About Geocaching

We were at a bit of a loose end one Sunday afternoon so I decided it was time to try Geocaching. What is Geocaching I hear you ask? It is an outdoor treasure hunting game using a GPS. You need to navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache hidden at that location.

Geocaches can be found all over the world and the locations can be quite diverse. They may be located at your local park, at the end of a long hike, underwater or on the side of a city street.

Our Geocaching Adventure

For our first attempt at locating a geocaching we opted for one that was recommended for kids so that the whole family could get involved. We parked the car quiet a distance from where the Geocache was located so we could all get some exercise and hopefully tire out the little ones!

Dixie was armed with the GPS, I had my smart phone to navigate and the race was on to see who could find it first. I was at at a disadvantage as I had to try and drag the children away from the local kangaroos so we could continue on with our treasure hunt.

It didn’t take long before we (Dixie) located the Geocaching in the bush and the bucket was big enough that the kids could not miss it!! The cache was filled with lots of little trinkets that the kids loved and we added our details to the logbook located in the bucket. This cache has been in the location since 2002 so the logbook was filled with names and information about the previous finders.

 

Rules of Geocaching

1. If you take something from the geocache (or “cache”), leave something of equal or greater value.
2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.
3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com

How the game is played

Register for a free basic membership here or you can download an app to your smartphone. There is a basic app for free but it is limited to view three geocaches in your area. You can upgrade the app for $14.99 to give you a larger selection of geocaches.

Search for a Geocache in your area by using your postcode or your location on your smart phone. Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.

Each Geocaching has a rating for difficulty, terrain and size so you can select the appropriate geocaching for you. There is also additional information such as is there parking, suitable for children and roughly how long it will take you to find it.

Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPs device or use your smart phone to assist you in finding the hidden geocache. Once you have located it, sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location. Log your find and share your geocaching stories and photos online.

Our thoughts on Geocaching

It is a great activity to do as a family as everyone was involved plus it got us out of the house and into nature. Next time we are on a 4wd adventure, camping or what ever the activity may be we will be sure to search and see if there are geocaching’s in the area.

Have you done Geocaching?

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