+thinairmagic Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I was looking for a nano on a pedestrian crosswalk over a major intersection and I spotted it inside the end of the railing. I could only get two fingers in the end to get it and below was a 30-40' drop to the water. I was so worried I'd drop it. Luckily i didn't but I was wondering has that ever happened and You actually did drop it or broke the cache and had to replace it? Quote Link to comment
marikun Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Well, I actually double-broke a cache once. It was a beach safe with a broken latch. I managed to bust a hole in the top trying to force the latch shut. Oops. Quote Link to comment
+mfamilee Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Nope, not yet. *fingers crossed* Quote Link to comment
+Klatch Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Yes, I did. A tupperware-clone container frozen to the turf. I actually pushed my finger right through the side of the container while trying to free it. Drove to the nearest Wal-Mart and purchased a new container to replace it. Same size, better quality, not a throwdown film cannister. Quote Link to comment
+moop Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 This happened to me a couple of years ago. As you can tell from the subsequent Owner Maintenance, the same thing almost happened to him! Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I have apolgized profusely for dropping the cache into the Passaic River in Paterson! (Okay. It's become a running joke...) A very nice cacher broke one of my magnetic keyholders recently. He ran into the local supermarket, and bought a new one! Other than that, I'm innocent until proven guilty. Quote Link to comment
+W7WT Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 We found a nano on a gate for a high chain link fence. Putting it back we dropped it and it fell, where we do not know. We looked for 45 minutes and I sent an e-mail to the owner offering to buy a new one. They refused saying that was one of the hazards of hiding a nano. The gate was locked and we couldn't get on the other side. Felt real bad about dropping it. Dick and Arlene Quote Link to comment
+TEAM HARTSOCK Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Haven't broke a cache yet, but I pulled one out from a tree stump and bumped the side of the stump. When I did the thing just crumbled before my eyes. I rebuilt it as well as I could but the next cacher was sure to find a pile of debris covering the cache instead of a nice hollowed out stump. Quote Link to comment
+Thrak Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 Yep. Broke the lid to a container. Replaced it with a better one. Dropped a micro and it fell about 20 feet down a very steep and rough bank. Fortunately, it stopped right beside the water and wasn't lost but it took me a fair amount of time and effort to climb down and retrieve it. Not to mention the work getting back up to the top. I've had to travel home for wire to repair a hide as well. Of course now there's wire, pliers, camo duct tape, spare cache containers, etc. in my truck. Sometimes folks use flimsy cache containers that are just asking to be broken. I'm careful but, just in case, I like to have repair items or replacement containers available if possible. Sometimes I'm just amazed at what people will try to use for cache containers though....... Quote Link to comment
+slukster Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Haven't had to replace a container but I did have to replace a log. I was a FTF on a cache and I must have cut my finger while opening the ammo can because as I was signing the log I notice I had bled all over it. I ripped out any of the contaminated pages and left behind the clean pages and my sig (couldn't let the next guy think he was the FTF) while I went to the local store to buy a new log. On the way back to replace it I ran into the second to find as he was coming back. Quote Link to comment
polskikrol Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 Haven't had to replace a container but I did have to replace a log. I was a FTF on a cache and I must have cut my finger while opening the ammo can because as I was signing the log I notice I had bled all over it. I ripped out any of the contaminated pages and left behind the clean pages and my sig (couldn't let the next guy think he was the FTF) while I went to the local store to buy a new log. On the way back to replace it I ran into the second to find as he was coming back. I broke one of your caches actually slukster! Retrieved it by using a 30 foot stick to know it down the cliff and the top came off. Good thing those ammo can tops are easy to put back on Dont worry - we used rope to replace it Quote Link to comment
+Team LaLonde Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 We were caching in very cold weather and cracked a plastic container. I emailed the owners and told them I'd be back in a day or two with an ammo can. The cache had been placed by elementary school students and I broke the final stage. Quote Link to comment
+qlenfg Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 We had a cache here that was a micro container (which I can't describe further without giving the cache away) that was suspended by a hook from the inside of the cap on a round metal fence post. Within a few finds it was dropped down the fence post and later retrieved. If I recall correctly, after the last drop it was archived. It was a great cache, but the nature of the hide spelled its ultimate demise. Others I have seen used containers not designed for outdoor use or made of materials which degrade over time when exposed to sunlight. Can't fault the finder for damaging the container if it was already broken or crumbling to pieces. Bottom line is, when you put out a cache, think about what may happen if someone drops it while retrieving it or if they can't figure out how to properly open the container. If possible, mention in the description to be careful when grabbing it or include a hint on how to open it. Might even consider a tether or secondary attachment so that it gets placed back where it belongs. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Haven't broke a cache yet, but I pulled one out from a tree stump and bumped the side of the stump. When I did the thing just crumbled before my eyes. I rebuilt it as well as I could but the next cacher was sure to find a pile of debris covering the cache instead of a nice hollowed out stump. That happened to me once too. Quote Link to comment
