Inappropriate Cache Hides

[+Fish Eagle]

I've just got back home after a wonderful geocaching trip around the country. We had a ball hunting a variety of caches from the very easiest to the most challenging, and must thank and compliment the cache hiders for the standard of caches that we found, and the great entertainment provided.

 

However, there was one downside. I came across an abnormal incidence of illegal hide methods, especially in two cities. As a reviewer, I can (and sometimes do) turn a blind eye to the occasional less significant guidelines violations that I come across when playing the game. But, the extent of what I saw, the amount of "monkey-see, monkey-do" emulation that's already happened, and the risk of further proliferation of these bad habits has forced me to do something about it.

 

I've taken advice from Groundspeak, and they've confirmed that these bad practices need to be addressed, and must be nipped in the bud before they become generally accepted as OK. Sadly, it's my duty to do that...

 

The guidelines for the game have evolved over several years, in more cache-dense countries than SA, and in all cases, the guidelines have arisen from experience and hard-learnt lessons. We're fortunate in SA that we do not have to pay the "school fees" that those pioneering countries have paid, and we already have a set of guidelines to help us achieve balance and sustainability of the game in the long term.

 

You may be asking "Hey, what's the big deal?". Well, it isn't a big deal until major landowners start banning geocaching on their lands, then suddenly it'll be a big deal, and it'll be too late. Remember what happened with the Kruger Park. The guidelines are all about respect for landowners and the environment, and ensuring the sustainability of our sport in a non-intrusive and environmentally friendly manner.

 

In my next post (below), I'll deal with the specific guidelines violations that I found, but I have one last general comment.....

 

As disappointed as I was to find many illegal hides, I'm even more disappointed with the total apathy of the so-called "responsible" SA geocaching community. Nobody seems to care... Everyone hunts these caches, enjoys them thoroughly (obviously - being illegal they're unique, different, and great fun), writes complimentary logs about what great hides they are, knows that they are obvious guidelines violations, and does absolutely nothing about it - very sad!! I urge you to take responsibility and report guidelines violations - either publically using a "needs archived" log, or by private email to a reviewer if you wish to remain anonymous. How would you feel if (eg) all municipalities in a province / the country outlawed geocaching on all their lands? And you stood back, and allowed that to happen?

 

continued.....

[+Fish Eagle]

....continued

 

These are the main guidelines violations which I encountered.....

 

1. Defacement.

The guidelines say

"Caches that deface public or private property, whether a natural or man-made object, in order to provide a hiding place, a clue or a logging method."

 

This means that you may not damage trees or structures in any manner to create a cache hide. The most common violation that I found was holes drilled in trees and fenceposts, etc. You may not drill holes to create hides. Size of the hole is irrelevant - a hole is a hole, and a tiny hole is as illegal as a big hole. The only concession that Groundspeak allows is with tiny tacks and nails in trees (like firetacks for a night cache), provided that they do not penetrate the bark. If anything penetrates the bark, it's not appropriate.

 

General rule of thumb regarding defacement - if you can remove your cache within a few minutes, and leave no trace behind, then it should be OK.

 

However, permission overrides this guideline. If you have explicit permission from the owner of the tree or structure for your hiding method, then it's OK, but..... the cache listing must contain wording like the following to discourage others from doing the same without proper permission. Sample wording:- "This cache placement was made with express permission from the land owner."

 

2. Buried caches.

The guidelines say

"Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other "pointy" object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate."

 

This means:

A cache above ground, hidden in a pile of leaves, sticks, rocks or whatever is "covered" not buried. Below ground if you have to use anything but your fingers to make the hole or expand an existing hole or if you have to use anything but your fingers to add material that shores up the hole it is buried. The amount that is below ground doesn't matter if you had to make the hole with anything but your hands. If you dig 6 inches down to set a 5 gallon bucket in the ground with anything but your fingers it's buried. If it is an existing depression or hole in the ground that you do not have to expand with anything but your fingers and do not have to use anything but your fingers to add material (and only used your fingers to cut/shape/ or connect the material) to strengthen the hole then it is allowed. Caches hidden on beaches or sand dunes may be lightly covered with sand.

 

For both of the above, I'll be disabling cache listings with violations of this nature, and the cache owner will have 3 options:

A. If the hide method has express permission from the owner, then the above suggested wording must be added to the listing, and the cache may be re-enabled.

