The Sands of Time Mystery Cache

The goal of this cache is simply complicated: collect sands from the Earth’s beaches one spoonful at a time!

There are three ways to log this cache.

Log Type #1: THE SAND DEPOSIT

This is the prefered log type for this cache.

Step One: Get some sand from your favorite ocean beach. But be sure to take a photograph of the beach where the sand originated and post it with your log (see my example logs below). NOTE: Only one deposit of sand may come from each logged beach.

If possible, please post a pic of a GPS on the beach where you aquired your sand deposit. Record the name, description and coordinates of the beach of the sand’s origin with your log. You don’t have to actually go to the beach to get the sand, you can have a friend mail it to you.

Step Three: Deposit a small amount (about a spoonful) of your sand into the unique “Sand Vault” that is located in the cache and replace the top on the Sand Vault exactly as you found it.

Photo Options.

Option A: Take photo of you and you GPS on the beach where you collected your sand. If you have a friend mail you some sand you my post their pic.

Option B: Take a photo of a live wild critter from your beach and post it with your log!

Description of “critter”: crab, turtle, snake, lizard, bird, seal, dolphin, monkey, bear, shark, fish, snail, clam, oyster, insect.

You may log the cache with both photo options A and B.

Log Type #2: THE WACKY LOG

Use this log type if you are just visiting and didn't have time to find sand or just want to hit the cache for fun.

Take a photo of a wild human (you, a friend or a radom stranger) on the beach or at the cache site...but it must be in good taste and include either: the human wearing your choice of a hula skirt and Hawaiian shirt, bikini top, dive mask, funny hat holding a fruity drink in one hand and wearing a wild expression or…your best Pirate costume, bottle of ale/rum/grog in one hand and a skull or cutlass in the other w/eye patch or peg leg and wearing a wild expression (please do not gouge out your eye or remove your real leg to fulfill this requirement—Photoshop works wonders;-)

Step Four: Sign the logbook in the cache and then log this website with your choice of log type, your story, photos and coordinates of the beach where the sand originated or where you took the photo of your wacky human.

LOG TYPE #3: The Standard Geocache Log. If you are unable to log the cache in either Log Type 1 or 2 you may log it as a standard Geocache.

NOTE: Please do not keep the “Sand Vault” or attempt to remove the items that are inside--thanks.

I have started the sand deposit with sand from Cape Sable in Florida, Manuel Antonio National Park Costa Rica, Ocracoke beach, NC, Myrtle Beach, SC and Coquina Beach, NC so those beaches are cached in the vault and have been removed from the list. Please don’t add more sand if it is from a beach that has already been logged in the cache and please don't add sand from beaches closer than 10 miles apart.

LOCATION NOTE: Although sand from any beach is OK--I would like to see sand from the more remote beaches of the world. Natural beaches without herds of humans and their associated concrete and steel are best.

SAND NOTE: Please try to get sand that is free from organic debris such as plant and animal remains so that it doesn’t funk up the vault—thanks. When the vault is close to being full please email me and I will replace it with a new vault.

CrotalusRex's WILD Disclaimer:

Remember this! Should you decide to attempt to hunt any of my Geocaches you must remember that you will be trekking into WILD areas with all of their wild components of which a few are listed below.

You may encounter living wild creatures with their own agendas. No matter your perceived status, beauty, machismo, power and achievements in the "human" world you are nothing to them (well, except possibly food!). Most of these creatures are "smarter" (instinct) than you are so you will never see them. They will know you are coming long before you arrive by your odd smell, noisy heavy gait, loud voice and unusual coloration--they just want us to think we "scared" them off. You may smell, hear or if you're lucky catch a fleeting glimpse of...something. Some of these creatures may or may not hurt you--but if you corner any of them they WILL defend themselves with whatever means they have--tooth, claw, fang, venom, sting and so on! These creatures will leave scat behind them (i.e Poo, poop, droppings, turd, doo, doo doo, dung, guano, pellets, log, sh*t, shite, crap, plop, squirt...) this may be fresh or sun bleached...the fresh variety may be accompanied by a rather unpleasant odor so WATCH OUT! Often, if you poke a stick at scat in just the right way you will be able to determine what type of creature left it there and just what that creature had eaten for its last meal!! WOW-ain't nature grand!--if you have any questions about some scat, hair, teeth, bones or any other part of a critter alive or not that you find--feel free to save it in a baggie and mail it to me and I will help you ID it's owner (please-- I will accept sundried and well aged scat only and I am sure that the US post office will agree).

Plants--these things are usually green and just about everywhere--even in the water! Some are pretty, some taste good and some others will kill you if you eat them (know these well if you plan to eat "random" plants for fun as I do)! There are also some plants that will make you itch and/or bleed--it helps to know these well also! You may encounter pollen--it is a by-product of the reproductive rompings of happy plants. This vital substance may make some of you sneeze, itch and cough but if you gather enough from the correct species of plant you can make some very healthy friters for breakfast.

There will be dirt, mud (wet dirt), sand (often found in dirt and mud), flotsam and jetsam (whatever the heck that is?) Rocks--watch out for these things--you may trip on them and fall down (but they can be used as TOOLS if you know what you are doing!) You may suddenly or gradually, depending on your locale, encounter uneven ground or rough surfaces that may cause you to fall down and/or abrade your skin. Heat, cold, wet water (that becomes hard and cold in the colder times) and OH MY--this often will fall unpredictably from the sky and if you are not prepared it will make you and your coverings WET--GASP!! Sometimes you may encounter this wet water in large quantities and sometimes it may have a high concentration of salt, dirt, mud, silt, scat (human and/or animal) and/or toxic chemicals so don't try to drink it if you are unsure of its source...it is however most enjoyable to play in (i.e.: frolic, cavort, rough-and-tumble, surf, swim, leap, dive...) when the weather (see weather below) is nice. Dryness--in combination with the wind may chap exposed skin. Sand, a by-product of rocks--this makes you itch if you get it in your nether-regions or cry if you get it in your eyes. Wind (see also air below)--this is invisible and may chap exposed skin and disturb carefully placed hair, air(see also wind above)--this is also invisible and could be anywhere from hot to warm or cool to cold and it may be still or moving so fast (wind) that you will not be able to stand up--this is called a storm, storms are often accompanied by bright flashes of light followed by loud, earth shaking sounds that come from an unseen source--this is commonly called thunder and lightning--when this is near you should hide or you may die. Weather--a combination of many of the factors present here (see above and below). This is entirely unpredictable unless you believe what the NWS tells you. Sometimes you will see a very bright disk overhead but don't look directly at it as it will damage your eyes. It may also cause red burns on your exposed skin so bring your protective devices and chemicals. Often there is a lack of light accompanied by a large glowing disk in the sky and countless tiny glowing points of light that are pleasant to look at...and so on.

Often you may hear unpredictable sounds created from unknown sources some of these may be creepy, some may be pleasant, some may be loud (see thunder above)...and sometimes these loud sounds will scare you or hurt your ears!

Finally, you may encounter other beings like yourself--often with their domestic companion animals--as well as their associated mechanical and electrical constructs. These are BY FAR the most dangerous creatures you will ever encounter so WATCH OUT!

You may be wondering why my WILD Disclaimer is a bit overkill or obvious and silly...but there is a reason for the madness. Believe it or not many of my geocaches have recieved some rather "wimpy and whiny" logs complaining about GASP! briars, mud, terrain, weather and so on...so obviously this disclaimer is a bit tounge in cheek so enjoy!

My promise to you is that when you head out there adventureing in the natural world you will encounter plenty of random unplanned events--so be ready for them as they are the things that make life worth living!