PopUpPirate

Which team will you be in? The Crimson Corsairs - the funky team... The Bronze Buccaneers - the scurvy dogs... The Purple Plunderers - the raucous team... The Black Barbaries - the evil team... The Flash Mob is now published too - this is one FM event where we really want people to get involved and take part!!! http://coord.info/GC2ZQB6 Tara Treasures, the official mascot of the event, says, "Rum... chillies... games... mayhem... fun... you've never been to an event like Piratemania, until you've been to Piratemania!" ONE WEEK TO GO!!!

Many thanks for the updated (new) post, Dave Womble Good to hear that someone who has a say is willing to listen! So, thanks to the GAGB too. As many have said, the hunt is the problem, so either lets avoid rule creep altogether and leave it as it is with no limitations, or just admit that urban caching is a no-no... regardless of container size.

Now sponsored by Groundspeak... cheers!

Absolutely. We don't need more rules but seeing as one has been thrust upon us it may as well be consistent. If urban caching is a threat then it should apply to all cache sizes - or none. The hunt is the problem. And Virtuals are the perfect answer to it.

Nail on the head!

I still don't get how cache size comes into it when a 35mm film canister could carry a lethal explosive load, and the hunt is what causes the suspicion. At the bare minimum, all urbans should now require proof of permission. Differentiating between cache containers does not solve the problem one jot. Take Reading city centre for example: Most of those caches will have someone rooting around furtively and suspiciously this weekend. No, the problem is not going away.

Why not? They arouse the same suspicion, if not more, and as showed earlier could carry enough explosives to kill somebody. The hunt is what causes the suspicion.

This is a good move, and the GAGB have acted swiftly as entirely necessary. There is some real positivity that can come out of this, too - it's the perfect situation for bringing back Virtual Caches, especially suited as they are to urban locations. Bring back the virtual, get rid of the urban physical. Even 10g (a third of a film canister) of plastic explosive can kill. As such, all containers would be considered a thread by police. The cache size differential doesn't solve the issue - you still look suspicious.Arousing suspicion in our hobby is bad publicity, and every time there is an incident like this one, it puts our whole pastime in jeopardy. It would be of no surprise to me if some councils banned Geocaching based on a reaction to this - there's certainly plenty of arguments you can put against caching, and of course plenty that are positive too. However, by permitting micro caches in urban locations you present more problems. One of them being cache quality, of course, as the maxim to hide (generally) the biggest cache you can in any location goes out of the window. You are now going to be actively encouraged to hide urban micros and nanos, by default. The bigger problems than cache quality, however, are that the big issue is being missed - three-quarters of the problem with urban caching is the suspicion aroused by those undertaking the find! Acting in a "suspicious" manner generally gets people intrigued and that's when the police get called in. The reason people sometimes feel uncomfortable, suspicious and like they are being watched is because they ARE being watched because they DO look suspicious! Only hiding micro or smaller caches is not the solution because the suspicion is still there. 10 grams of plastic explosive takes up about a quarter of a 35mm film canister and could easily kill, and the police know this, so they won't think twice about viewing a microcache as a potential threat. It's time to grasp the nettle and push for Virtual Caches which are the perfect solution to the Urban Caching problem. Hiding suspicous looking objects in supermarket car parks, town centres, near public transport buildings and around busy urban locations is the worst kind of negative PR possible. Not to mention the grot factor and risk of glass shards and needles! If we want our hobby to grow in a positive and forward-looking manner, this should apply to all caches whether new or old, and if it means some of mine have to go... so be it. What is Urban? A cache in an area where one would be more likely to wear smart shoes than walking boots.

Bring your space hoppers!!!!!

If you've not logged it as a WILL ATTEND yet, get yer name down! Less than 3 week to go now, it's gone kerrrrrazy recently on the logging front. Caches Games Pirate Gear Walking Food Supping Team Captains Mayhem! What's it all about? http://www.flickr.com/groups/1146819@N24/ Four teams - and this year you need to learn 20 PIRATE SKILLS 1 Ropework 2 Signals 3 Amputation 4 Carpentry 5 Gunning and 15 other skills slowly being released over the next few days. Still time to book if you are quick! Log an attend on http://www.piratemania.org.uk

www.piratemania.org.uk Not long now... 411 and counting... 1 month to go! Rum at the ready! Tents that look like ships! The infinite field (it's the green sea!) When I was a little lad And so my mother told me, Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe, That if I did not kiss a gal My lips would grow all moldy, Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe. Chorus Way, haul away, we'll haul for better weather, Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe. King Louis was the King of France Before the Revolution, Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe, King Louis got his head cut off Which spoiled his constitution. Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe. Chorus Oh the cook is in the galley Making duff so handy Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe, And the captain's in his cabin Drinkin' wine and brandy Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe. Chorus www.piratemania.org.uk

