Jump to content

"Newbie-Placers" placing caches... HELP!


TinyTigger

Recommended Posts

Hi All

 

I have noticed that there isn’t really a place (on the SA forum) for new cacher’s to ask questions about placing caches and for the older (and wiser) cacher’s to share some of their expertise and wisdom with us. I have also noticed that people are quick to criticize the “newbie-placers”, (of course, constructive critisim is necessary in order for us all to learn and is often warranted). However, as a “pre-newbie-placer” it truly terrifies me into thinking that, if I do place a cache, it may not live up to all your expectations and my cache my go unfound until the parents feel sorry for me and give it a try.

 

As a youngest cacher (or baby chicken) of an all-caching family, my goal is simple, to utterly confuse and stump my parents (for those of you who are not in the loop, that would be TV&M) by creating the worlds most challenging cache. I realize that in order to achieve this goal, in my lifetime (and theirs) I need to take baby steps.

 

So please, older and wiser cachers of South Africa, share your wisdom with me by advising me of the following:

 

1. What inspires you to go out and do a cache? (Besides the FTF, of course)

2. What are the most suitable containers to use?

3. Urban caching is tricky, but do you have any hints or tips about placing those nanos?

4. Puzzles caches – do the tricky ones put you off or are you up for a challenge?

5. If co-ords are given to a general location and you are required to figure out the actual hidey-hole, is that ok?

6. Do all write up require a long story as to why it is placed there? It is in the middle of nowhere and you simply placed it because you thought, “Hey, that’s a cool place to hide something”, would you still want a story?

 

Ok, that’s all for now folks! And for all those other “newbie-placer”, perhaps you too have some questions that you are dying to ask but just haven’t yet.

Link to comment

 

1. What inspires you to go out and do a cache? (Besides the FTF, of course)

2. What are the most suitable containers to use?

3. Urban caching is tricky, but do you have any hints or tips about placing those nanos?

4. Puzzles caches – do the tricky ones put you off or are you up for a challenge?

5. If co-ords are given to a general location and you are required to figure out the actual hidey-hole, is that ok?

6. Do all write up require a long story as to why it is placed there? It is in the middle of nowhere and you simply placed it because you thought, “Hey, that’s a cool place to hide something”, would you still want a story?

 

Ok, that’s all for now folks! And for all those other “newbie-placer”, perhaps you too have some questions that you are dying to ask but just haven’t yet.

 

I'm not wiser, but may be a bit older!

 

1 the fun of being out and getting to interesting places and spots

2 whatever suits the hide spot!

3 Do they have to be nano? A clever hide can be in full view!

4 Frustration for some, a challenge for others!

5 That depends - on top of a mountain with a clue "under a rock" you need to have some accuracy in the coordinates!

6 if there is a story it could just convince a cacher to visit, but not all caches have to have long stories

 

just my few cents worth

 

Also see Geocaching101 in this forum - I have bumped it up - some good hints there as well

Link to comment

5. If co-ords are given to a general location and you are required to figure out the actual hidey-hole, is that ok?

For a traditional cache - ummm, nope.

The co-ords must be for the exact location of the cache, please see the guideline which says "The coordinates listed on the traditional cache page are the exact location of the cache."

Obviously, GPS units aren't 100% accurate, so within 5 metres is considered as an acceptable GPS error, and is normally OK.

 

Some freedom is allowed with mystery caches though.

Link to comment

 

1. What inspires you to go out and do a cache? (Besides the FTF, of course)

 

If I read the logs from other cachers and they all rave about it, then I will want to do it.

So, for me the question is more, "What make a great cache?"

The answer to that for me is that it must have:

- a good "Online" component. The listing must be good. Listings that are fun and creative are the beginning of a great cache.

- a great location. Follow through from the online listing to the location. This for me is the most important part of a cache. Always ask yourself, "is this a special spot that people will want to return to?"

- fun hides or creative ways of getting to the cache. Physical puzzles and challenges along the way are always appreciated.

 

Great cache = good listing + great location + creative hide.

 

To add to that, I always ask myself, "is it reasonable to expect this cache to be still functioning in 20years time?". When I see "cache is in a high muggle area" I always doubt that they will last long.

Link to comment

3. Urban caching is tricky, but do you have any hints or tips about placing those nanos?

I agree with Tom, doesn't need to be nano, could be disguised.

 

I was once given advice about a nano:

-In very busy areas, place a magnetic nano in plain sight in a place where they can very easily be removed and replaced without arousing suspicion. The example given to me was a magnetic nano in plain view at waist height on a flagpole in a busy square in Hong Kong. It had survived many years and finds because it was so easy to find for a cacher. They could walk up to it, grab it and go off and sign the log very easily. Replacing it was easy too.

To muggles a magnetic nano is almost invisible. A nono is given away by the behavior of the cachers rather than the container. Let the cacher look natural when looking, retrieving and replacing.

Link to comment

Here are my thoughts on your questiosn:

 

1. What inspires you to go out and do a cache? (Besides the FTF, of course)

 

FTF does not really inspire me that much - the vast majority of caches need to live far longer than a single finder - so the following are far more important to me:

>Location - why are you brining me here? What is so amazing about this place? View, history, great place to walk a dog or have a picnic, there needs to be somethiong to make the spot memorable - not just - "my aunty used to live in this street"

>Innovative hide - I done mind going to you aunties street if the hide is memorable - e.g. a postbox looking cache, magnetic sign etc.

I love learning something new while caching.

 

 

2. What are the most suitable containers to use?

No preference here. I have seen a lot of different containers - from eloborate home made - to old yoghurt tubs - the quality of the maintenence and the suitability to hide location are probably more important. I don't like nanos or micros out in the open veld! I prefer a larger cache container there,

 

3. Urban caching is tricky, but do you have any hints or tips about placing those nanos?

 

No - think about your location - think through all the possible weather conditions (rain and snow - to hot weather). Think about all possible muggle activity - there will be crowds outside Newlands from time to time. Safety - what happens if a cacher tries to find this on an evening etc.

I love finding larger urban caches - it means the hider has though a lot more about the suitability of the cache - than merely slapping a nano on a signpost.

 

4. Puzzles caches – do the tricky ones put you off or are you up for a challenge?

 

I go through phases with puzzles and multis - sometimes I love them - I am not an avid puzzle cracker - so will not spend too much time on a puzzle - unless I have been told it is really good.

 

5. If co-ords are given to a general location and you are required to figure out the actual hidey-hole, is that ok?

 

Sometimes the location - e.g. a statue - can give you hours of looking to find a nano that you know is right here!

 

6. Do all write up require a long story as to why it is placed there? It is in the middle of nowhere and you simply placed it because you thought, “Hey, that’s a cool place to hide something”, would you still want a story?

 

Both do it for me - but see my point 1 answer as a caveat. Dont like reems and reems of story - can provide linsk to other sites if needed. I like an attractive cache page - photos are fun.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...