Lost someone's cache

[+d+n.s]

There is a local cache that has been driving my wife and I nutty.

Today we found it. It was hanging in a long metal pipe with a short paper clip.

When we went to replace it, I accidently dropped it into said pipe.

 

Now I don't know what to do really. I logged a NM and a find

 

it reads like this:

Found

The good news: We finally found it! I'm not sure why we missed it so many times.

The bad news: Without giving too much away, I'll just say that I lost the cache container.

 

I will gladly head back to GZ to replace the cache (I happen to have a similar one on hand and ready to go)

An e-mail has been sent to the CO.

We feel so bad.

 

NM

I lost the cache and I'm not sure what the best way to retrieve it would be.

I'm really, really sorry because I know this was just replaced.

I will gladly replace the cache as soon as possible with a comperable cache if the CO wishes.

The CO has been notified. The NM log is more for the benefit of people who may be considering going after this cache.

 

does this all seem right? I also sent a more detailed e-mail to the CO.

 

I originally was going to just replace the cache before even hearing from the CO, but my wife talked me out of it because they may have a plan or method for retrieving the cache.

 

I'm so bummed.

[jholly]

stuff happens, have a nice drink and don't worry about it.

[+Chrysalides]

I'd replace it, and then inform the cache owner. They can choose to retrieve the original, and remove your replacement, or just use the replacement. What you did is fine as well.

 

Accidents happen. I've also had a similar experience.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+SwineFlew]

stuff happens, have a nice drink and don't worry about it.

 

Yep! and blame the CO for placing it there.

[ashnikes]

if the cache container is metal, you can take a magnet on a pole or string of some sort and drop it down the steele bar, to retrieve it that way with some patience.

[+J the Goat]

I would have done exactly what you did. I've actually done something similar. I broke a cache. Mailed the CO, met her there and gave her what I had.

 

Don't stress on it, you're being responsible about it. No biggie. Might be a good way to make a new caching friend.

[+Sky King 36]

I haven't lost a cache, but I have recovered two caches that were in this same condition when I got to them.

 

In both cases the caches were lost down a fencepost pipe. In one case it was a magnetic nano, stuck to a washer that was epoxied onto the inside of a fence post cap. The epoxy gave way as it always does, so the washer with the nano on it were down the pipe.

 

It was about a 3.5 foot (1m) fence, but the pipe still extends easily 2+ feet into the cement footing so I used a large wrench socket with about 6 or 7 feet of cord tied to it. It took a lot of tries because the magnet wanted to also stick to the pipe wall, which would make it break free of my socket "lure" and fall back down. Took 6-8 tries over 15-20 minutes.

 

The other was harder... a plastic film canister fell down a 6+ foot tall fence pipe. I used a 10 foot length of 8-guage copper electrical wire, with a little loop I bent into the end with pliers. I placed a golf-ball sized wad of duct tape inside out (sticky side out) on the end of it and fed it down the tube. I used ALL of its length, I only had about 8 inches sticking out when I hit bottom. I pressed the duct tape ball firmly down onto the cache and on the 3rd try, each with renewed tape, I retrieved it, fixed it, and logged it. This one was also an FTF, all the better!

 

I actually carry about a 5 foot hunk of 8 guage copper wire in my pack all the time and I'd say I have used it to fabricate tools like hooks on maybe 10 caches now.

 

Not sure if either of these apply to your situation. The lessons I learned are, that it can be done, that you have to be perserverant, that you have to move very slowly and smoothly, and that the pipe sticks a lot further down into the ground than you think it does.

[DannyCaffeine]

Perhaps a stick and some chewing gum?

[ashnikes]

I haven't lost a cache, but I have recovered two caches that were in this same condition when I got to them.

 

In both cases the caches were lost down a fencepost pipe. In one case it was a magnetic nano, stuck to a washer that was epoxied onto the inside of a fence post cap. The epoxy gave way as it always does, so the washer with the nano on it were down the pipe.

 

It was about a 3.5 foot (1m) fence, but the pipe still extends easily 2+ feet into the cement footing so I used a large wrench socket with about 6 or 7 feet of cord tied to it. It took a lot of tries because the magnet wanted to also stick to the pipe wall, which would make it break free of my socket "lure" and fall back down. Took 6-8 tries over 15-20 minutes.

 

The other was harder... a plastic film canister fell down a 6+ foot tall fence pipe. I used a 10 foot length of 8-guage copper electrical wire, with a little loop I bent into the end with pliers. I placed a golf-ball sized wad of duct tape inside out (sticky side out) on the end of it and fed it down the tube. I used ALL of its length, I only had about 8 inches sticking out when I hit bottom. I pressed the duct tape ball firmly down onto the cache and on the 3rd try, each with renewed tape, I retrieved it, fixed it, and logged it. This one was also an FTF, all the better!

 

I actually carry about a 5 foot hunk of 8 guage copper wire in my pack all the time and I'd say I have used it to fabricate tools like hooks on maybe 10 caches now.

 

Not sure if either of these apply to your situation. The lessons I learned are, that it can be done, that you have to be perserverant, that you have to move very slowly and smoothly, and that the pipe sticks a lot further down into the ground than you think it does.