B. If the hide method does not have permission, then the cache owner may seek permission, and if obtained then add the above wording to the listing, and the cache may be re-enabled.

C. If permission cannot be obtained, then the cache must be removed and the damage repaired as best as possible. If a "legal" hide can be made nearby then the listing may continue (with a co-ords change), otherwise it will be archived.

 

3. Roadside memorials.

The guidelines say

"Be respectful when considering cache and waypoint placements in areas which are highly sensitive to the extra traffic that would be caused by vehicles and humans (examples may include archaeological or historic sites or cemeteries)".

 

As reviewers, we generally don't allow caches on, or close to graves or memorials, so that enthusiastic searchers are not disrespectful to such sensitive locations. Typically, a minimum of 5 metres away is appropriate, or sometimes less if the listing makes it clear that the cache is not on the gravesite.

 

I have taken advice from Groundspeak on this subject, and they would rather not see caches on, or close to road death memorials, as they are not respectful of the dead, could be promoting an agenda, and don't conform to the "light, fun activity" which is what geocaching should be.

 

I'll be disabling such cache listings, and once the cache has been moved a respectful distance away from the memorial and the co-ords, listing and hint updated, then it'll be re-reviewed and re-enabled if it complies.

 

Some people will hate me for what I'm doing, but I'd rather have that, than have geocaching outlawed by major land-owners and know that I should have done something when I could and I didn't.....

 

Andy

Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer

Edited January 30, 2011 by Fish Eagle

[+Louise_Gerhard]

Rules are rules and if it is in the benefit of caching then we have to abide even if we do not like it. That is part of life. I personally do not like any cache on any memorials, grave or a symbol such as a cross next to the road which could be extremely important to other people. It is their holy place to visit their loved ones and one should stay away from such. It does cause damage on relationships and to the community on the long run. But the exception did become the practise. So be it.

 

We also should start with the ones on private property where clear signs are added. Just recently I requested the cache owner to check on his cache as there are clear warning signs that no vehicles must enter the area and that it is private property. The car tracks to the cache are clearly visible and soon we are going to have an angry owner. The area is developed under the Mine Act and trespassing is seen as a severe offence. If you get hurt then you are in the deep brown stuff and you could be prosecuted under the ACT as an employer which will mean a very small fine of about R25 000 and/or 2 years in jail. The cache owner never responded and the cachers are visiting this cache quite regular. It is a matter of time before all hell break loose. G.

[+GEO936]

Thank you Andy for bringing this to our attention and reminding us of the rules. Sometimes we encounter a cache that has been hidden and does not comply with the rules, but we are never sure how to handle it. We have made very special friends with the geocaching community and we would not like to hurt anyone's feelings should one of our friends' cache be hidden inappropriately. But you are right, we should be more responsible and voice our concerns at the time, instead of leaving it. Because if it is left, it could become a much bigger problem with much more harm than just hurting someone's feelings. If we were in the wrong, we would appreciated being told to sort it out so that we then comply with the rules.

 

Andy on this note, if I take a rock out of my garden and drill a hole in it to place a nano cache, is this seen as defacing property? Or if I purchase a particular rock or log at the local nursery (as this is possible), and drill a hole or make a hole underneath it to attach a container - would that be a problem?

 

Best regards

GEO936

[+Max and 99]

Your concerns are echoed everywhere, not just SA. I'm a rules person, and I like rules that are clear, but more importantly, consistently enforced.

[+DamhuisClan]

I read this and thought my one cache is marginal, and wrote and email to him for clarification.

 

Andy's reply put me somewhat at ease in that if I can remove the cache in 2 or 3 minutes and leave no trace of it being there, then all should be fine.

This it is. If I had 2 minutes to remove the cache there would be no trace what-so-ever, of it every have been there.

But the final decision still lies with me, so for now I will keep it as is.

[+Fish Eagle]

Thank you Andy for bringing this to our attention and reminding us of the rules. Sometimes we encounter a cache that has been hidden and does not comply with the rules, but we are never sure how to handle it. We have made very special friends with the geocaching community and we would not like to hurt anyone's feelings should one of our friends' cache be hidden inappropriately. But you are right, we should be more responsible and voice our concerns at the time, instead of leaving it. Because if it is left, it could become a much bigger problem with much more harm than just hurting someone's feelings. If we were in the wrong, we would appreciated being told to sort it out so that we then comply with the rules.

