Cacher’s Corner – Episode 28
Cache Up NB Podcast – Cacher’s Corner
December 2013
News
Battlecache & COAP are in full swing
Released first GeoConnect plugin to OGA & COG
13/12/111 10:09:08
COAP Launches
Ugly Sweater
Dinner Buffet
New geocaches hidden by:
Cableguy, Jim52, Greybeast (944), IndyNB, Geodimeter, Ma & Pa
CC Trekkers, Belladan, Tiger Tracker, Stepnath, hobbesthecat
This Month’s Topic:
Year In Review
Mobile Caching Issues
Coin Challenges
Upcoming Events
Breakfasts
Ice Walk / Groundhog Day
Yankee Gift Swap
How Many Days / New Year Event
10 Year Earthcaching
From Mobile to More – GPS Event
In The New Year
CUNB’s plans for 2014 and beyond
As always, you can play/download it here or subscribe to us on iTunes. Hope you enjoy!
Audio credits go to Project 322.
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I enjoyed the podcast very much. Thanks for putting this on.
I found the story about the reviewer Keystone interesting. I have used cup screw hooks for a number of my caches. I am one of the very few in this community who can say, based upon my knowledge and experience, it does no harm to the tree. I did a bit of digging to learn more through the forums and guidelines and realized that, according to the “letter of the law”, Keystone is right and I am wrong.
This is was under the Geocache Listing Requirements/Guidelines:
“4. Geocache placements do not damage, deface or destroy public or private property.
Caches are placed so that the surrounding environment, whether natural or human-made, is safe from intentional or unintentional harm. Property must not be damaged or altered to provide a hiding place, clue, or means of logging a find.”
I also found this little gem, directly below it:
“5. Wildlife and the natural environment are not harmed in the pursuit of geocaching.
Geocaches are placed so that plant and animal life are safe from both intentional and unintentional harm. In some regions geocaching activity may need to cease for portions of the year due to sensitivity of some species.”
Every one of us violates this guideline every time we cache. We damage the ecosystem every time we step even 5m off the trail in search of that elusive cache.
If we actually followed these two guidelines to the letter, geocaching as we know it would grind to a halt; every cache in the wild would be disallowed, and as every urban cache technically “defaces” a hiding spot or subjects it to potential damage.
I have to agree with FF on this one. I to didn’t know about the cup holders, as I have some caches hanging on them.
But how many cachers break off part of a tree limb to hang a cache. I see it all the time. Then sometimes another limb is broken off to place it back because the cache is replaced after going missing, to hide it better from sight, etc.
I don’t feel a tree will die from a small cup holder. If I did I would not use them. It just gives cachers the exact location to place it back instead of breaking another tree branch.
We do what we can not to cause damage but there’s only so much we can do to minimize it.
For the small cup hook issue, I don’t think it is a big deal but one thing leads to another and some people would carve out a hole in a giant redwood to fit in an ammo can. So they (Groundspeak) have to come out and say nothing is allowed. It makes sense when you think about some of the things some people do.
Rev, I won’t disagree with you there. As the saying goes, “give an inch and they will take a mile”.
But in the overall context, it appears that there is a tendency to cherry-pick guidelines, with some more important to enforce than others.
The reviewers are regular people and that being said they can sometimes have different views or interpretations on the guidelines. I can live with that as long as the principals behind them are being held up as much as possible. I for one would probably overlook a small hook, how many birdhouse caches or things like that have we seen that get through. It is a game and in the grand scheme of life these things are fairly minor.