Offset Caches.

[+M&DofKJE]

I just got home from Nashville this morning, and as a rule had a great time... but..... I had a few DNF's where after looking at the pages, I would like to shoot the hiders. I will not specify caches as I do not want anyone to feel singled out. Anyway, here's the beef. I was going up with about 200 from our church up to the Southern Baptist Convention. I loaded about 200 waypoints into my GPS, all being traditional or virtuals. I wrote information on the virtuals into my notebook, but trusted the traditional waypoints to have something there or within a few feet under something. We rolled in on Monday night, and most went to a dessert social. I turned on the GPS and rejoiced when the number on the reciever was feet and not miles! I bounded off to the cache, and yes, it was dark. I couldn't find it. So, Tuesday rolls in, we go to the convention, and returning to the hotel late in the afternoon, I made a daylight attempt. Nada. I finally look it up on the computer, as this was a very frustrating cache, and find out on the page it is significantly offset, probably by a few hundred feet. Would this not be a far better fit as a mystery/puzzle cache? Doesn't the hider want his cache found You can flame me if you want on this subject, but keep it subject oriented, and do not look up what cache I might be talking about. I do not want to pick on a specific cache or cacher.

[+Ambrosia]

Yes, that would classify as a mystery cache. Maybe the hider isn't aware of this, or made a mistake.

[+Miragee]

I simply cannot do puzzle caches so I set up my Pocket Queries to leave them out of the search. That way all the waypoints in my GPSr and my Palm should be Traditionals or Multi-caches or Virtuals. The Smart Name feature of GSAK lets me know which type it is before I set out, so if I don't have time for a Multi, I can pass that "nearest" cache up.

 

There is a mis-labeled cache here that is actually a very long four-mile Multi even though it is listed as a Traditional.

 

I sympathize with what you experienced. That would have been very frustrating to look for a mis-labeled cache.

[+M&DofKJE]

I have to allow some leeway as I have one that is about 9 feet from the coords, under cover. There was 3 caches I faced like that on this trip. 3 different owners. All over 100 feet from base coords. I didn't even include multi's on the PQ. I wanted to keep it simple.

[Keystone]

A simple offset cache ("go to these coordinates and project a waypoint at 277° for 225 feet") is classified as a multicache, since the original coordinates "mean something" relative to finding the cache. Although, even if classified as a mystery/unknown cache, that would spare people the problem of searching for a container at a spot where there is no container. A traditional cache is one that can be found AT the posted coordinates, without having to do anything else other than find the container and sign the log.

 

You can help out your fellow geocachers by doing something about the individual caches which you think are misclassified. Begin by writing to the cache owner and explain clearly and politely why you think the cache ought to be listed as something else. If the owner agrees, they can contact their friendly neighborhood cache reviewer to make the change. If the owner is not responsive, or if the two of you disagree, then you can bring the issue directly to the attention of the volunteer cache reviewer.

 

In the "old days" when pocket queries and personal databases and paperless caching and 50-find days were not commonplace, everyone read every cache page, and the consequences of a misclassified cache weren't as serious as they are nowadays. The reviewers do their best to catch and fix past misclassifications. And, some of us are like me -- we aren't perfect, and may list a new cache with the wrong cache type. Finally, some owners change the character of their cache but are stuck with the cache type icon that was on the page when it got listed. Owners can no longer freely convert from one cache type to another, like in the "old days."

 

I hope that this is helpful.

[+Miragee]

Thank you Keystone, I might just write to the cache owner of the mis-labeled cache I wrote about.

[+M&DofKJE]

I suspect I might shoot off a few emails. If I may get your opinion on this one, Key. Should this be a multi? This one is about 9 feet from coords.

[+Ambrosia]

A simple offset cache ("go to these coordinates and project a waypoint at 277° for 225 feet") is classified as a multicache, since the original coordinates "mean something" relative to finding the cache.

I guess that makes sense.