 

Andy on this note, if I take a rock out of my garden and drill a hole in it to place a nano cache, is this seen as defacing property? Or if I purchase a particular rock or log at the local nursery (as this is possible), and drill a hole or make a hole underneath it to attach a container - would that be a problem?

 

Best regards

GEO936

I'll try to explain the guideline interpretation. If you take something from your home (eg: a rock, a dead branch, a piece of driftwood, etc) and hollow it out in your workshop for a cache, then go and place that somewhere - that's normally OK because you're not defacing someone else's property. You're leaving something of yours there which can easily be removed and leave no trace behind, and no damage is being caused to anyone else's property, provided it doesn't fall foul of littering, tresspassing, etc, and has permission for placement when necessary.

 

Now, let's get ridiculous, but it could be a good illustration.... If you take your portable drill to the cache location, drill a hole in a rock, and place a cache in the hole, that's not OK, it's defacement. If you pick up a rock somewhere else, take it home, drill it and fit a cache, then drop it off at your cache location, then that's normally OK.

[+Fish Eagle]

Rules are rules and if it is in the benefit of caching then we have to abide even if we do not like it. That is part of life. I personally do not like any cache on any memorials, grave or a symbol such as a cross next to the road which could be extremely important to other people. It is their holy place to visit their loved ones and one should stay away from such. It does cause damage on relationships and to the community on the long run. But the exception did become the practise. So be it.

 

We also should start with the ones on private property where clear signs are added. Just recently I requested the cache owner to check on his cache as there are clear warning signs that no vehicles must enter the area and that it is private property. The car tracks to the cache are clearly visible and soon we are going to have an angry owner. The area is developed under the Mine Act and trespassing is seen as a severe offence. If you get hurt then you are in the deep brown stuff and you could be prosecuted under the ACT as an employer which will mean a very small fine of about R25 000 and/or 2 years in jail. The cache owner never responded and the cachers are visiting this cache quite regular. It is a matter of time before all hell break loose. G.

The guidelines are very clear about ignoring no tresspassing signs. Such caches are not appropriate, and need to be dealt with urgently. Please either log a "Needs Archived" log, or report it to a reviewer.

[+Carbon Hunter]

....continued

 

These are the main guidelines violations which I encountered.....

 

1. Defacement.

Some people will hate me for what I'm doing, but I'd rather have that, than have geocaching outlawed by major land-owners and know that I should have done something when I could and I didn't.....

 

Andy

Geocaching.com Volunteer Reviewer

Andy

 

I think you are being too hard on yourself here. It may be an unpleasant task - but we all need to be reminded of rules from time to time - otherwise anarchy slowly sets in. Well done for taking the bull by the horns and raising this topic. Keep up the good work, and we look forward to this adding to the SA caching experience - not detracting.

 

I do remember the Kruger story and if one of the added "side effects" is that we can be proactive to prevent something like this happening with other large landowners - then it is much needed.

[+batsgonemad and his squirrel]

With regards to trees and the likes of attaching things to it via nails,glue etc. Lets have this senario im driving btw towns, or for that mater in town itself. I come across this expanse of open veld, and for what ever reason i want to place a cache there, and decide to attache it to a tree by means of nails or some other method. 1) Now lets say its btw towns on the side of a road.

2) Or its in the surban area of a town, and there is this veld, that you would maybe not know who it belongs to - this one is maybe more clear, ie: rather dont do it then.

 

I think there are alot of caches placed in this mannor so insite would be nice.

[+Fish Eagle]

With regards to trees and the likes of attaching things to it via nails,glue etc. Lets have this senario im driving btw towns, or for that mater in town itself. I come across this expanse of open veld, and for what ever reason i want to place a cache there, and decide to attache it to a tree by means of nails or some other method. 1) Now lets say its btw towns on the side of a road.

2) Or its in the surban area of a town, and there is this veld, that you would maybe not know who it belongs to - this one is maybe more clear, ie: rather dont do it then.

 

I think there are alot of caches placed in this mannor so insite would be nice.

If I understand you correctly - you can only "deface" something (like knocking nails into a tree) if you have specific permission from the landowner for your cache, and your hiding method. If it's at a location that you don't believe requires permission, then you must stick to the guidelines. Note that the guidelines say "By submitting a cache listing, you assure us that you have adequate permission to hide your cache in the selected location." You, with your local knowledge need to be the responsible judge of what you think "adequate permission" is, and that could range from formal written permission to no permission.