Friends logging finds as new geocachers

[+Team S-J]

I've been caching on and off for a couple of years, either on my own up to 14 of us on one occasion. One of our friends who came with us last week, when we found three caches, has since joined in their own right. Is it the done thing for them to log those finds prior to having their own account. In fact they were present at some of my earlier caches so could probably log up to about 10 caches.

It sort of seems like maybe they should start from scratch but on the other hand why not allow them to log finds as part of our team.

Opinions?

[PottOGold]

I've been caching on and off for a couple of years, either on my own up to 14 of us on one occasion. One of our friends who came with us last week, when we found three caches, has since joined in their own right. Is it the done thing for them to log those finds prior to having their own account. In fact they were present at some of my earlier caches so could probably log up to about 10 caches.

It sort of seems like maybe they should start from scratch but on the other hand why not allow them to log finds as part of our team.

Opinions?

 

I say log them. Unless they just WANT to go back and do them again, why go twice?

[+TeamHarrison]

Signing the log seems to be the act that a lot of people seem to consider the "find". If your friend signed the log on each find and is just now getting around to logging them with an account online, I wouldn't see any problem.

 

If your friend didn't sign any logs, what's to say he didn't find 1,000 caches under the same circumstances? I know that's a stretch, but you get the picture.

 

Cheers.

[+Bad_CRC]

I say go for it.

 

I think the act of going online and signing the log as a find is a great way to get people interested in geocaching after they've gone along with a friend. If they just go along, but can't sign their own log, it's not a complete experience in my opinion.

 

And after that, many may be hooked for good.

[+Night Stalker]

Renegade Knight took me caching before I ever owned a GPS. In fact back then I thought this was kind of a dumb hobby. I signed the logs and after officially joing several months later I logged those finds. That was 1240 finds ago. You never know how these things will turn out I guess.

[+briansnat]

They found it, so they should log it.

[+BigHank]

To me, as long as they signed the log at the cache, then they are entitled to log it online once they get an account, whenever that might be.

[+Team S-J]

Thanks for the reassurances. Whenever I've cached with friends I nearly always let them sign the log on behalf of Team S-J. So in theory if they start caching they are entitled to log the find while I was merely a bystander. Just joking. I'll point him in the direction of these replies and let him log the finds without fear of guilt or being reprimanded. I get the feeling once they start on their own they will quickly pass my meagre find number.

[wandat24]

I see alot saying if they signed the log and some saying go for it... I say if they was with you but didn't sign the log have them say in their online post that they was with you and have them put the same date as you did. As long as they say they're late logging it, I don't see any problems.

[avroair]

Log them, but let the cache owners know what you are doing so there is no confusion.

[+Kabuthunk]

I would say that if they didn't sign the log, I wouldn't allow it. However, if someone logged a find after the fact, but in the online log said "was geocaching with <whoever>, found with them", and it was logged to the same day as <whoever>, that might be acceptable. However, if it were my cache, I'd email <whoever> and ask if this is legit. If not, or I don't get a reply after a few tries, I'd delete the log.

 

EDIT: Actually, in retrospect... the <whoever> might want to toss an email to the cache owner letting them know what's happening, so it doesn't catch them by surprise. More of a chance it'll be allowed then :}

Edited September 26, 2006 by Kabuthunk

[+oldsoldier]

I am trying to get my nephew to do the same. As he is with me alot of the time (I keep a journal of my finds, DNFs, & who is with me), when I get an account for him, I am going to have him logs his finds. After all, he was with me, and found about half of them. Personally, I think its your own choice; be evil, have them find their own, or be nice, and let them log the ones they participated on.

 

Oh, my nephew is 13, and cannot drive, so he HAS to log mine.

[+BlueDeuce]

Side note, whenever I take a hmmm... non-member, caching I always sign their first name and last initial.

 

Just in case.

[+jacobsen1]

It's up to them, but IMHO, they were there when it was found, they can count it. My wife and I cache together always. One of us finds it, but I always write the log at the cache, and again online, but I consider every cache we found to be found for both of us. If my wife wanter her own account for some reason, I would say she has every right to log all the finds we have right now as hers...

 

I guess it depend on their involvement when caching before they go an account, and weather or not the want to go refind those other caches.

 

Ben