+TeamThompson Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 Hi, This afternoon on the way home I stopped by a couple of spots to log them in. The first was an easy find, the description brought me right to it. It's HT1623 and it looks like I'm not the first to log it The second is where the conundrum comes in... HT1621 is about a mile away and it's behind a locked gate with a "No Trespassing" sign on it. The land is owned by California Water Service, but the marker is visible from gate! It's a normal benchmark disc just like HT1623, the description is dead on, but I can't get right to it and confirm that the markings are correct. The problem is that the most recent recovery note is from 1994 by US Power Squadron who reported it "Not Found". It's right there for crying out loud! I'm sorely tempted to report is as recovered in good condition with a note that the mark is behind a locked gate but appears to be fine. What's the consensus? As I see it I've got three choices: 1. Contact California Water Service to get permission to enter the site and log the mark (not too confident on that one) 2. Log it here as found, but not report it to NSG 3. Report it to NSG. What do you all think? Thanks, Bruce. Quote Link to comment
+xargs Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Thompson Family:I can't get right to it and confirm that the markings are correct. I'm sorely tempted to report is as recovered in good condition with a note that the mark is behind a locked gate but appears to be fine. The benchmarking main page says, "If the marker is a survey disk, you must read the disk. The designation (its name) stamped on it must match the Designation in the description. Reading the disk is necessary because another disk could have been set within a few feet of the one you're looking for." Quote Link to comment
+TeamThompson Posted August 4, 2003 Author Share Posted August 4, 2003 Fair enough. From what I've seen in the area I strongly doubt that there is another disc precisely where described for this one, but reading the disc is reading the disc. I had logged this one here as a find, I'll change that to a note and if I get ambitious in the future I'll see if I can get premission to photograph it. Thanks for the feedback! Quote Link to comment
sixthings Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 i would use "post a note" to describe to the geocaching crowd the circumstances of this mark. it's a tough one about reporting it, though. as you've discovered, the Power Squadron may have done much of their surveying without getting out of their boats. however, the possibility remains that the mark you see through the fence is not the mark you seek, and indeed was reported correctly as "not found". how far inside the fence is it? will a long camera lens or binoculars allow you to confirm the stamping? i considered making a periscope about 12 feet long to confirm the designation on a mark that is just out of reach behind barbed wire. i still might. whatever you do, you can't log a found until you read the disc. Quote Link to comment
+TeamThompson Posted August 4, 2003 Author Share Posted August 4, 2003 I'm gonna have to find a way into the fence (possibly in the dead of night...) to confirm this one. It's really bugging me now! The mark is about 20 feet inside the fence (I've got a couple of pictures here if you're curious) and flush with the ground. Not really possible to get readable marks without a really long pole... Quote Link to comment
+Black Dog Trackers Posted August 4, 2003 Share Posted August 4, 2003 Just forget this one! There are 700,000 other ones to do. Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Thompson Family:I'm gonna have to find a way into the fence (possibly in the dead of night...) to confirm this one. It's really bugging me now! Keep in mind that given the state of the world right now that the water department may be keeping a careful eye on that site. Now a camera with a self-timer on a pole.... Quote Link to comment
ArtMan Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 You might have a look at HV4861, a similar situation - benchmark behind a reservoir fence. At the time I logged it as 'not found,' though today I would probably post a note. I second the recommendation to stay on the public side of the fence. And I wouldn't do that pole thing - if you're under surveillance it might not get you arrested, but it certainly could put you under suspicion. Especially in this post-9/11 world, we have to accept that this is a hobby and there are a lot of places that will be off limits for us. I know there are many marks just a few miles from my house that I'll never see because they are at a busy commercial airport or a military base or other secure government building. Having said that, you might get lucky with a friendly public affairs officer at the California Water Service. Maybe someone who is looking for an excuse to get out of the office for a few hours? One other thing - please don't report this to NGS unless you've actually seen the mark up close and personal. Regards, ArtMan Quote Link to comment
sixthings Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 i've used my tripod to reach a place i couldn't see, but i was in the middle of nowhere, not near a bridge, dam or resevoir. and my harebrained periscope idea would look even worse than that. DONT go look for it in the dead of night. Follow the advice of Artman and BDT; make a connection that can get you legal access, or just move on. check out JU3851. seventhings had to work the phones to get permission to hunt for this mark, and had a security officer at his side the whole time he was on the property. Quote Link to comment
+emike Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 What about a mirrow on a pole? Different angle and a telephoto lens, say standing on car or ladder. I mean, aside from the suspicious nature of either suggestion? quote:Now a camera with a self-timer on a pole.... EMike "It's what you learn after you know it all, that counts." Quote Link to comment
+TeamThompson Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 That'd be a pretty long pole! It's about 20-30 feet inside the fence to the marker. BTW, I wasn't really serious about climbing the fence in the dead of night. For now I'll just leave it be. It's not like there's a shortage of hunts in my area, approx. 2000 in the three counties I frequent... Cheers, Bruce. Quote Link to comment
+seventhings Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 I concur with just about everybody, above, and recommend that you not log a find until you can read the words and characters stamped on the disk. I recently hunter HV8691 and found a disk at the exact coords and references. It was not HV8691, however, but (apparently) a new disk with a different stamping and not in the Geocaching database. I have had very good luck in gaining access to marks that are generally not accessible (see JU3851 and nearest) by making a few phone calls and explaining (usually, several times) what it is I'm up to. Most custodians are responsive. I would give the phone call route a shot. Otherwise (that is, if too much trouble), post a note. Finally, use caution when getting advice from SIXTHINGS. He hunts benchmarks like he's Indiana Jones, gets chased by bears occiasionally, and voluntarily spends most of his time near 90-South. [This message was edited by seventhings on August 05, 2003 at 03:57 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+amazar Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 Too far away for binoculars to enable you to read the disk? You wouldn't get a picture this way, but you might be able to read it - unless the angle is too low. Quote Link to comment
Z15 Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 I would check back during normal working hours, you might find the gate open one day? Quote Link to comment
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