Year: 2015

/ Alex

Tips for Geocaching With Pups

By Dani Navarre

Your favorite geocaching companions
Your favorite geocaching companions

Nothing is better than geocaching with your best friend and who could be better than man’s best friend? Geocaching isn’t just a hobby for humans—your four-legged friends can join in on the fun too.

Coming home to slobbery kisses and a wagging tail is enough to brighten anyone’s day. Your dog waits patiently for you to return home, he hears the hum of the car engine, and bounds down the stairs to greet you at the door. He does so much for you and deserves a little treat. You can add a little color to your favorite canine’s grey day by putting a leash on that enthusiasm and heading out for some geocaches. Sounds like a walk in the park that earns more than one kind of smiley. As someone who has trained with scent detecting dogs, I know exactly how rewarding working with animals can feel. One of the most enjoyable parts is having a goal that you and your furry friend can work toward together. Whether you are practicing obedience training or just want to get out for some fresh air, geocaching can be a fun way to get all the members of your family (human and canine) outside.

 

Stellar geo-sense
Stellar geo-sense

So here are HQ’s top tips for geocaching pups:

  • Socialize at your local dog park. While your dog is having the time of his life, you could be catching a few smilies. Dog parks are a popular places to hide geocaches, so next time you are out take a look.

  • Is your dog an adventurous pup or does he make sloths look hyperactive? Be sure to choose caches that match your dog’s fitness level. If your dog is a trailblazer he may enjoy longer hikes with more challenging terrain, but if your dog is a couch potato an easy urban stroll might be a better match.

  • Turn your dog into a geocache. Has science gone too far? Don’t worry your pooch is safe, but he can become a trackable puppy with a geo dog tag. Your pup will enjoy all of the pets and your human friends will love the new trackable.

  • Sensitive puppy paws. Be aware of the geocache’s terrain. The summer heat and cement or metal surfaces can be a dangerous combination for your dog’s sensitive paw pads.

  • Carry water. Make sure you and your dog are hydrated to keep those tongues wagging.

  • A safe pup is a happy pup. Check to see that your dog’s vaccinations are up to date for tick and mosquito protection. A hike through the woods can make for a fun day…until you come home with a car full of ticks and one sad puppy.

  • Collars aren’t just a fashion trend. Local leash laws vary by city. Before you set Rover free to roam, check to see if a leash is required.

 

Geocaching with your dog can be fun for whole family. What’s your favorite geocaching animal story?

 

and they're fun!
and they’re fun!

 

/ Paige Edmiston

Watch the New Video: 6 Souvenirs. 5 Geocaching HQ’ers. 24 Hours.

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We did it in 24 hours. You can do it in 1 week.

The Geocaching Road Trip ‘15 ends in about a week and a half (September 2), but you still have plenty of time to earn all six new souvenirs. You could wait all the way until the last 24 hours if you really wanted to—and we’ll prove it. Without further ado:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/A60F1488bxw]

You can meet the HQ’ers and read their live tweets in this blog post.

/ Alex

Sieh Dir das neue Video an: 6 Souvenirs. 5 Geocacher aus dem HQ. 24 Stunden.

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Sieh Dir das 24-Stunden-Geocaching-Road-Trip-Video An

Der Geocaching-Road-Trip ’15 endet in etwa anderthalb Wochen (am 2. September), aber Du hast immer noch eine Menge Zeit, Dir alle sechs neuen Souvenirs zu verdienen. Du könntest damit sogar bis zu den letzten 24 Stunden warten, wenn Du wolltest – und das beweisen wir Dir.

Sieh Dir das neue Video an, in dem 5 Geocacher vom Hauptquartier auf einem 24-Stunden-Road-Trip alle 5 Arten von Geocaches finden, mit denen man die neuen Souvenirs bekommt. Du wirst den neuen Wagen, ein paar großartige Geocaches und vielleicht sogar eine Dance-Party sehen.

