Making clues underwater

[+BigFurryMonster]

I'm looking to place some information (a number, perhaps) underwater for a challenging cache.

There is a small wooden dam to attach it to.

 

What material would be best? Cachers would need some sort of looking glass to see it.

[Clan Riffster]

One of my caches started life as a two stage multi. The first stage was underwater in a spring.

I bought a cheap plastic cutting board and used a Dremmel to grind the final coords into it. Then I affixed this to a small mushroom anchor.

There were sustainability issues, so I eventually changed it to a traditional.

[+bittsen]

I'm looking to place some information (a number, perhaps) underwater for a challenging cache.

There is a small wooden dam to attach it to.

 

What material would be best? Cachers would need some sort of looking glass to see it.

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. Or as the other poster said, use a piece of plastic and etch the information in it.

 

Keep in mind that magnifying glasses don't work under water.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Dive Slate? about $6-8 for a white dive slate, and it's already got some kind of lanyard. You could use a permanent marker on it.

[+niraD]

I've found an underwater stage that was constructed by printing the coordinates in a large font, and then encasing the printout in plastic resin. It worked pretty well AFAICS.

[+Renegade Knight]

I'm looking to place some information (a number, perhaps) underwater for a challenging cache.

There is a small wooden dam to attach it to.

 

What material would be best? Cachers would need some sort of looking glass to see it.

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. ...

 

It's paper with a coating. It's not suitable for long term submerision unless they changed how they made it since caching started.

 

However National Geographic Adventure Paper does advertise itself by keeping a submerged topo map printed on it in a bottle in the stores. This would work if the paper wasn't subject to current that would tear it up over time.

[+bittsen]

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. ...

 

It's paper with a coating. It's not suitable for long term submerision unless they changed how they made it since caching started.

 

However National Geographic Adventure Paper does advertise itself by keeping a submerged topo map printed on it in a bottle in the stores. This would work if the paper wasn't subject to current that would tear it up over time.

 

The sample the paper company was showing was encased in water. They claimed it would last, virtually, forever.

 

I've only been in the printing industry for about 30 years so don't ask me about paper.

[+briansnat]

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. ...

 

It's paper with a coating. It's not suitable for long term submerision unless they changed how they made it since caching started.

 

However National Geographic Adventure Paper does advertise itself by keeping a submerged topo map printed on it in a bottle in the stores. This would work if the paper wasn't subject to current that would tear it up over time.

 

The sample the paper company was showing was encased in water. They claimed it would last, virtually, forever.

 

I've only been in the printing industry for about 30 years so don't ask me about paper.

 

I've seen Write in the Rain used in caches disintegrate after extended exposure to water. Maybe they've improved it recently, but the mfr's. claims just don't hold water from what I've experienced.

 

Write in the Rain is real paper impregnated with some sort of resin National Geographic Adventure Paper is actually plastic, not paper. NGAP is waterproof, but can get brittle with age so I wouldn't rely on either RITR or NGAP for extended underwater use.

 

Perhaps the OP can just paint the coords on on the side of an old bleach bottle using a plastic paint, then anchor it near the bottom.

[+BigFurryMonster]

Perhaps the OP can just paint the coords on on the side of an old bleach bottle using a plastic paint, then anchor it near the bottom.

 

That does sound like a more sustainable solution. I was thinking to use some piece of metal with the info stamped in it.

[+Renegade Knight]

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. ...

 

It's paper with a coating. It's not suitable for long term submerision unless they changed how they made it since caching started.

 

However National Geographic Adventure Paper does advertise itself by keeping a submerged topo map printed on it in a bottle in the stores. This would work if the paper wasn't subject to current that would tear it up over time.

 

The sample the paper company was showing was encased in water. They claimed it would last, virtually, forever.

 

I've only been in the printing industry for about 30 years so don't ask me about paper.

 

I'm going on photo's posted to the forums comparing Rite in the Rain vs. regular paper for caches inundated for long periods of time. Rite in the Rain lost. Thus it's not good for long term immersion. Even if it did better than regular paper the mess isn't suitable. I trust Rite in the rain for exactly what it says because I'm going back to a dry office after being in the rain.

 

Now my SWAG on the issue is this. It's made out of coated paper. It can resist water and immersion. But Once water gets inside the coating it turns to mush like paper tends to do. Plus once the water is inside, the coating keeps it inside. Regular paper would dry out faster.

 

http://www.riteintherain.com/ Seems to indicate that they still coat the paper rather than make it out of plastic.

 

I have no doubt your 30 years has taught you far more about paper than I will ever know. In this instance though I'm going to trust the cache evidence, and company "how we make it video" over the sample.

[+bittsen]

 

The sample the paper company was showing was encased in water. They claimed it would last, virtually, forever.

 

I've only been in the printing industry for about 30 years so don't ask me about paper.

