Where Bats Dare — Geocache of the Week

Mystery
GC1N065
by toczygroszek
Difficulty:
1.5
Terrain:
4
Location:
Dublin, Ireland
N 53° 21.762′ W 006° 04.286

Tucked into the cliffs on the Irish eastern coast lies a cave, and within it, this Geocache of the Week. With a title like, Where Bats Dare, where else would this geocache be located?

Perhaps another title for this cache could be Where Batty Geocachers Dare, because this T4 Mystery Cache requires ample preparation, research, and equipment to access safely. Geocachers who attempt this cache should pay strict attention to the ebb and flow tides. At high tide the cave fills with water. Giving you only a two hour window to get in and get out before the treacherous tide rushes back in.

The entrance is located at sea level on the side of a cliff. You will lose GPS signal immediately upon entering the cave and will have to use your best geosenses to poke around the dark and wet rocks. At the end of the abyss lies the treasure, a small tupperware container.

 

What to bring:

  • Flashlight or headlamp
  • Waterproof boots (Be prepared to get wet!)
  • Warm clothes
  • Friend/fellow geocacher (do not do this cache alone)

The cave is also home to sensitive fauna and flora which may excite you or frighten you! But like most areas with a sensitive ecosystem, the cache owner reminds us to not disturb the environment inside.

What geocachers had to say:

This cache caught our attention when we were planning the trip to Ireland! Equipped with the tides table, we decided the afternoon would be the best opportunity!

Entered the site at the western beach, since we were traveling counter-clockwise. We had fun climbing over large rocks and little pools, until we arrived at the cave Exchanged our walking-shoes for Crocs, and went straight through the puddle towards the cave.

Thanks to the detailed description, we found the box and logged the find. The water would still recede a bit more while we were on our way, it was fun to watch it! Thanks for this great cache, which deserves a favorite point.

Neo777

Well this was some adventure! And, of course, somewhere I would never have seen if not for geocaching and toczygroszek. So first off, a big thanks to the CO for the hide and the waypoints. I parked on Ceanchor Road and followed the track to path 1. From there it was straightforward.

I was at sea level over an hour before low tide so I was in no great hurry. I sat at the cave entrance and removed my walking boots, preferring bare feet for the water pool and the business in the cave. I found no obvious signs of life in the main cave or the side passage other than a couple of pigeons near the entrance.

KowaiBaz

A word from the Cache Owner toczygroszek:

“In my opinion Howth Summit is the most beautiful area in Dublin, so I decided place there something special. While looking for a spot to hide a geocache, I found few interesting caves. Most of the caves are only accessible on the low tide. One of them was perfect for geocache.

As the cache type is mystery, I supposed that it would only be found by locals. But after a few logs I realized that many tourists were visiting the cache. And I find that amazing, because you have to prepare before — you have to check a tide time, use torch (flashlight) and have good boots. Now, it’s probably the most popular cave in Dublin 🙂 I’m really happy that people enjoy the cave and can discover wild part of Dublin.

Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.

GIFF call for submissions

Calling all filmmakers! Submit your film to GIFF 2017.

GIFF gnomesThe Geocaching International Film Festival is returning for another year of epic geocaching moments captured on camera.

If you’re a filmmaker, a geocacher, or something in between, GIFF 2017 is your chance to have your geocaching film viewed by thousands of people on movie screens all over the world. Submissions are now open!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

How the festival works

Films are submitted to Geocaching HQ by August 1, 2017. Throughout August, the films will go through various rounds of viewing by a panel of judges from Geocaching HQ. In September the finalist films will be announced. The filmmakers will be notified, and the film titles made public. Geocachers who are hosting GIFF events will receive a single film reel compilation of all the finalists. From November 2-6, 2017, the GIFF film reel will be shown at GIFF events hosted by geocachers all over the world. In 2016, there were 526 events hosted in 44 countries, and 15,543 geocachers attended.

How to submit a film
  1. Read the rules. Seriously, read them!
  2. Read the tips for filming.
  3. Upload your geocaching film to Vimeo.
  4. Fill out the submission form and submit by August 1, 2017.
this year’s theme: the art of geocaching

There’s no arguing that geocaching is an art, as much as it is a game. In designing a creative container, writing a memorable log, or going to great lengths to reach a cache, we express ourselves every time we play. This year, your challenge as a filmmaker is to show us how you turn geocaching into a form of art. And remember, your film can be fiction or documentary style.

Learn more about submitting to GIFF 2017

Submissions due August 1, 2017

And the winner is…

The geocaching community has spoken. The Mission 9: Tunnel of Light APE cache will be returned to its original location and restored to active APE cache status. Once reactivated, the cache will be loggable throughout the year.

We will reactivate the APE cache on August 19, 2017, the date of the Going Ape 2017 Mega-Event at Washington’s Iron Horse State Park.

More than 10,000 geocachers helped make this decision. (Read the February 20th blog for more about the ballot choices.) Here are the results:

61% — Return and Reactivate

17% — Activate Once A Year

13% — Display at Geocaching HQ

9% — Traveling Artifact

Geocaching HQ’s Bryan Roth and Jon Stanley examine the recovered APE cache container at HQ in October 2016.

Many of you argued passionately on all sides of this issue. In the end, the consensus from the community was clear.

We understand people around the world are eager for more details. In the coming weeks, Geocaching HQ will work closely with the Washington State Geocaching Association (organizer of the Going Ape Mega-Event) and we will keep you updated as plans are made.

Thanks to everyone who took part in the process. From the Seattle-area cachers who rediscovered the long lost APE cache to the thousands who helped write its next chapter!

(Anyone wishing to visit Geocaching HQ around the time of the Going Ape event should see our Schedule A Visit page. It’s always a busy time, so there is a ticketing system in place during August 14 to September 8.)

Jon Stanley (aka Moun10Bike) at the hiding of the Mission 9: Tunnel of Light cache in 2001.
Several members of team who discovered the long-lost APE cache. At Geocaching HQ in October 2016.
Here it is! van "Kluis tot Kookhuis"

van “Kluis tot Kookhuis” — Geocache of the Week

Traditional
GC2JV5X
by Rebel & the Bandits
Difficulty:
3
Terrain:
1
Location:
Limburg, Netherlands
N 50° 51.091 E 005° 41.410
An idyllic town square in Maastricht
An idyllic town square in Maastricht

The town of Maastricht in the Netherlands has an impressive number of 1677 national heritage sites, which is the second highest number of a Dutch town, after Amsterdam. It’s become known as the birthplace of the European Union, European citizenship, and the single European currency, the euro.

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