First cache..... disappointed... was it me?

[burstwatermain]

Arriving at the location of my first cache "GCGQBJ"- "Sitting down on the job",

I found no cache.

This is possibly a common occurrence.

Had I been searching any longer, I would have been arrested

for looking up Dame Roma's dress.

I figured the cache(scroll only) had been lost or taken.

This is a cache thats been active for several years,

so maybe it is just past its time.

Does this happen often.

In my expectation, I figured that the scroll was under the brass plaque on the front of the statue.

So my question is... Was it me just not looking in the right place, or do the caches often go missing?

Being my first cache.... i'd like to solve it.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo110/d...3567/GCGQBJ.jpg

[+WatchDog2020]

It could be missing but I'm betting it's still there. Finding the cache area is the easy part, locating the actual cache is sometimes the hard part.

 

Edit:

After reading the cache I'd say it's behind one of the pages on the base.(Just make it look like you are checking your shoe laces. Check behind the pages. ) and it's in a very small crack where you my need tweezers etc. to remove it (You may be nimble fingered or you might need a tool) I can't read the writing on the pages, but look for something that has to do with the additional hint.

 

Edit x 2 (after reading logs)

- Definitely low to the ground.

- Defiantly in a small crack or hole

- Will need a small stick etc. to get it out

 

Always read the cache description very closely. Most Cache Owners place clues in it. Looks at the pictures, many times they show the container and read the logs twice. Many ‘spoilers’ to help you.

 

Edit x 3 (way too much time on my hands)

Once I figured out the statue was Roma Mitchell (sorry I'm a dadgum American that totally missed that in your post - lol) I found a better picture. I'm going with behind the paper on the left side of the very bottom base - It WILL say something about Human Rights - need a stick to get it (Final answer) 10,466 miles is a little far for me to go look myself

Edited February 22, 2009 by WatchDog2020

[+jeffbouldin]

After looking at the cache page I'd say you picked one that would give someone with experience problems. Try looking for some that are listed as regular first. Here is one I found not too far from the last (at least that is how it looked on the map.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...37-dacd3cc62723

 

After I had been caching for a couple of months I looked for one that the hint told exactly where it was and I couldn't find it. A year later I went back and found it in 30 seconds. Don't let it discourage you. Try others and come back later.

[+outlaw169]

Don't be too discouraged. It honestly takes awhile to train your eye, and develop your instinct. My first time out, I went to 4 different caches before I actually found one. Since then, I've gone back and found the ones I missed before, and I was surprised that I'd missed them.

 

Have faith, my friend!

[+briansnat]

Try starting out with regular sized caches. Micros are often difficult even for veteran geocachers.

 

As far as caches going missing, depending on the area, it might happen often. Urban caches go missing at a relatively high rate. Caches in the backcountry are less likely to go missing and often sit there for many years.

 

Anybody who is caching for any amount of time has his share of DNFs. Sometimes the cache is gone and sometimes you just miss something that others see.

[+SurvivorRye]

Our first ever search yesterday yielded nothing too, so don't worry! The one we were looking for was found just 7 days ago too!

 

Did you have fun looking anyway?

[+Coyote's Girl]

Don't be discouraged! I finally found a micro yesterday that was really close to my home. I could stand in the lot outside my apartment and see the the building it was by. It was over there messing with my head. I'd been out there a few times and was ready to give up on it. So I'm out there again; looking, pacing, waiting to get a better EPE than 30 feet when I look up and sigh in frustration. Lo and behold, it's right in front of my face. Right there. Don't give up, this is soooo fun. It's like having a thousand little secrets inside.

[+WatchDog2020]

Just like the others said, Don't be discouraged! I had a DNF on a flippin film canister last night. Was racing to be FTF but didn't even get second.

 

DNF

Edited February 23, 2009 by WatchDog2020

[+Renegade Knight]

After looking at the cache page I'd say you picked one that would give someone with experience problems. Try looking for some that are listed as regular first. Here is one I found not too far from the last (at least that is how it looked on the map....

 

Agreed:

 

Even now 1000 caches later I don't find about 10% of what I'm looking for. It seems to get worse over time. The key is that a Did Not Find (DNF) is just part of the activity. If you can't find it, the moment looking stops being fun, move on to another cache. There are plenty out there.

