Do you log a "mission abort"?

[AZ_KMx2]

I was going to grab a cache on the way home from work but when I got close there was a bunch of people around. Where I think it was, it would have been obvious once I started snooping. So do you log anything for that, or just note that you were there before when you do grab it?

Being a noob I still feel like I'm doing something top secret and get all nervous if I can see anybody around.

[+badlands]

I usually do....lets the cache owner know that someone is interested in their cache and it also lets other cachers know how to plan their day to avoid the muggle rush.

[+Trucker Lee]

Please, toss a frownie on it, with a note something like "too many folks around at 6pm. Will try again later."

 

Lets others know that particular time of day isn't good so they can plan ahead.

[CoyoteRed]

For something like that I probably would.

 

I will log a DNF on aborts if it has something to do with the hunt itself. But only a note, or nothing, if it is for reasons completely unrelated.

[+kayak-cowboy]

I would post a NOTE that I was in the area but too many people to look. Only post a DNF if you actually search for the cache but could not find.

[+Renegade Knight]

It's worth a note or a DNF log for all the reasons mentioned above.

[+briansnat]

I would log a DNF. My personal criteria are if I plug in the cache coordinates, hit "go to" and come up empty its a DNF. Some people could make a good argument that it should be a note rather than a DNF, but whatever you do log one or the other. Cache owners want to know if people are out there looking for their cache regardless if its found.

[AZ_KMx2]

So if you log a DNF or note do you then update it or post a new log when you do get the find?

[+Bad_CRC]

I had been doing that, but I get the impression that some people take DNF logs as kind of an insult, so I'd probably not log at all, or just make it a note.

[+QuesterMark]

I was going to grab a cache on the way home from work but when I got close there was a bunch of people around. Where I think it was, it would have been obvious once I started snooping. So do you log anything for that, or just note that you were there before when you do grab it?

Being a noob I still feel like I'm doing something top secret and get all nervous if I can see anybody around.

I only log a visit if I get out of the car.

On the other hand, I always log a visit if I get out of the car, even if it's a DNF.

[+QuesterMark]

So if you log a DNF or note do you then update it or post a new log when you do get the find?

 

Another visit is another log. Even if it's another DNF. Besides, if there are a number of DNFs in a row, the cache owner will know to go check on it.

[+QuesterMark]

I had been doing that, but I get the impression that some people take DNF logs as kind of an insult, so I'd probably not log at all, or just make it a note.

 

I've heard that too; I tend to make self-deprecating DNF logs...I assume that not finding it is MY fault, not the owners. Even if there were a bunch of DNFs before me. If lots of folks can't find it, and the owner checks it and it's still there, then perhaps (s)he needs to change the difficulty. I've seen that before too.

 

One cache I sought was obviously missing....the owner had done something to the back of a piece of bark to hold the container, and the container was not in it. I took pics and logged the DNF. The owner thanked me for the pic.

[+cimawr]

I would post a NOTE that I was in the area but too many people to look. Only post a DNF if you actually search for the cache but could not find.

 

That's what I do if I decide to log an abort; if I made any real effort to find the cache *before* aborting, I'll usually log it as a DNF.

 

But I don't log every abort - it depends on the reason for aborting, the cache location, and whether or not I intend to try again.

 

For example, I aborted a recent search soon after starting because a whole bunch of moms and little kids started arriving on a nearby playground. But since that particular cache is a tricky micro -quite a few people have looked repeatedly before finding it - AND it's well-documented on the cache page that it's near a playground, I didn't bother logging it; I wouldn't have been adding any new information.

However, on another visit, when I spotted damage to park property that I was fairly sure had been inflicted by another searcher, I DID log it as a note, both to virtually deliver a BOOT TO THE HEAD to the eejit who did it, and to alert the cache's owner to a potential problem.

 

For another example, when I had to abort another cache-near-a-playground search at 9 pm - different playground - because there were local teens hanging out on the swings, I posted a log about it, including that it wasn't a matter of there being any danger from the kids, it was just too likely to get the cache "muggled".

IOW, it was worth letting other cachers know what they might encounter at that time of day (or night).

