Africard

GlobalRat, thank you for the effort and the link! Expect a couple of placings soon....a list of cachers close to my home.. Africard - Northern KZN TB Hunter - Northern KZN Paper King - Northern KZN Bosluis - Northern KZN / Midlands (this cacher does not seem to be active as emails are not answered) I&J - Northern KZN

Dan Dolphin has reached the Eastern Cape! Well done Dan! Although Dan is not leading, he is very close to the end cache. Let's hope Dan visits a couple more caches before getting there.

Somewhere in the guidelines to our sport it is suggested that a new cacher at least find xx number of caches before placing. Since here in SA it is not so easy to find double figures close to home, caches do get placed without experience which inevitably lead to lost / muggled / poorly designed caches. I myself do not consider my experience vast, but do learn on each hunt something new, which I incorporate into each new placing. I also make a point when introducing new cachers to the sport to stress the guideline mentioned above. When you have a look at the archived caches, more often than not the "Placers" with high amount of cache ownership and very little finds, also feature with most archived caches..., where as this is not the case with "Finders". Only placing your first cache after at least finding a couple of caches adds to better designed hides and content. Logs should contain information about the cache and a couple of other elements, also discussed in the guidelines. It is a personal opinion, and critisism contained should be used by cachers and owners alike to better our skills and quality of caches. Refer to the first logs when I placed KZN Metro TB Hotel - these comments and critisisms were used to better the cache, and my experience and pointers for future caches. I have myself have left negative comments for finds, all with positive results in the end - refer to Belfry cache. Only logs containing personal attacks and / or distasteful comments should be deleted by owners. Owners should stick to guidelines for placing a cache, and cachers should be free to express opinions (without getting personal or distasteful) about a cache / hide / content. Geocaching is a new and evolving sport and problems like this is inevitable as we learn and progress - too many rules will kill the sport, but by being your brother's keeper and using information to your advantage can only have a positive effect.

Thank you bigredmed - I'll do the same!

I'm definately interested i nexchange with an US based cacher and a British based cacher - how do I get mail addresses?

Busy week for TB's entered into the TB Race We have a new race Leader - Stealth Racer from TB Hunter is now leading the race! Remember the object is to visit as many caches as possible during 2005 and end up in a predetermined cache in Cape Town! A lot can still happen 'till then! At least two bugs have travelled to mainstream areas - see if you can help them along. All TB owners hope to see their bugs excell and win the race for them - winning TB will win new (unactivated) five pack TB's! You can follow the race progress here.

News update: Dan Dolphin has left the start cache and are now struggling out of the water in visiting Gauteng - visit Urban Tag #2 to help him on in the race! The race rankings and update page has been updated Click here to see who is leading!

No problem Azaruk... From KZN's side we obviously like to see more international TB tourists, and the only way to achieve that is to have more caches and more cachers. In the description I clearly stated how we feel about our TB's and I have made it my mission never to place a TB in a place that is relatively open to muggles. Personally I agree that a shop is not the best place, but a TB hotel needs to be accessable and secure to tourists in order to attract touring TB's.

I'm in I'm in I'm in Anything to raise awareness will be appreciated! Tell them about the race too, maybe we can get some sponsorships for our sport!

Problem with these really good cache spots is the number of hits a geocacher can expect to log when a really strong effort is required to get to the cache. Maybe we should concentrate on finding all the caches first (at least once). I've hidden two that really requires effort to get to, with limited or no finds at all...check out "All the way down Moorfield - GCKZ2P", and "Amajuba Plateau - GCM8YC"

I placed the KZN TB hotel in an friend of mine's shop, who is also a geocacher (although not very active at this stage...) for exactly that reason! I visited JHB international three times last year and could not locate the cache without being seen by either muggles or security...

I see we're back to 278 active caches this is going to be harder than we think!

Cannot beat "Reistor" et al

You guys really got me lol!!! My wife is english speaking, the funniest is when she explains "Where is your husband?" to the family in broken english / Afrikaans / Dutch / German. And of course the next question is"What is that?" to which the standard answer "high tech Treasure hunting" mostly suffice. Anyhow, here is my 10 cents: Geocache: geodoesel; cache: doesel; geocacher: geodoeselaar; cacher: doeselaar; of selfs vervang "doesel" met "bloem" vanaf verbloem

Hey hey hey...Peter is working with me on the 2005 TB Race to Cape Town at the final cache (one of his own)!

South Africa - just about anywhere will do! - I'd say pick your favourite park and organise it! Globalrat had a lot to say about parks in JHB area...maybe a collaboration...

I hit another one! This one was on the way to Durban from Ballito (32km), in an urban area at a private household's gate? Close to a Sentech tower... Does anyone know this?

Sold...

How can I look at archived caches - I seem to be going to a lot of archived caches lately - loc files on my GPS, but can only find thenm on the website if I have the GCxxxx number. Is there another way?

Instead of using a personal TB / Geocoin, how about a feature on the website where a cacher can keep track of his own movements - very much like a (virtual) TB, that the owner can specify caches visited (in order), followed by a return / start at home button?

That is right - no site yet....

Azaruk, that is really sad to hear It really makes one mad when something like this happens. But it also prompts us to choose the hides very well and ensure longevity of the cache.

Cannot agree more! I know the owner of www.geocaching.co.za - if there is a geocacher that can build, maintain and programme a www site for us and a couple of sponsors to help pay hosting (club fee / donations / etc.) I'd like to hear from you!! Maybe we can set up a geoZA club. I can also get my hands on gear (TB's, etc.)...

I seem to get to a lot of archived caches lately. The problem is that some time ago I downloaded the loc files, but when I get to them now the cache is gone. When I get back to the geo site, I cannot find these archived caches, unless I wrote down the GCxxxx number. My Q's are: 1: How do I see archived caches - it never shows when I do a search - is there a setting that I need to change? 2: How do other cachers handle the "junk" loc files and get rid of them? Help would really be appreciated!