406 people attending as of today, and still bart a month to go! Rum... it's the future!!! Emphasis - FUN AND MAYHEM!!! YARRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! Help us get the mythical 499 - log today and pledge your allegiance to Davy Jones! http://coord.info/GC2NYZG

Cathedral in the Forest http://coord.info/GCFA39 Lake in the Forest http://coord.info/GCFA3B

There's talk of this being added to the inbuilt Geocaching maps here, I've added 3 votes: http://feedback.geocaching.com/forums/75775-geocaching-com/suggestions/1733433-use-ordnance-survey-maps-in-maps-beta

And you can meet the grog-supping Pirate clan for next year at THIS year's Piratemania! This years Piratemania The Official Piratemania Webpage The Facebook page The Twitter feed Be warned at pub events - you may find bestowed upon you the hallowed Kings Shilling

I've created a Firefox search plugin: http://mycroft.mozdev.org/search-engines.html?author=PopUpPirate Just enter the co-ords in pretty much any format you like (just don't include the degree symbol) and you get an OS 1:50/1:25 map, on the fly. Try it with.... N 53 37.455 W 002 38.474 for instance

Wait! You forgot to "hereby pass this motion" Congrats to my friends!

Yay, thanks to all who've posted WILL ATTEND logs already, we've broke the 200 ATTENDEES barrier in record time :o :o :o Hitting the target 499 figure is a distinct possibility!

It's ludicrous stuff isn't it... there'll be plenty of raw birds eye chillies like last year, too, all in the cause of scurvy prevention of course If you're not yet on the Twitter feed then catch us at http://www.twitter.com/piratemania and the Facebook link at http://www.facebook.com/popuppirate/posts/200929153252293#!/event.php?eid=126987557370095 Volunteers will be needed this year, as numbers seem to be flying in thick and fast... we're already hovering around the 200 attendees figure I'm currently compiling the videos from past Piratemania events, get in with the Grog Crew! Log your WILL ATTEND now!

I should bung Deceangi a polite request, glad yer back into it, Tobys Treasure Trail and Dragon Quest are ace

Will anyone be brave enough this year to take the SATAN'S ASHES challenge? Eat a portion of the World's Hottest Curry... and get 10 doubloons as a reward! Hotness has got a new definition, courtesy a curry called 'Satan's Ashes', which requires its makers and staff to wear masks and rubber gloves to handle it. Touted as the hottest in the world, the dish contains the Naga Morich chilli, which measures 953,721 on the Scoville heat scale. If this was not hot enough, the dish also contains the Bhut Jolokia, which has been registered at a sweat-inducing 1,001,304. And to get a spoonful of this sadistic dish, one has to visit Cumbria, Lancashire... or PIRATEMANIA!

It's very easy to add more rules and more stringency... it all sounds like "a sensible idea" until you suddenly realise that suddenly a lot of red tape is around, which is never going to be undone. There's no way, for example, a reviewer is going to say "I'm going to remove the need for you to prove permission before placing a cache within church grounds because it was probably a step too far".

Have to say also that with pub events, publishing the menu and prices is very useful as it helps people make up their minds whether they want to attend or not, and whether they want to eat at the event or not. Beware rule creep!

Hi Boltonian, it's a very disabled friendly event. The site is fully featured and has easy access throughout, and the site owners couldn't be more helpful! Btw thanks Bambography - that comment puzzled me, too!

The annual MAYHEM is here once again!!! http://www.piratemania.org.uk/ This year we've got DOUBLE the teams and TRIPLE the fun!!! Last year we had kangaroo boxing and walk the plank and tug of war and tons of caches. This year we're just gonna take the **** and go completely daft Rum? Check! Worlds Hottest Curry? Check! Caches? Check! Mayhem? CHECK!!! http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC2NYZG If unsure... read previous years logs! Last years Piratemania was the biggest event outside the Mega, allegedly... this year...