Geocaching - A Fun Way to Enjoy the Outdoors
What is geocaching?
Geocaching can be called a worldwide treasure hunt where you use a GPS to search for hidden objects. It’s a fun and exciting way to enjoy the great outdoors. Geocaching combines the sport of walking with the excitement of discovering treasure. ‘Geo’ means ‘earth’ and ‘cache’ means ‘hidden’ in French.
Nico is 10 years old and an avid geocacher. “Geocaching has taught me all about navigating with maps, how to use GPS and coordinates,” he says, “I’ve become a better hiker and better at spotting things because of it.”
This sport will get you outdoors and actively walking, whether it is in a city or in a forest.
The easiest way to get started is to go to the website:
https://www.geocaching.com/play
You can download the app on your phone or tablet. Using maps, it allows you to navigate geocaches anywhere by GPS. You pinpoint your current location and the app will show you where, near you, there are hidden treasures. After creating a (free) account, it takes you to your home location, from where you can navigate anywhere in the world to see caches.
Not only will you see the approximate location on your map, there is also a description and a hint of the location and container for which you will be searching. The coordinates are such that you will need to use your eyes, and your legs, to find the actual spot once you get close. The map brings you to within a few meters from the container and that’s when the real search begins. Searching is half the fun. Perhaps the container is inside a post, or under some branches. The coordinates might lead you to within 5 or 10 meters but then you have to start turning over rocks and peeking under logs, using the information you read in the description.
A traditional cache will be a small container, a tin or a plastic box. Inside you will likely find a tiny logbook in which you can record your name and the date you found it. There will also likely be some small ‘treasures’ - a coin, a toy, a pin…. You can pick one and leave a new gift for the next person so come prepared with some tiny gifts in your pocket to leave behind. You might also want to carry a pen or pencil in your pocket.
Besides traditional caches, there are many different caches, including trackables. This comes in the shape of a key chain which you can purchase. On it is a code. Once you enter it online, and then hide it in a cache, you can track its location. Online you can learn where the trackable came from. It is given a name and a description. This also tells you what the owner would like his or her trackable to accomplish. For instance, Nico has a trackable out there named Frogo the Froggie Travel Buddy. He hopes his frog hops around the world and that it will return home in 5 years. Meanwhile, he can follow its location online. A fun and unique way to learn about the world.
There are many more types of caches. And, once you know what you’re doing, you can start making and hiding your own.
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Once the new location, description and hint were approved, Nico had to go hide his creation well and it became an official cache. One of thousands of caches around the world that you can now go out and find!
Nico’s geocache: https://coord.info/GC8PWVW
To learn more, visit: https://www.geocaching.com/play
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