 

I'm going on photo's posted to the forums comparing Rite in the Rain vs. regular paper for caches inundated for long periods of time. Rite in the Rain lost. Thus it's not good for long term immersion. Even if it did better than regular paper the mess isn't suitable. I trust Rite in the rain for exactly what it says because I'm going back to a dry office after being in the rain.

 

Now my SWAG on the issue is this. It's made out of coated paper. It can resist water and immersion. But Once water gets inside the coating it turns to mush like paper tends to do. Plus once the water is inside, the coating keeps it inside. Regular paper would dry out faster.

 

http://www.riteintherain.com/ Seems to indicate that they still coat the paper rather than make it out of plastic.

 

I have no doubt your 30 years has taught you far more about paper than I will ever know. In this instance though I'm going to trust the cache evidence, and company "how we make it video" over the sample.

 

I find that interesting. I say "interesting" because the forest department specified rite in rain for a project I did about 5 years ago. They said the "paper" had to last in the field for a minimum of 2 years. That is the only time I have had to print on rite in rain.

 

I suppose, if nothing else, the OP could use tyvek. I will argue to my last breath as to whether tyvek is plastic or paper. I know for solid fact that tyvek is submersible for lots of years. It's not write friendly though so a sharpie (or other solvent based pen) would be needed.

[+keehotee]

 

There is a material called "Write in rain". It's listed as a paper but its really a plastic. ...

 

It's paper with a coating. It's not suitable for long term submerision unless they changed how they made it since caching started.

 

However National Geographic Adventure Paper does advertise itself by keeping a submerged topo map printed on it in a bottle in the stores. This would work if the paper wasn't subject to current that would tear it up over time.

 

The sample the paper company was showing was encased in water. They claimed it would last, virtually, forever.

 

I've only been in the printing industry for about 30 years so don't ask me about paper.

 

I'm going on photo's posted to the forums comparing Rite in the Rain vs. regular paper for caches inundated for long periods of time. Rite in the Rain lost. Thus it's not good for long term immersion. Even if it did better than regular paper the mess isn't suitable. I trust Rite in the rain for exactly what it says because I'm going back to a dry office after being in the rain.

 

Now my SWAG on the issue is this. It's made out of coated paper. It can resist water and immersion. But Once water gets inside the coating it turns to mush like paper tends to do. Plus once the water is inside, the coating keeps it inside. Regular paper would dry out faster.

 

http://www.riteintherain.com/ Seems to indicate that they still coat the paper rather than make it out of plastic.

 

I have no doubt your 30 years has taught you far more about paper than I will ever know. In this instance though I'm going to trust the cache evidence, and company "how we make it video" over the sample.

 

It doesn't matter what the paper's made of - or how long it'll last.

 

The ink's the bit that people need to be able to read!!!!

[+swizzle]

I would think a bleach bottle would more resemble geotrash. Personally I think for a clue you could anchor 2 bobbers to the bottom or dangle a string of beads off of a bobber and anchor that. Have the people count the beads for the next stage. If it looks to much like a lure though a kid will eventually try to swim out and retrieve it. Maybe a certain colored bobber could be used to determine what the next number is. Chances are you'll need to replace it every year if it freezes in your neck of the world. Make sure its easily retrieved and set with a long pole. Look for something natural that might help. A small group of boulders or 1 big boulder. The number of piers on a bridge could be another way to give away a secret digit. The main thing is to set out the final first and then look for natural items that can be used to determine a number or look for something that's definately low key. It might not be a common fact but last I knew muggles can swim. I've seen them do it. Swizzle

[+Juicepig]

I use limestone slabs, and burn numbers into them using HCl or Vinegar

[CacheNCarryMA]

Buy a custom made plastic dog tag, online or from a pet store.

[+team moxiepup]

Perhaps the OP can just paint the coords on on the side of an old bleach bottle using a plastic paint, then anchor it near the bottom.

 

That does sound like a more sustainable solution. I was thinking to use some piece of metal with the info stamped in it.

 

You could buy a thin sheet of brass and use a jeweler's saw & drill to cut the numbers out.

 

Buy a custom made plastic dog tag, online or from a pet store.

 

That is a great idea!

[+NotThePainter]

I've used copper garden tags to give coords for multis. You can write on them with a ball point pen which dents the copper. They do get hard to read over time, but a line shined obliquely on them still reveals the writing.

 

I would suspect that they might get banged up if the water is moving a lot.

[+BigFurryMonster]

Buy a custom made plastic dog tag, online or from a pet store.

 

That's probably the best solution posted here. It should also be quite cheap.

Do you happen to know where I can buy those?

 

I also need to fasten it to a wooden pole or something. Would a plastic cable tie last underwater?

[+EScout]

That does sound like a more sustainable solution. I was thinking to use some piece of metal with the info stamped in it.

Get a big brass washer about 1.5" (4cm) in diameter and stamp it with your metal stamping set. You have a stamping set so your neighbor knows where he borrowed your tools. This one is a first stage of one of my caches that has been there for over 6 years. It should last a couple hundred years on this tree or in fresh water.

Edited June 25, 2009 by EScout