Jump to content

Dive cache where final/cache box is in a lake?


WrongWayGC

Recommended Posts

Hopefully this is the right subforum here; otherwise I would be glad if you could redirect me to the proper place and persons to contact with my question. Thanks in advance!

 

After talking to the owner of a non-GC.com geocache in a lake I would like to check whether this geocache could be listed with GC.com in the future in order to make geocaching more prominent amongst SCUBA divers. The existing box is in a lake and can be reached by underwater navigation from a well-known point with a given course. So far so good, getting the GPS coordinates for the starting stage is no issue.

 

Now for the (wet) final: according to the rules, each ordinary geocache needs a logsheet. As this is a box in the lake, the logsheet would most probably something similar to a DINA4-sized plastic plate, so divers can log with an appropriate pen. However, this kind of log would be non-permanent. I'm not aware of another, better solution -- if someone has a better one, please come forward!

 

In any case, we still have the full electronic log.

 

The idea here is to really have the final in the water and not on land. This is more demanding and a lot of divers find that to be more interesting than having to later find the box on land after the trouble with getting out of your equipment and going on the hunt.

 

Is there any problem with my aforementioned type of log for review of a possible listing?

 

Thanks for help and insight,

WrongWayGC

Link to comment

To clarify my situation:

  • The box is only for SCUBA divers.
  • The box is on ground at around -8m. It is big (kind of treasure box) and stays there.
  • The log stays in the box, you don't take it to the surface for logging.
  • You cannot quickly ascend, sign the log, then descend: if you don't know what I mean here, you are probably not a certified diver: your ascend will take around five(!) minutes; around two minutes for the ascend and three minutes for the safety stop at -5m ... assuming that you will usually visit the cache on your way back after a deeper dive to visit the rock drop-off zone nearby.

So: what kind of logbook or logsheet would be sufficient?

Edited by WrongWayGC
Link to comment

Just use a regular dive slate (plastic) that you write on with a pencil. Put it in the box or tie it to the outside. If it gets full just erase it to start over. No big deal, no one exspects you to keep a log forever.You will have to give the surface coords.

Link to comment

What worked perfect for me was some white styrene sheets cut to size (Evergreen brand. found at hobby stores) and a Irwin brand "strait-line" grease pencil #666042 (found at home improvement store). It actually writes underwater and can't be erased easily.

 

I drilled a small hole through the grease pencil and another hole through a corner of all the sheets and attached everything together with some strong fishing line.

Edited by GorgeHiker
Link to comment

 

[*]You cannot quickly ascend, sign the log, then descend: if you don't know what I mean here, you are probably not a certified diver: your ascend will take around five(!) minutes; around two minutes for the ascend and three minutes for the safety stop at -5m ... assuming that you will usually visit the cache on your way back after a deeper dive to visit the rock drop-off zone nearby.

 

 

Well, you didn't describe the depth of the cache, so how would anyone know? :blink:

 

A simple plastic sheet that visitors could sign with the (hopefully provided) appropriate talking stick should be fine.

If it fills up, I would suggest memorizing the signers before erasing the slate and send a PM to the owner mentioning who signed (or most importantly who didn't).

Link to comment

Thank you very much for your feedback, it was helpful. The box is in 7m depth, not much, but nevertheless the dives will usually be deeper before visiting the cache.

 

The reason for me asking that some German reviewers had issues with the plastic logsheet as they don't deem it persistent enough. :blink: But since there are already caches working the way I would like to operate the box, the listing is now on its way. Let's see ...

Link to comment

Just use a regular dive slate (plastic) that you write on with a pencil. Put it in the box or tie it to the outside. If it gets full just erase it to start over. No big deal, no one exspects you to keep a log forever.You will have to give the surface coords.

 

I don't know why you would have to give the surface coords. You can do a cache on land with a starting point, a bearing and distance. He said he would lay a course from the start to final which would seem the same.

Link to comment

[...]

You will have to give the surface coords.

 

I don't know why you would have to give the surface coords. You can do a cache on land with a starting point, a bearing and distance. He said he would lay a course from the start to final which would seem the same.

 

It's quite impossible to keep the bearing underwater with enough precision to reach the cache; measuring the distance traveled is very difficult, almost impossible. That unless there is a "trail" underwater that needs to be followed, but even then it's better to provide the surface coordinates, the same way you'll do in a forest.

As a hider, taking a good reading of the final coordinates is essential. Just "estimating" the reading on the compass and the distance traveled is a recipe for disaster. Tried doing that with a buddy, after ~100 meters we were about 30 meters apart, and the cache remained unfound.

Link to comment

It's quite impossible to keep the bearing underwater with enough precision to reach the cache; measuring the distance traveled is very difficult, almost impossible. That unless there is a "trail" underwater that needs to be followed, but even then it's better to provide the surface coordinates, the same way you'll do in a forest.

As a hider, taking a good reading of the final coordinates is essential. Just "estimating" the reading on the compass and the distance traveled is a recipe for disaster. Tried doing that with a buddy, after ~100 meters we were about 30 meters apart, and the cache remained unfound.

 

True, but in this case it is really easy as the description will hopefully tell: you just need to follow the natural slope at 7 to 8m depth and then you'll find it. Even I with my limited UW navigation abilities stumbled upon it when I did not search for it. In addition, there is more help: if you happen to dive too deep you will find an old wooden boat; following the rope attached to it will bring you up to the box.

 

The original non-GC.com description is already this way; that should be reused. Even on another dive I managed to visit the cache without any problems, as the natural formation of this site is really helpful. BTW ... very beautiful dive spot if you like diving in cold water (drysuit advised).

 

As I won't be the cache owner I'm now waiting for the real owner to put his listing into review. I just helped him clearing some question before filing the listing.

 

Of course, this would then be my first GC.com underwater geocache. :)

Edited by WrongWayGC
Link to comment

I scanned over this semi fast, but if I missed this, I apologize. So long as you, or the poster marks it as a terrain 5, and state that SCUBA gear is required, it shouldn't be an issue, assuming permission to place and everything else is in order. Equip the container properly, and I see no reason not to. Just my .02.

 

Later!

Link to comment

Dive slate, yes. I had the same reservations about log permanence under water originally, but after having found http://coord.info/GCPRAC just recently, I was surprised to see that the dive slate still had all those old signatures on it! So even with a container that's nowhere near airtight to begin with, a plain old dive slate that can be signed with a regular pencil sure seems good enough to hold signatures for at least several years.

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...