/ Alex /

GIFF Weekend 2015

MailerSuite_09212015_GIFFWeekend_vFINAL_blog

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. 

/ Alex

Kunsthof reloaded (GCNRZK) — Geocache of the Week

PicMonkey Collage

Geocache Name:

Kunsthof reloaded (GCNRZK) by willimax

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

1.5/1

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

This geocache is hidden within the Kunsthof Arcade: a small, quiet group of connected courtyards in the middle of Dresden, Germany. The facades of the buildings, which were designed by local artists, might stop you in your tracks. One wall is bright yellow and dotted with warped sheets of gold metal that play tricks with the sunlight. The other wall is bright blue and criss-crossed with metal pipes that funnel water to and fro. Every half hour (rain or shine) water drips down through and along the drains and gutters, and onlookers are treated to a concert of the elements. They call it the wall that plays music. This cache is the perfect example of a hide that brings you to a unique and interesting part of town, which you might never have otherwise found.

What geocachers have to say:

“Beim heutigen ersten Besuch in Dresden, hier angehalten und das Versteck gesucht. Ohne GC hätte ich diesen schönes Platz sicherlich nicht gefunden. Daher ein großes Danke fürs Herführen. TFTC.” –Siggihentsch
Searched for this hide today on my first visit to Dresden. Without this geocache I would definitely never have found this nice spot. For that, a big thank you for placing the cache here. TFTC.

“Der Cache hat mich an eine Stelle geführt, die ich sonst nicht gefunden hätte. Es war schön, dass der Cache schnell zu finden war. So hatte ich noch genug Zeit, mich hier mal etwas umzuschauen.” –KRUMGmbH
This cache brought me to a place that I wouldn’t have otherwise found. It was good that the cache was a quick find, because it left me enough time to explore the area a bit.

“Dieses war das zweite Döslein auf unserer heutigen Runde durch die Neustadt. Dank des Hinweises konnte es schnell gefunden werden und beim Loggen haben wir zugesehen, wie das Wasser durch all die Rohre plätscherte…. Danke und viele Grüße aus Leipzig!” –.Schattenkind.
This was the second cache on our trip through the city. Thanks to the description the cache was found quickly, and while we were logging it we were able to watch the water gurgle through the pipes… Thank you and greetings from Leipzig!”

Photos:

 

a74fa40b-0526-4e79-be72-221a6086e410 PicMonkey Collage

ee079678-54ef-4ee6-8c35-7783fa9e3f45

51072aa2-fe81-4af3-bee2-85103f051c06

What’s the best piece of interesting artwork you’ve found while ‘caching? Post your photos and stories in the comments.

 

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

 

 

 

/ Derek H /

By the light of the silvery moon (GC1BT32) — Geocache of the Week

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Excitement as the final is revealed.
Excitement as the final is revealed.

Geocache Name:

By the Light of the Silvery Moon (GC1BT32)

Difficulty/Terrain Rating:

2/2.5

Why this is the Geocache of the Week:

This week, the final souvenir of the Geocaching Road Trip ’15 will become available: Put on Your Thinking Cap. To earn this souvenir, and potentially the Road Trip Hero souvenir, you’ll have to find a Mystery Cache. While many geocachers automatically associate Mystery Caches with puzzles, that’s not always the case. This geocache, for instance, takes you on a nighttime journey through the woods. You’ll have to follow reflective tacks and shapes through the woods until you make it to GZ.

What geocachers have to say:

 

“Woah! This may be the coolest geocache I have ever found. Seriously! What an adventure! Thank you so much for setting this up!” – ThePaigeTurner

“TFTC!!!! This was our first night cache. It was amazing!!! We had a blast. I wasn’t sure how to set breadcrumbs on the gps so we dropped glow sticks to mark our way home. However, I must admit I have seen to many horror movies lol.” – Geeky Gal

“I thought there was no way the other night caches would compare to the first one we found but this one was amazing. Looking for the silvery moon and stars was thrilling. We were all blown away when we saw the final to this adventure. It’s always nice when someone leaves the light on for you:) Thanks for the hide and smiley.” – Qaz&Kids

Photos:

Glow sticks aren't required, but they're still necessary.
Glow sticks aren’t required, but they’re still necessary.
ThePaigeTurner checks her light.
ThePaigeTurner checks her light.
Headlamps are key.
Headlamps are key.
Follow the "stars" aka reflectors
Follow the “stars” aka reflectors

What’s the best night cache you’ve ever done? Post your photos and stories in the comments.

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