Oceansiders

Spotted this story on CBC... Geocaching's attraction lost on Parks Canada Parks Canada is worried that a new high-tech game called geocaching could be harming the environment.

Pirates. Peeps who are attracted to this sport/hobby are almost always folks who would have made excellent Pirates.

I just placed my very first cache. Ammo Box with about $80 of stuff in it. Mostly new stuff, a cam for pics as well as a $20 cash ftf reward. I also included some local 'city' pins as an item unique for my area. I fully intend to maintain it which would include removal of any junk or worn items as/if they are traded in. Then replenish with my own new items. I think anyone who chooses to place a chache should invest a little. Of the few cashes I've found, I've let my little guy make the call on which item to take. He also generally chooses what to bring as a trade as well. Never anything worn or broken though.

I've always found its essential to bring a few Sherpas on those longer trips.

It might seem odd or stange to run across someone out in the back forty hiding or messing with a container. I could imagine some folks having a negative reaction in that kid of a situation. Has anyone here ever had a bad experience with muggles while out caching?

OK, so how many of you fly and do you hide caches near or at airports? (For those flying in to rural airports without transportation other than their feet) Are there any policies / preferences I should be aware of?

As my post count should hint, I've only recently become active in the sport/hobby of Geocaching. Now that I am, I can completely understand why so many folks enjoy partaking in it. It is a great sport with many wonderful and positive attributes. My 4 year old boy lives for the treasure hunt almost as much as I enjoy discovering new places. We all have our reasons and they are all likely just as valid. So why, as a novice, do I have this uneasy feeling about Geocachings future? Using my home co-ords, and doing a quick search, I wind up with pages and pages of nearby caches. That shocks me, especially when you consider I'm living in a relatively quiet part of the world (Vancouver Island). I've come to discover just about every one of my favorite spots, places I've been to time and time again, have either one or several caches hidden there. Having found a few, I'm now like probably most people ready to hide my own cache. Easier said than done. I'm actually having a hard time finding a great spot that isn't already covered. Sure, I could wonder off into the bush and just drop a cache but that wouldn't really be in the spirit of the sport. At least not in my eyes. If in 5 short years this sport has exploded to cover 200+ countries with over 160,000 caches, what will the next 5 years bring? Most of the folks I speak to about caching are still completely oblivious much like I was just a short while ago. As more and more of these folks become aware of just how much fun it is to Geocache, will the influx of new people, such as myself, begin to generate a whole host of issues for the sport? Will land managers (both public and private) see Geocaching as potentially destructive? Will the sheer numbers make it difficult to police the sport or maintain the highest of standards? Or,is an ever increasing popularity actually a great thing for the sport?

There's an old saying that one should never watch sausage or law being made! It is a fascinating, complicated process. I've served in local government for just under 6 years. Granted I'm not at a State level. (rather Provincial since I'm in Canada.) You folks are in a tough fight. There is much at stake and this decision could set a trend that just might roll out right across your Country. From reading the description in the initial post, it does sound like you have a serious PR problem on your hands. Even if the legislators have some empathy toward your plight, they will likely swing in a direction that they feel serves and protects the greatest number of the folks they represent. Issues that relate to cemeteries, including potential desecration, even if unjustly thrust upon Geocachers, will instantly invoke a defensive posture among those who must decide this. I suspect this bill will pass. If I were you folks, I would argue that the legislation be limited to only include cemeteries. That is where most of the emotion around this topic will be centered. Granted, it would end up being a partial defeat, but sometimes you have to move to minimize the loss. You can all easily live with cache free cemeteries. Certainly in comparison to the apparent broad scope of this bill in terms of its restrictions on the sport.