[+flask]

many people make the mistake of thinking that just because they have the coordinates, the cache will be easy to find.

 

i judge the success of my caching day not by my total of finds, but by how much of my day i spent in pleasant cache-related activity.

 

sometimes i find lots of caches, and sometimes my attention kinda trails off and i go look at pretty rocks. if you see it as a total package dealie, you're less likely to be disappointed, even if you hunt all day and find nothing.

[+davidarussell]

I've just started geocaching as well and have logged a few DNFs, but have managed to return to all but a few of them and find them on the second go-around.

 

Renegade Knight mentioned that it's good to stop looking as soon as it is no more fun. Probably good advice. But I've had a few challenging ones that I remained persistent with, even after about a half-hour of getting nearly upset that I couldn't find the cache. In those cases, finding the cache is then much sweeter and, sometimes, even more memorable.

 

One note that will help you for sure, when starting out, watch the difficulty and terrain ratings and go for larger-sized caches. Then work your way to smaller and more difficult ones. I found a 3-difficulty and 4-terrain over the weekend and was SO proud. But I never could have done that within my first few finds.

[+redvark]

Sounds like a tricky one, follow the hints from everyone else and see if it's there, everyone misses a few, if you can't find this one pick a few easy 1/1 or 1.5/1.5's and build up some confidence, it's all about putting yourself in the mind of the person who hid the cache, after you've found a few you start to spot things and look at things differently - that's the secret

[+CoverOfDarkness]

When I first was exposed to Geocaching with my dad a few years ago, I couldn't find a single one. My dad, my uncle, my brother, and even my much younger cousins could find them, but I had a heck of a time even when put in charge of the GPS unit! So don't worry too terribly much and focus, as flask said, on the whole experience. In my case it was time with family and out on a rare fair-weather day in Phoenix, AZ.

[burstwatermain]

Well thank-you everybody for your support and encouragement.

I'm not a quitter and am prepared to go to reasonable lengths to attain success.

In saying that, I have been back to "sitting down on the job" with 8" tweezers and 20 minutes of applied search time.... to no avail.

At first I reasoned that the scroll would have been behind one of the brass floating pages. Not so.

Being capable of lateral and logical thinking, I have looked in a 50 foot circumference .....Once again a fat zero.

Up trees, down water tap cavities, in lights, under seats etc. looking out for spiders along the way.

Resigned to the fact that I need to consult an oracle (you guys), Here I am back again.

I have also tried two other sites "from Russia with love" & "Cranbourne Terrace" and am equally unsuccessful.

I have to admit, I only spent 10 minutes at each and am anticipating some sort of epiphany, and I will have a better idea of the approach.

Many thanks.

[+aronnie]

Arriving at the location of my first cache "GCGQBJ"- "Sitting down on the job",

I found no cache.

This is possibly a common occurrence.

Had I been searching any longer, I would have been arrested

for looking up Dame Roma's dress.

I figured the cache(scroll only) had been lost or taken.

This is a cache thats been active for several years,

so maybe it is just past its time.

Does this happen often.

In my expectation, I figured that the scroll was under the brass plaque on the front of the statue.

So my question is... Was it me just not looking in the right place, or do the caches often go missing?

Being my first cache.... i'd like to solve it.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo110/d...3567/GCGQBJ.jpg

 

Do a Google on GCGQBJ

[+Ranster]

I'm in California so I'm just going by the picture above. I would also look under the edge of each piece of paper. Look for (or feel for) a tiny magnetic cache. The cache could be a small as half the size of a thimble. Good luck!

Edited February 25, 2009 by Ranster

[+ITCHYthirdEYE]

I've just started aswell found my first cache after going there 3 times and emailing to owner.sure enough it was stareing me in the face, I just didnt know what to look for and I've just been out today and found 6 so don't despair it will come to you.

[+ncfinn]

Have you tried asking the owner for a hint?

 

Did you log a DNF?

 

It certainly is possible the cache has gone missing. Keep your eyes on it and wait and see if somebody else finds it.

 

Don't give up.

Edited February 25, 2009 by ncfinn