Kid-friendly cache that isn't

[Pajaholic]

This is a "what would you do" type post as I'm in several minds about the cache concerned.

 

There's a cache not too far from me that I've been meaning to do for some time. It was muggled before I could get to it, but the CO has re-hidden it some distance from the original. The cache is claimed to be "recommended for kids" and this is implied by the cache description as well as by attribute. While I suspect it was safe for kids at the original hiding place, IMO it isn't now.

 

I found it yesterday. At first I noticed an issue with the coords. This was my first outing with a brand-new Dakota 20 and the GPSr had put me within six to ten feet of each of a series of caches prior to having a go at this one, but for this cache it put me in a clump of trees on the other side of a fairly busy road and about 80ft from where the cache actually is. I looked at the hint but couldn't see the mentioned feature anywhere that made sense. I checked the logs and found that a couple of cachers had given up with their GPSrs and just used the hint - so I did the same. The cache turned out to be in a hedgerow at the side of the road. There's no verge - so cachers have to stand half on the road (possibly obscured from view by the hedgerow vegetation) to retrieve the cache and a few cars passed me a little too close for comfort while I was doing that. Since the cache was placed a fresh and vigorous growth of nettles has appeared - which doesn't help to make this an easy retrieve or replace.

 

My main concern is for the safety of the kids as cachers probably will take their kids looking for this one. The posted coords are for a location that would be perfectly safe - so a quick check on Google Maps won't show the danger. The coords being way off is another matter. FWIW I had taken an averaged waypoint for which the Dakota indicated 95%-ish confidence, but from inexperience I deleted it before I'd written it down somewhere safe - and so I can't post corrected coords in my log.

 

I've posted a simple "TFTC" for this cache and I'm considering either emailing the CO, editing my log to warn others, or just letting it be. So what would you do?

 

TIA,

 

Geoff

[+simpjkee]

I would post a "found it" and this is what I think your log should say:

 

This cache is not too far from me and I've been meaning to do it for some time. It was muggled before I could get to it, but thankfully the CO has re-hidden it some distance from the original. The cache is claimed to be "recommended for kids" and this is implied by the cache description as well as by the attribute. While I suspect it was safe for kids at the original hiding place, IMO it isn't now.

 

As I began the hunt, I noticed an issue with the coords. This was my first outing with a brand-new Dakota 20 and the GPSr had put me within six to ten feet of each of a series of caches prior to having a go at this one, but for this cache it put me in a clump of trees on the other side of a fairly busy road and about 80ft from where the cache actually is. I looked at the hint but couldn't see the mentioned feature anywhere that made sense. I checked the logs and found that a couple of cachers had given up with their GPSrs and just used the hint - so I did the same. The cache turned out to be in a hedgerow at the side of the road. There's no verge - so I had to stand half on the road (possibly obscured from view by the hedgerow vegetation) to retrieve the cache and a few cars passed me a little too close for comfort while I was doing that. Since the cache was placed, a fresh and vigorous growth of nettles has appeared - which doesn't help to make this an easy retrieve or replace.

 

After visiting this cache, I'm concerned for the safety of the kids as cachers probably will take their kids looking for this one (based on the description and attribute). The posted coords are for a location that would be perfectly safe - so a quick check on Google Maps won't show the danger. The coords being way off is another matter. FWIW I had taken an averaged waypoint for which the Dakota indicated 95%-ish confidence, but from inexperience I deleted it before I'd written it down somewhere safe - and so I can't post corrected coords in my log.

 

SL. TFTC.

[+Matt_B_Good]

I would post a "found it" and this is what I think your log should say:

 

This cache is not too far from me and I've been meaning to do it for some time. It was muggled before I could get to it, but thankfully the CO has re-hidden it some distance from the original. The cache is claimed to be "recommended for kids" and this is implied by the cache description as well as by the attribute. While I suspect it was safe for kids at the original hiding place, IMO it isn't now.

 

As I began the hunt, I noticed an issue with the coords. This was my first outing with a brand-new Dakota 20 and the GPSr had put me within six to ten feet of each of a series of caches prior to having a go at this one, but for this cache it put me in a clump of trees on the other side of a fairly busy road and about 80ft from where the cache actually is. I looked at the hint but couldn't see the mentioned feature anywhere that made sense. I checked the logs and found that a couple of cachers had given up with their GPSrs and just used the hint - so I did the same. The cache turned out to be in a hedgerow at the side of the road. There's no verge - so I had to stand half on the road (possibly obscured from view by the hedgerow vegetation) to retrieve the cache and a few cars passed me a little too close for comfort while I was doing that. Since the cache was placed, a fresh and vigorous growth of nettles has appeared - which doesn't help to make this an easy retrieve or replace.

 

After visiting this cache, I'm concerned for the safety of the kids as cachers probably will take their kids looking for this one (based on the description and attribute). The posted coords are for a location that would be perfectly safe - so a quick check on Google Maps won't show the danger. The coords being way off is another matter. FWIW I had taken an averaged waypoint for which the Dakota indicated 95%-ish confidence, but from inexperience I deleted it before I'd written it down somewhere safe - and so I can't post corrected coords in my log.

 

SL. TFTC.

tactfully message the cache owner. no big deal. What are you worried about. the worst thing that could happen is the cache owner gets upset at you and thinks you are sticking your nose where it doesn't belong is so who cares..

[+briansnat]

I certainly would have mentioned it in my log. Other searchers deserve to know that and it would have also notified the cache owner that he should turn off that attribute. Now if you edit your log you may warn any others who happen to see your log but the cache owner won't see it unless he checks the cache page, so you might want to follow it with a nicely worded e-mail to the cache owner..

Edited May 23, 2010 by briansnat

[+scorpio_dark]

Definately should be a log. If they get snippy, that's their issue.

[Pajaholic]

Many thanks to all. I've amended my log to say that it's close to the road etc. and also emailed the CO to ask them to reconsider the "recommended for kids" attribute and the wording on the cache page that implies it's safe for kids. FWIW, the CO did mention the road when they re-enabled the cache, but that log has now disappeared from the cache page unless you choose to view all logs.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Definately should be a log. If they get snippy, that's their issue.

 

Another +1 on posting concerns in a log. Awhile back I was FTF on a cache that was rated about 1.5 for terrain which was pretty accurate for the fairly short and flat trail to the cache location. However, the CO neglected to mention that there were two spots on the trail along the rim of a gorge where there was some significant erosion and a nearly vertical drop about 150' to a creek. I added a note in my log indicating that parents should keep children and pets on a short leash while taking the trail to the cache and got a couple of "thanks" from other cachers with young children that were planning on looking for the cache.