Sieh Dir jetzt das neue Video an.

 

GIFF

Sieh Dir die Beiträge aus der Endausscheidung des Internationalen-Geocaching-Filmfestivals an

Du hast möglicherweise gehört, daß das diesjährige Internationale-Geocaching-Filmfestival aufgrund von starkem Regen abgesagt wurde — das bedeutet aber nicht, dass diese großartigen Filme nicht gezeigt werden. Die weltweite Geocaching-Community hat jetzt die Gelegenheit, die Filme bei Mega-Events oder örtlichen GIFFs [Geocaching-Filmfestivals] zu sehen.

Die Filme werden bei ausgewählten Mega-Events gezeigt. Du kannst auch vom 5. bis zum 8. November 2015 selbst ein Filmfestival veranstalten. Detaillierte Informationen findest Du hier.

/ Alex /

GIFF Weekend 2015

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What is GIFF Weekend?
GIFF Weekend is your chance to watch the entire reel of the 16 finalist films from the 2015 Geocaching International Film Festival. On the weekend of November 5-8 only, geocachers will host geocaching events at which these films will be shown publicly for the first time. So pop your popcorn, get out your coziest blankets, and get ready—it’s a global geocaching movie night!

How can I host a GIFF Weekend event of my own?

  1. Make sure you have all the equipment necessary to screen the movies (TV and computer and/or projector, screen, etc.).
  2. Create an Event Cache that takes place on Geocaching.com for November 5, 6, 7, or 8 and wait for it to be published by a Geocaching Reviewer.
  3. Once the event is published, fill out this GIFF Weekend Sign Up form. If Geocaching HQ determines your event meets the requirements for GIFF Weekend, you will be provided with the file containing the GIFF 2015 film reel and your event will be added to HQ’s bookmark list of GIFF Weekend Events. If your event is not approved by Geocaching HQ, you will be notified. We recommend you then notify your guests that you will not be showing the GIFF 2015 films.

What are the requirements for hosting a GIFF Weekend event?

  1. The event must be already published on Geocaching.com
  2. The event must meet the guidelines for events, including being submitted for review two weeks prior to the event date
  3. The event must take place on November 5, 6, 7, or 8, 2015.
  4. The organizer of the event must have a way to show the GIFF film reel to the geocachers in attendance. Approved GIFF events will receive a link to download the file from (.mov or .mp4 format) containing the GIFF films. It is the responsibility of the event organizer to assemble the equipment needed to publicly show these films.

Where can I find a list of Event Caches that are screening the GIFF 2015 films?
Geocaching HQ has made available a bookmark list of approved GIFF Weekend Events. You can also find a GIFF event near you via this map of events.

A Reviewer has published my GIFF Weekend 2015. Does that mean I’m good to go?
Nope! You still need to fill out the GIFF Weekend Sign Up immediately after your event is published and make sure that your event meets all of Geocaching HQ’s requirements for GIFF Weekend events. If your event is approved by Geocaching HQ, it will be added to this bookmark list. You will be sent an e-mail containing a link to download the GIFF 2015 video reel prior to your event.

How long is the GIFF 2015 film reel?
The entire film reel is approximately one hour long.

What file formats will the films be in?
Three file formats will be provided to event hosts:

  • .mov – 41GBs
  • .mp4 – 24GBs
  • .mp4 – 4.4GBs (for DVD creation)

Are these films family-friendly?
Absolutely. Kids are welcome.

Will I earn a souvenir for attending a GIFF Weekend Event?
Yes! We announced on October 6th that a new souvenir will be released for GIFF Weekend. Attendees of registered GIFF Weekend Events will earn the souvenir. 