 

wow how in the world did you know they were down there? you must be an expert at those coin opperated crane games

[+Sky King 36]

In both cases the caches were lost down a fencepost pipe.

wow how in the world did you know they were down there? you must be an expert at those coin opperated crane games

 

In both cases there was tell-tale evidence in the post cap that the cache was supposed to be there. Throw in a little over 200 lumens of light to see down the pole too. See here and here.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Sky King 36

[hoosier guy]

Offering to replace it and sending a nice note, what more can you do? I had one glued in a fence post cap that dropped into the pipe and the CO was very nice about it. Most cachers are pretty level headed.

Edited June 20, 2010 by hoosier guy

[+mchaos]

Its no big deal. If you own a cache you need to be ready to maintain it. Unless the CO is a jerk, there should be no problem.

 

I have a fence post hide, and it was 2 weeks old and some one lost the cache down the pipe. Part of it was carelessness but the other part was that I could have made the cache container a little more fool proof.

 

It didn't bother me too much, I enjoyed improving the container.

[+pamlicojack]

I once dropped the lid of a nano while trying to extract the log and somehow it fell into the door panel of my truck. Two hours later and after doing some serious work in the parking lot, I had both the cache and the door back together. I was hoping no one would come by looking for the cache while I was there taking my door apart...

 

I learned a valuable lesson about being careful with caches that day...

[knowschad]

if the cache container is metal, you can take a magnet on a pole or string of some sort and drop it down the steele bar, to retrieve it that way with some patience.

Not if the pipe is magnetic, and they generally are. The magnet will just stick to the pipe.

 

You could bring a gallon or two of water and pour that in... might float the cache to the top.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Retrieving a cache from underneath a boardwalk held in place with two rubber bands -- I slipped the container out from under one side, and the rubber band on the other side went ptwang. I slingshotted that sucker ten feet across a delicate Audubon Society wetlands.

 

So. The boardwalk was very, very long, sticking out into a wetland. It had a high railing. It was a significant drop to the ground. If I got down there, could I get back up? Would I have a better chance if I left all my stuff (stick, bag) on the boardwalk? But then, if I couldn't get back up, I'd be separated from my stuff.

 

Yeah, I made it down and back and put the cache back where it should be. But it was one of those times you think, "oh, crap. How did I get to this place?" For one rogue moment, I considered slinking off in disgrace and never telling a soul.

[+d+n.s]

I replaced the cache today. I feel better. I am considering going back and leaving a sort of failsafe, but I figure I should keep my involvment to a minimum.

[sdarken]

I have a funny story about one of my own fence post hides. I have one where I shoved a bunch of small branches down the post so that the cache can't be lost. The fence posts are about 6ft high. The cache can sit on the branches and sticks out the top so that it can be retrieved and replaced after lifting off the fence post cap. It's a large cache. About 3 inches across and about 18 inches long, not a film can. One day, after checking up on the cache and restocking swag I put it back into the fence post only to hear it slide all the way to the bottom of the post :- I'd accidentally put my cache back into the wrong post. Doh. It's not likely that it will ever be retrieved till the fence is removed so I had to replace it.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I put it back into the fence post only to hear it slide all the way to the bottom of the post :- I'd accidentally put my cache back into the wrong post.

LOL

 

You could've just updated the coordinates and cranked up the difficulty.

 

Some people love a challenge.

[+BulldogBlitz]

There is a local cache that has been driving my wife and I nutty.

Today we found it. It was hanging in a long metal pipe with a short paper clip.

When we went to replace it, I accidently dropped it into said pipe.

 

Now I don't know what to do really. I logged a NM and a find

 

it reads like this:

Found

The good news: We finally found it! I'm not sure why we missed it so many times.

The bad news: Without giving too much away, I'll just say that I lost the cache container.

 

I will gladly head back to GZ to replace the cache (I happen to have a similar one on hand and ready to go)

An e-mail has been sent to the CO.

We feel so bad.

 

NM

I lost the cache and I'm not sure what the best way to retrieve it would be.

I'm really, really sorry because I know this was just replaced.

I will gladly replace the cache as soon as possible with a comperable cache if the CO wishes.

The CO has been notified. The NM log is more for the benefit of people who may be considering going after this cache.

 

does this all seem right? I also sent a more detailed e-mail to the CO.

 

I originally was going to just replace the cache before even hearing from the CO, but my wife talked me out of it because they may have a plan or method for retrieving the cache.

 

I'm so bummed.

 

heh... i was at that very cache last week. it could have been (and still can be) retrieved... see above posts for some hints.

 

[+AtoZ]

You should have replaced it INSTANTLLY! Don't you carry a dozen differant cache containers and various supplies???????

You did right if you told CO. Not like it hasn't happenec before. Actually it is the CO's fault as they should have prevented from happening. Now they can be arrested for littering. Or did you just make that 1 diff cache a 5.

cheers

[AlexanderBurgers]

about epoxy.. it doesn't hold well to smooth plastic of pretty much any sort, unless you have a (properly degreased) metal to metal bond, or glueing to something porous, epoxy will lose grip. a glue that works better on plastic is tixotropic glue, it can be found in manny stores as hobby glue, its the glue you apply twosided and then let dry for ten minutes before putting the pieces together. this glue holds much better to plastic and stays slightly rubbery, preventing cracking if theres a little bit of flexibility in the plastic fence caps, for example..