Idea for new Attribute: Island

[+fingon]

I'd like to know if others think it would be useful to have an "island" attribute be created. Reasons:

1) I live in Minnesota, and for part of the year it is cold enough that water is frozen and island caches become much easier (because you can walk to them).

2) I would think there are people with (or without) a boat (or other water transportation) who specifically seek (or avoid) island caches.

 

Is at least part of why such an attribute does not already exist because there are already "May require wading" and "May require swimming" attributes? Why do these attributes include the word "may"? Even if these attributes are marked as "Allowed" (turned on), it still doesn't tell the reader whether these attributes will be experienced for certain. Seems like all the other attributes offer a definite "yes" or "no".

 

Thanks,

 

fingon

Edited July 15, 2008 by fingon

[+Ambrosia]

That's an interesting suggestion, I'd like to see what others think about it. Of course, the boat attribute could be good enough, and people could use their own judgment to see if the water level goes down enough at certain times of the year to be able to wade, or for it to ice over and go across.

 

I personally would use this attribute more often than the new flashlight one. I can think of only one cache that I've ever had to use a flashlight on after over 1200 finds. But we own several island caches.

 

Anyways, to sorta answer your question about the "may require wading" attribute. I, and I know others, have used that near rivers where the water level goes up and down regularly. I had a cache that was right on the edge of the Columbia river, and the dams let water levels rise and fall throughout the day. I never knew when the trail to my cache would be dry or would have a few (or more) inches of water over it. The attribute, along with an explanation in the cache description, helped people to be prepared.

[crawil]

If a cache requires a boat because it's on an island then it should be rated 5 terrain stars (requiring special equipment) and it should be mentioned in the description.

[+Prime Suspect]

There's really not enough difference between an island and any other "boat needed" location to warrant a another icon.

[+Puppy Dawg]

The boat needed attribute dosen't exactly mean its on an island. A cache could be on a point where to get there by land ya gotta cross a freeway or railroad tracks or something. I'm in favor of adding the new attribute.

[+Prime Suspect]

The boat needed attribute dosen't exactly mean its on an island. A cache could be on a point where to get there by land ya gotta cross a freeway or railroad tracks or something. I'm in favor of adding the new attribute.

Which means you have to use the special "can only go to an island" boat, instead of the "can only go to a point of land" boat?

 

Like I said, the difference is trivial. Remember, the Special Equipment category lists things that are required, not things that are a convenience.