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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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IMPORTANT: Read the listing
and warnings below before attempting this cache. If you follow our
advice, you should be 100% safe and enjoy finding a fun cache, but
ignorantly blundering to the cache location, especially at the
wrong time of day, could expose you to life-threatening
risks.
If you want to scroll to the warnings quickly, they're at the
bottom of this listing.
Welcome to the Crocodile River.
There are still some crocs along this section of river, but very
few, and you don't need to get close to the water's edge, so don't
worry about them. But we don't recommend going for a swim - that
could be foolish. Stay 3 metres or more away from the water's edge
and you'll be safe from crocs.
This river should have been called the Hippopotamus River because
there are many hippos here, and they continually move up and down
this stretch of river.
Hippos are the most dangerous animals in Africa, and cause (by far)
the highest number of human fatalities. However, hippos and humans
can (and do) co-exist in close proximity if humans understand and
respect hippo behaviour patterns. The reason that they cause so
many fatalities is because humans like to live along riverbanks,
hippos live in rivers and feed along riverbanks, and hippos move
around a lot, so human/hippo encounters are commonplace. This cache
should teach you some basic skills for safely moving about in hippo
territory.
To find this cache you'll need to walk 60 metres from the obvious
parking via riverside hippo paths to the cache location. That
doesn't sound far, but remember that a hippo can run at three times
the speed that you can.
You'll see that the paths are well used. You'll see lots of
footprints and hippo sign, and you'll have to walk on hippo poop
some of the way.
Despite just being processed grass, hippo poop can sometimes smell
quite pungent, but it's actually clean and not a health risk at
all. If you're a smoker, and you'd like to try something new, then
bring a pipe with. When hippo poop is 90% (almost) dry, it makes a
great smoke, and can be a fun experience if you're into trying
something different.
WARNINGS:
1. DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS CACHE IN THE DARK!!
That could be exceptionally dangerous as hippos feed on land at
night. They can see you, but you can't see them, and they feel
threatened out of the water.
NB - this is a very serious warning about a life-threatening
risk!!
2. Be especially alert before 8am, after 4pm, and on overcast days.
Hippos move around on land a lot more when it's cool, but it's OK
to hunt the cache then if you're alert and careful.
3. Hippos in the water are normally not a threat at all because
they feel safe there, and will usually give ample warning and
threatening displays before attacking. Be wary of hippos in the
water, but you can normally pass close to them along the shore if
you move in open view where they can see you clearly. Move slowly
but confidently, and heed their very obvious body language. If you
get serious "go-away now" messages, then do that, and abort the
cache, but you can ignore minor irritated behaviour when they're in
the water. However, if you see a hippo calf, abort immediately
because mothers can be very unpredictable. Sometimes it won't be a
problem, other times mothers can have extreme reactions.
4. Be more alert for hippos on the landward side of the path than
in or near the river. Hippos between you and the water are rarely a
threat because they'll dart back into the water. But, if you get
between a hippo and the river which is it's perceived safety, you
could be in very big trouble. So, [NB] contrary to your natural
instinct of focusing on the river, rather do the exact
opposite.
5. Be aware of the many big trees around you, and which you can
climb quickly. They're your escape route if attacked - either up
them, or behind them. The cache location is one step up, so you can
retrieve, log and replace the cache safely without having to look
over your shoulder.
If this cache gets positive logs, we'll consider hiding a
"Hippopotamus 201" cache 200-300m further downstream, and we
already have a location for "Hippopotamus 301". We wanted to hide a
cache there, but together with the landowner, we decided that it's
far too dangerous. But, as a mystery cache, and #3 in a learning
series, it could be very, very cool. Let us know if you'd like
that....
The cache is a PET preform in a canvas camo bag.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)