/ Janelle /

The wild world of underwater geocaches

Taking the extreme plunge: underwater geocaching
For the extreme geocacher: underwater geocaching

Call me Geocache. Some time ago – never mind how long exactly – having little or no finds in my profile, and no particular geocaches to interest me on shore, I thought I would cache about a little and see the watery part of the T5 rating scale.*

What better way to fill out the Terrain rating on your Fizzy Grid than going underwater to find your caches? Grab your snorkel, SCUBA gear, and wet suits, then check out these awesome and inspiring underwater caches:

GC2W056 Hilma Hooker is located in Bonaire, just off the northern coast of Venezuela. The geocache is almost 30 meters (100 feet) underwater at an actual shipwreck. Some underwater caches have special paper and pencils to sign the log, but for this cache, you must write your name in the sand under the yardarm of the ship’s main mast. 

Finding the cache
Going for the dive cache!
Gotta look out for muggles when “signing” the log
Hilma Hooker sank on September 12, 1984
Hilma Hooker sank on September 12, 1984

Another idyllic underwater SCUBA cache is GC4BAC0 Kittiwake in the Cayman Islands. As the geocache description says: 

The ex-USS Kittiwake was a Submarine Rescue vessel (ASR-13). She was part of the 6th Submarine squadron (SUBRON 6) home ported at the Destroyer-Submarine piers in Norfolk, VA. She was transferred from MARAD to the Cayman Islands Government in August 2009 and was cleaned and remediated in Norfolk, Virginia to become an artificial reef. This included substantial work including the removal of all hazardous materials (like pcb’s, asbestos, mercury, cabling, wires, oils, lubricants and a very long list). Additionally, all thin or loose materials that could break off during or soon after sinking were removed. The Kittiwake is possibly the ‘cleanest’ wreck ever to be sunk as an artificial reef. 

Aha! GC4BAC0 Kittiwake has been found!
Aha! GC4BAC0 Kittiwake has been found!
Found it! Now time to sign the log.
Now time to sign the log.
Oh the things you'll see and do while SCUBAcaching!
Oh the things you’ll see and do while SCUBAcaching!


Did you know there are freshwater lake sharks in Germany? Well, not technically, but there is a fake shark 30 meters (98 feet) below the surface near GCNQ40 Horka – Pumpenhaus. (You gotta admit that you were taken aback the first time you looked at these photos…) This Virtual Cache is, “…the cache owner’s revenge for all the climbing caches, which [he] will never reach.” 

GCNQ40 Horka - Pumpenhaus
SHARK!!!! Oh, it’s only GCNQ40 Horka – Pumpenhaus
The shark was impaled by a... huge steak knife?
Everyone’s safe. The shark was impaled by… a huge steak knife?
This is the beautiful location for this underwater cache

But what if you don’t have all that fancy scuba gear or deep water submersibles? Well, we have a couple of other options for you. 

Head over to GC3KG2M Father Thames & The Mermaid (AS TIDES GOES BY) in London, England and wait for the tide to go out. This geocache currently has 387 Favorite points, and you can see why; it’s clever and takes you to a memorable location. 

GC3KG2M Father Thames & The Mermaid (AS TIDES GOES BY) is only accessible at low tide
GC3KG2M
Father Thames & The Mermaid (AS TIDES GOES BY) is only accessible at low tide
London Low Tide Truck TB
London Low Tide Truck TB
I think I found it!
I think I found it!

We got one last geocache that may, ahem, float your boat. GC2H5GD Winnepesauke bumblebee scuba is located about 400 feet from the shore and about 35 feet below the surface. This geocache is available year round by diving in the summer, and ice fishing in the winter. Really depends on your perspective on what’s more difficult. 

GC2H5GD in the summer
GC2H5GD in the summer
GC2H5GD in the winter
GC2H5GD in the winter
Again, GC2H5GD in the summer
Again, GC2H5GD in the summer
Again, GC2H5GD in the winter (the container was updated since the summer...!)
Again, GC2H5GD in the winter!

Have you ever found a geocache underwater? How was it, or what’s holding you back from obtaining this type of cache? Tell us in the comments below!

*Deepest apologies to Herman Melville for this complete and very pathetic rip off of the opening passage to Moby Dick.