There is an unwritten contract between cache owner and cache seeker. Owners, do their best to find good locations, take accurate readings and to maintain the cache. And cache seekers, do their very best to keep that cache well hidden, in that carefully chosen location, a secret. As more and more new cachers arrive on the scene, this one critical aspect of geocaching is, more often than not, overlooked. This above all else remember: “Stealthy = Healthy” and a healthy cache lasts a long time.
A Case in Point
This summer my sister-in-law and family came to visit for the weekend. Her step-son had never been caching with us and a new cache had been published in a nearby park a couple of weeks prior to their visit. We had been waiting for him to do to this one because we thought it would be one he would really enjoy. We made sure to go over a few things about geocaching with him that morning. We talked about caching being like a treasure hunt (he loves pirates so that went over big). We talked about how trading items and that “equal or better” value is a rule. We showed him a few things from our swag bags, so he got an idea of what the “treasure” was like. We went over how to use the gps and what latitude and longitude were. We introduced him to Google Earth. He loved that. Then we hit on the biggy for most kids. Stealth. Geocaching is a treasure hunt, but not just a treasure hunt, it’s a “secret treasure hunt“, we explained. The goal, we told him, was not to have anyone notice us trying to find the cache. And once we found it, to not have anyone notice us put it back. So with that end in mind we talked about not shouting things like, “Found it or “Got it”. Instead we decided on things like “Dad look at this bug!” or “Come look at this flower!” Anything that most people wouldn’t find suspicious coming from a kid as a code word or phrase instead of yelling,”I found it!”. He decided it was like pretending to be a secret agent was excited by the idea and so off we went.
We got to the park and after a short walk along the trail, came to the area the cache was in. It was beautiful. Waist high tall green grass, blowing in a light breeze, and a very old and large apple tree 40 or so off the trail. Sounds like a perfect place for a cache right? Well it was. With one huge exception. The 4 ft. swath of trampled down grass leading straight from the trail, right up to the tree. A perfect example of how un-stealthy some cachers can be. A path like that invites unwanted attention from local kids and teens very quickly. I knew that this cache wasn’t going to last long and it didn’t. It was a wonderful concept and a great cache. Right now the cache is disabled, but not archived. So I’m just waiting to see what will happen to GC1H4C0. I’m hoping that he will try again. The artwork inside the sketch book was really fun and creative. I was looking forward to checking in on it now and then.
With a little bit of forethought, this cache may have lasted longer. Not forethought on the owners part, but on the seekers part. When looking for a cache that is in tall grass not far off a trail, don’t walk straight at it. Your best bet is to take a large step into the grass and start moving in a large semi-circle or wide zig-zag pattern. The first large step into the grass, should bend the tops of the grass without smashing them down. Moving in these types of patterns will eliminate the straight eye view that other passers-by on the trail have of the cache location. Without the intense straight line disturbance of the grass and fauna, it is much less likely to draw muggle attention or interest. Your path will look like that of a happy playful pup instead of a determined geocacher.
Do you have any other tall grass tips? I’d love to hear them!
UPDATE: Cache has ben archived… Curse those Geo-Trails and Muggles!
N 47° 10.466 W 122° 33.922
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