 

It turned out that the best time to look for THAT particular cache was early in the morning, while the little kids are still in bed and the older ones are in school, and that was worth letting other cachers know, too... that, I did via my "found it" log.

[Neos2]

I had been doing that, but I get the impression that some people take DNF logs as kind of an insult, so I'd probably not log at all, or just make it a note.

And others take a found it log as an insult, because they hoped their cache would be hard to find~ It just goes to show that you can't please everyone.

 

I'd log a DNF on a cache that had too many non-cachers around to even attempt to look for it--that is part of the ambiance of the cache, after all.

[+Hula Bum]

I'd log a DNF.

[+jackrock]

Well, I'm new so take that into consideration. Here's what I've done so far:

 

If I have searched one or more times and failed to find the cache, I log a DNF. If I arrive and abort because there are too many muggles around I don't log it. I find a time that I can search without muggles. Then I log my visit as having found or not found depending on the outcome of my search.

 

I add a comment that it's my third attempt to find the cache or the first time I was able to search due to muggles on previous visits so that the efforts or difficulties are noted. I usually won't log a DNF on a first failed attempt if I plan to try again (unless there's an interesting experience to also relay).

[+kemp_family]

Admittedly I did not read the geocachers Bible before beginning, but if someone would bring this convert up to speed, I would appreciate it. Why does it matter if muggles see you looking for/find a cache? Luckily, I have not encountered this, so my punishment will not have to be too harsh. I understand not wanting to draw unnecessary attention as that when you leave someone may go to where you were, find the cache, and if they're a jerk destroy/steal the cache.

 

Since the niceness of those of us that join goecaching.com is not measured, why is it assumed other park visitors would be jerks? Maybe the love, hope, and peace that geocaching brings would be spread to others of our species.

Edited October 13, 2006 by kemp_family

[+Kealia]

Your bottom line answer is that there is no "right" or "wrong" log for what you described - it's personal choice.

 

I would log a note personally, since I didn't get to actually search for the cache - but as you can see, others do it differently and would post a DNF. Your call.

 

But, seperate visits shoudl get seperate logs. If you DNF twice, log it as such in two seperate logs.

The exception to this is returning to a cache you have previously found. You only log a "Find" once, subsequent visits should be notes.

[AZ_KMx2]

I logged a note since I didn't look for it. I will go back for it again and hopefully have a find.

[+Lizzy]

I own a microcache in a park that has a high muggle factor during nice weather. I've had a few cachers log this as a FIND, even though they did not/would not/could not physically sign the log. Their online logs went something like "I was pretty sure I knew where the cache was, but could not retrieve it because of all the muggles, thanks for the find" or "Found this one right away. Didn't spend time trying to get it out to sign though.". I usually send them a nice email letting them know that they should've probably logged it as a note, but I've let them keep their smiley. I find those kind of logs irritating, but that's my personal feelings. If they log a DNF or a note, I don't mind that in the least bit. I then changed some of the wording on the cache page to say that the challenge is retrieving it undetected to log in your find (in big bold print).

 

Basically, if you are positive you can see or feel the cache container, but can't get it out to sign the log because of muggles, log a note or do not log it at all - your choice. If you can't find the cache container - log it as a DNF.

[+Kabuthunk]

It depends with me. If I drive/walk/etc towards the cache, and there's a ton of people around (so I don't even get like... less than 100m from the cache), I won't log a thing, because I didn't get to even "look" for the cache. Sorta along the same lines as if I drive beside where a cache is supposed to be, but can't pull over in time or find parking, I'm not about to log that either, even if I wanted to look for it.

 

However, if I'm at the cache vicinity, and have begun my search, and then a mess of people start to come by and I have to abort, I'll log a DNF on THAT. Basically... for me to log a DNF, I have to begin searching.

[+Thot]

I'd log a DNF.

 

Here are my guidelines for logging DNFs http://factsfacts.com/LoggingDNFs.htm

Edited October 14, 2006 by Thot

[+nfa]

I log a DNF when I have looked for, and failed to find, a geocache. I don't log a DNF if I turn back before reaching ground-zero, or if I call off the hunt within 10 seconds of reaching GZ...that's how I play.