small island caches?

[+The Good Looking Ugly Guy]

So I go lake fishing all over washington state, and I come across alot of small islands. ( By small I mean no access other then boat or swim) I would like to make a series of caches on these islands. I understand that they would be rated a 5. anyone have any ideas of why this may not be kosher?

 

Thanks in advance

 

The Good Looking Ugly Guy

[+kunarion]

I would like to make a series of caches on these islands.

There are lots of little islands with caches on them. If you can maintain such a cache, and obtain the proper permission, it's fine. An island cache probably won’t get a lot of traffic, so you may be the one visiting it the most. Try to find islands not subject to flooding.

[+WRASTRO]

I have enjoyed all of the island caches I have found in Washington. Go for it.

[+The Good Looking Ugly Guy]

The whole point of doing these caches would be to get people out into the lakes that I love so much. Theres nothing better then a day of trolling for trout. unless your a salmon fisherman. and I do realize that these caches won't be visited often. I tend to like to go out where the masses are scarce I have plans on putting a cache where I hunt which will probably only get 1 person a year. since its a 2 hr hike in cougar/bear rich wilderness.

[+GeoRVers]

The whole point of doing these caches would be to get people out into the lakes that I love so much. Theres nothing better then a day of trolling for trout. unless your a salmon fisherman. and I do realize that these caches won't be visited often. I tend to like to go out where the masses are scarce I have plans on putting a cache where I hunt which will probably only get 1 person a year. since its a 2 hr hike in cougar/bear rich wilderness.

 

Might just get someone else hunting in your favorite spot

[Knight-Errant]

So I go lake fishing all over washington state, and I come across alot of small islands. ( By small I mean no access other then boat or swim) I would like to make a series of caches on these islands. I understand that they would be rated a 5. anyone have any ideas of why this may not be kosher?

 

Thanks in advance

 

The Good Looking Ugly Guy

While you are correct that a cache requiring special equipment (boat) should be rated a 5.0 terrain, a short short swim would not necessiarily be a 5.0, just because a swim is required.

[+succotash]

We have a couple of island caches and the one suggestion we'd make is that if your goal is to get people out on the lake, do the best you can to make sure the cache can be found once they get there. At least, that's what we prefer. We've tried to figure out how to hide the caches from muggles that might visit the islands but still make sure the cachers can find them (one is an ammo can and the other is a lock-n-lock and both are connected to trees with wire).

 

Your reviewer might have thoughts on the rating. We submitted one as a 4.5 because we thought it might be close enough to the shore for a decent swimmer, but the reviewer suggested than unless our local cachers were Johnny Weismuller we should rate it a 5. We're glad we rated it a 5 because even if someone was physically able to swim to it it's not safe because of the boat traffic.

[+briansnat]

Great idea. I have a bunch of small island caches. One island is little more than a large rock and the largest is perhaps 70 yards long and 50 yards wide. Most can be crossed in a matter of seconds rather than minutes.

 

A big consideration is camouflage. If it is a fairly popular lake, these islands get a lot more traffic than you realize. They make convenient rest stops for fishermen and boaters who need a rest room break, to stretch their legs or feel a need to explore. Even the smallest islands will have fishermen who tie up to them.

 

Depending on their size and location the islands may also attract campers (legal or illegal), partiers, or picnickers, all who might be scrounging for firewood.

 

But with that in mind, go for it. They might be more popular than you expect. Nearly every paddling and boating geocacher in the region will hit them up, especially if you put a bunch out on the same lake.