypsy, I actually found 5 within a 15 -30 min walking distance. We have a luncheon for 8 tomorrow and my sweetie decided to run out and try to find a cache before night fall....bad move..I was thinking of all the stuff I had to do, and there were lots of Muggles to hide from, and he had not done any reading about the dangers...grrrr.

Oh, for all the fun to be found in the burbs, which I didn't even know about...so exciting, I adore treasure hunts.

Hi Wombat, I thought I may have to join up to work out the important stuff so thank you for the tip...although I still might.

Cheers Sharon

shazartist · Senior Member

Ha ha...we were typing at the same time Jayco Gypsy...Sounds like you had way more success than I did..although my sweetie and I did have a fun time...Glad you got out...Whom is Delta 18?...

cheers Sharon

pricey43 · Guru

Now you guys have got the bug, it really gets you in. To think that there are all these secret treasures sitting where we might pass each day is amazing. Once you find a trackable and follow its journey it drags you in more. In our 9 months of Geocaching we have found Trackables that have travelled all over the world.

I left my first Trackable in Canberra about a month ago. Since then it has travelled down through Victoria , Sth Australia and was dropped at Ayres Rock with a photo logged. Since then it has come back south and is sitting in Sth Aust. again waiting for a pick up to go Nth, East or West.

Happy Geocaching!!!!!

Jayco Gypsy · Senior Member

shazartist wrote:
Ha ha...we were typing at the same time Jayco Gypsy...Sounds like you had way more success than I did..although my sweetie and I did have a fun time...Glad you got out...Whom is Delta 18?...

cheers Sharon

LOL I was in a cemetery looking for my cache. No muggles, would not try that location tomorrow.It was hidden in the fork of a tree under leaf litter.

Delta18 are forum members here and good friends. My GPs is a road one no good for this. We used theirs.

I'm having a look at a Garmin eTrex Venture HC it has a usb to connect to the computer. Really don't know much about them, have read lots tonight about GPS handheld units, I think this one will be okay.

Have fun tomorrow. Regards Cathy.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Garmin eTrex Venture HC will do the job, there are a few caches around Secret Harbour, just do a search for wombat.

Don't forget GeoCoins are trackables and must only be moved to another cache and logged online, the problem with the coins is that they do tend to get stolen, I have lost a few so I no longer put them out there just keep them for myself.

shazartist · Senior Member

pricey43 wrote:
Now you guys have got the bug, it really gets you in. In our 9 months of Geocaching we have found Trackables that have travelled all over the world.

Thanks Pricey 43 for the fun info...Sounds like Jayco Gypsy and I have loads to find out and have fun with.

And Wombat, there are them thieves everywhere!

Cheers Sharon

Delta18 · Guru

Thanks for your company yesterday Cathy, at least the cemetary was done in daylight and was not spooky biggrin

I have decided to upgrade my old Garmin 2 Plus for an Etrex like we looked at, will go to Mandurah in the next couple days. We tried my TomTom navigator and, although Lat - Long can be entered it is not compatible with Geocaching.

I will have a look around Secret Harbour Wombat, usually the only time I go there is for Woolies liquor store when they have specials, that is the nearest one to us

Cheers Neil

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Delta18 wrote:
Thanks for your company yesterday Cathy, at least the cemetary was done in daylight and was not spooky
I have decided to upgrade my old Garmin 2 Plus for an Etrex like we looked at, will go to Mandurah in the next couple days. We tried my TomTom navigator and, although Lat - Long can be entered it is not compatible with Geocaching.
I will have a look around Secret Harbour Wombat, usually the only time I go there is for Woolies liquor store when they have specials, that is the nearest one to us
Cheers Neil

I'll have a talk with the Wollies manager and see if he/she can put on some specials just for you. biggrin

Delta18 · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
Delta18 wrote:
I will have a look around Secret Harbour Wombat, usually the only time I go there is for Woolies liquor store when they have specials, that is the nearest one to us
Cheers Neil
I'll have a talk with the Wollies manager and see if he/she can put on some specials just for you.

Thank ye, thank ye, thank ye!!! smile

Jayco Gypsy · Senior Member

Thankyou every one for the tips on geocaching. Shame about the coins Wombat. Looking forward to hunting down some caches as soon as my advisor biggrin decides what GPS Unit we are getting biggrin

Delta18 · Guru

Garmin have a new model, Etrex 20 which should be in the shops by the end of September. It looks good, colour screen, maps can be loaded and it supports "paperless geocaching" which means you no longer need to print out cache details as they can be downloaded to the gps along with the waypoints.

It will retail for around $200 I think...I am waiting for it.

Cheers Neil

pricey43 · Guru

We have a Gamin nuvi 3760. Once you learn how to use it, it is very good for both car and walking.

If you have an iphone you can download a geocaching app which saves the printing out. I used to print out but its just so much easier. Also if you unexpectedly have some free time it will check for caches close to where you are and give all the details.

-- Edited by pricey43 on Wednesday 7th of September 2011 07:09:15 PM