+Happy Bubbles Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 The cache was hidden inside a hole in a hollow pillar outside a department store. You had to reach inside, grab a string attatched to the cache, and pull it out. When I pulled the string I felt the cache get caught up on something, so I gave it an impatient yank and then pop! the string came off and the cache fell down inside the wall, irretrievably lost. Did I mention that I would have been the FTF? Instead of posting a triumphant FTF log, I had to post a shamefaced DNF confessing to ruining the cache for everyone else. The owner replaced it, and through I made several attempts to find it again there were always muggles or the store was closed, and then I left the country. In the end I finally did get back and actually sign the log - almost three years after that ill-fated FTF! Quote Link to comment
+fullhseluvr1982 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I was out on a caching adventure in South Jersey with one of my caching buddies from NJ (I live in WV now but still lived in Jersey at that time) we were about midway through our caching day and it was the last cache before stopping for a bite to eat. He noticed that the area was tick haven so after finding the cache he told me to sign his name for him while he pulled ticks off his dog. I was juggling my gps the cache container and the log was in its own container I was screwing the lid on the log container when it slipped from my hands and fell into a Groundhog hole. I called my buddy over and told him the situation first we tried retrieving the log from the hole but the hole was too deep (I wonder if groundhogs cache? LOL) Lucky for me my buddy had an extra log in his car so I replaced the log and explained it to the owner in a very detailed email and thorough apology and also apologized in my log. I was very emarrassed. There was an event I was attending the Tuesday after the incident (it was on a sunday) Needless to say I was the talk of the event and got some snickers from my fellow cachers. Quote Link to comment
+va griz Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I found a fake bolt cache on a pedestrian overpass where the glue had broken so it was in two pieces. So as I picked it up the top half fell into the grass 30 feet below. Finding that was the hard part. The logs were a comical series of references to the same problem while trying to not give away the cache itself. But the owner was AWOL and it was eventually archived. Quote Link to comment
+mndvs737 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 On a weekend trip a few months ago with my wife, came up on a hide that we eventually surmised was a magnetic key holder in a storm drain. Well, as I feel for it, I knock it loose and see it tumble down into the pile of leaves in the bottom of the drain (hadn't rained in a while, so everything was fairly dry down there). Did you know how heavy those grate inserts are? Pretty heavy, but not heavy enough to move out of the way so I can lay down in the road and reach down into the drain and grab the cache. After replacing the grate, i sign the log, and make sure BOTH magnets are firmly attached to metal when I replace the cache. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Had a log on one of my caches a few weeks ago that the cacher had lost the top to the magnetic keyholder. Into the storm drain. At least she admitted to it, and send aopolgies. I replaced it last weekend. Quote Link to comment
+Colonial Cats Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 The cache was hidden inside a hole in a hollow pillar outside a department store. You had to reach inside, grab a string attatched to the cache, and pull it out. When I pulled the string I felt the cache get caught up on something, so I gave it an impatient yank and then pop! the string came off and the cache fell down inside the wall, irretrievably lost. Did I mention that I would have been the FTF? Instead of posting a triumphant FTF log, I had to post a shamefaced DNF confessing to ruining the cache for everyone else. The owner replaced it, and through I made several attempts to find it again there were always muggles or the store was closed, and then I left the country. In the end I finally did get back and actually sign the log - almost three years after that ill-fated FTF! Sounds like a wee bit of an over reaction. You did not have to leave the country over a lost cache. I'm sure the cache owner understood and forgave you. Quote Link to comment
Knight-Errant Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 We found a nano, but somehow lost the lid in the grass. After searching for as long as we could, we took the remainder of the cache with us (as there was no way to leave it in anyway protected). We immediately notified the cache owner of the situtation and our plans to replace the container when back in the area (about a week later). The owner then temporarily disabled the cache. After placing the log in the new container and replacing the cache, we gave our search one more try and promptly found the original lid. However, it wasn't for naught as we then promptly lost the nano magnet in the grass again. Oh, well! Interestingly enough, another cacher found and logged the cache before we had time to contact the owner later the same day. Quote Link to comment
SuperAmy19 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 i found one that was screwed into a lid which prevented it from falling down a metal fence post. there was a digital camera inside for cachers to take pictures of themselves when they made the find. i didn't screw the lid on correctly and the container fell to the bottom which was below ground level because the post was burried a few feet in the ground. I was the first one to ever do this so I informed the creator and he said he created some sort of wire hanger/string system to fish it out. He said he would keep his device since he was sure it would probably happen again. Quote Link to comment
+Bergie Bunch Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 (edited) Mama Bergie broke 2 in 2 hours last weekend. First a nano, the magnet fell off and we could not find it, then one suspended on a string, the string broke as she returned it to it's hidey spot. 2 emails I hated to write...lol Edited May 30, 2009 by Bergie Bunch Quote Link to comment
+wilcoxweedpatch Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Never broke any, but did find one made of a glass jar that was broken into little pieces. The contents were in a ziploc bag, but the glass is an accident waiting to happen. Quote Link to comment
+Maltycast Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Unfortunately...but that just furthers the many uses of jb weld... Quote Link to comment
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