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Hi all, A bit of advice please.

I was out and about with family the other day, mistakenly thinking Geocaching wouldn't happen, when a few minutes of freedom came my way. I spotted two caches within a few hundred metres of my location so sidled off to find.

I got the first one and signed the log book with the pencil in there and then set about finding the other. However, the second was a nano and they don't make nano pencils.

I initially thought I would take a photo of the cache, in hand and against the sky so as not to give anything away but then wondered if the picture of the cache itself might be a spoiler so replaced and didn't log. Nano, though, was in the title of the cache.

Any thoughts? Would I have been ok taking pic and logging? Is this a crime punishable by death or execution by forum damnation?

Cheers,

Glyn

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This is one of them "everyone plays by it's own rules" situations, personally I do take a photo and send it to the Co then log it as a find, never had a problem with it, die hard cachers may think that's not right and some cache owners wouldn't agree with it, but there is nothing wrong with emailing the CO and getting his approval, 9 times out of 10 they're fine with it! :anitongue:

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I've taken a picture once or twice, against the palm of my hand usually, and logged the find. Once I couldn't get what was left of the log (a wet pulpy mass) out of a tube and once I seem to recall that I couldn't unscrew the tube.

 

I think I left a note on the logs saying that I hadn't actually signed and if the cache owner wished to delete the log I wouldn't complain.

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find small twig

break said twig to form a point

if blackberry bush nearby

then

squish blackberry

dip twig in blackberry juice

else

dip twig in soil/mud

endif

make mark with twig

log online commenting what mark you made, and make it part of your story.

 

(also works with a spent match in urban areas where twigs, mud & blackberries (of the fruit kind) are maybe not so common.

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Photo of log book with last few names will prove you was there!

Photo at ground zero of GPS with coords will prove you was there!

If its not a puzzle/multi/ then no harm in a photo of view with a team member/GPS. Or with cache if its not a sneaky disguised one.

Improvise with burnt twig etc.

 

Pockets full of spare log books, pencils, sharpeners (every jacket you own!!)a MUST, don't do it again, bottom of class, go stand in corner, detention for a month! ...........

 

Failing that - Off with yer head, off with yer head!! :anitongue:

Edited by perth pathfinders
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Hi all, A bit of advice please.

I was out and about with family the other day, mistakenly thinking Geocaching wouldn't happen, when a few minutes of freedom came my way. I spotted two caches within a few hundred metres of my location so sidled off to find.

I got the first one and signed the log book with the pencil in there and then set about finding the other. However, the second was a nano and they don't make nano pencils.

I initially thought I would take a photo of the cache, in hand and against the sky so as not to give anything away but then wondered if the picture of the cache itself might be a spoiler so replaced and didn't log. Nano, though, was in the title of the cache.

Any thoughts? Would I have been ok taking pic and logging? Is this a crime punishable by death or execution by forum damnation?

Cheers,

Glyn

Your guilt at not signing the log is already eating you up, you are waiting for that 'DELETED' e-mail popping into your in box. You are beating yourself up for not making that twig writing implement and cutting your finger so the log could be etched with your own blood and this will continue to haunt you until you make another return journey to sign the log!!!!!!.

 

But seriously, I think a photo of the actual log is a great idea. You dont even need to post it on the listing but simply quote in your story that a photo of the log is available if the CO required it as evidence of the find.

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Hi all, A bit of advice please.

I was out and about with family the other day, mistakenly thinking Geocaching wouldn't happen, when a few minutes of freedom came my way. I spotted two caches within a few hundred metres of my location so sidled off to find.

I got the first one and signed the log book with the pencil in there and then set about finding the other. However, the second was a nano and they don't make nano pencils.

I initially thought I would take a photo of the cache, in hand and against the sky so as not to give anything away but then wondered if the picture of the cache itself might be a spoiler so replaced and didn't log. Nano, though, was in the title of the cache.

Any thoughts? Would I have been ok taking pic and logging? Is this a crime punishable by death or execution by forum damnation?

Cheers,

Glyn

Hehehe, I had to laugh when I saw this thread. Punishments for such an infringement can range from "hanging drawing, quartering, excommunication AND eternity spent in hell....." to someone rolling their eyes at you and saying, "Oh for heavens sake, it's only a game, what are you worried about!"

 

It actually comes down to a matter of personal conscience at the end of the day, but the best way to solve the problem is to ALWAYS have a pen! OK, yes, of course, we're all human so if you really can't get hold of a pen, the second best thing is to photograph the log only, perhaps in an unidentifiable location and perhaps with your GPS in the shot. Then e-mail the photo to the CO and say, I'm sorry, this was the situation, will this be OK?

 

It would take a heart of steel (and someone who was up for a bit of a barney) to delete your log after that!

 

Mind you, I'm reminded by something very silly, but pertinent mentioned by GeoBain, which says "must have siggy in loggy to get findy". I think if you're going to lie awake nights about it, then don't log it as a find until you've gone back ans signed the log. After all, if you're someone who prefers it when rules are followed, the rules say you have to have signed the log.

 

I've found myself without a pen on several occasions, but each time, have found a way round it (phew!). The first time, was in the pouring rain, a half mile walk away from my scooter, (where I had left it. D'oh). I'm a "rule-follower" so there was nothing for it but to walk the mile round trip in the rain, through a field of soaking wet grass, to get it.

 

The next time, I was in an urban location and asked an employee at the nearby station ticket office to lend me thier biro! This is ALWAYS a possible soltution in an urban area. As at a bank, post office or any office-based business and I'm sure they will lend you a pen!

 

The next time, there was no-one to ask, but it was a semi-urban sitiation. I just started walking, staring at the ground and within 10 minutes, had FOUND on the ground, a broken biro insert, which still worked! Hoorah!

 

I've also seen logs signed with a stick dippied in mud, and as Marty says, blackberry juice (in season) will do just as well - as would blood, of course..... but you personally have to decide how far you want to take this one! ;)

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People get far too hung up about signing log books. If you found it, you found it. Whether the CO believes you or not is their problem. I would never delete a log from someone who said they found one of my caches and didn't have a pen or pencil. Why on earth would they lie about finding it? That would be ever sadder than deleting someone's log. It's a game when all said and done...

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Hi all, A bit of advice please.

I was out and about with family the other day, mistakenly thinking Geocaching wouldn't happen, when a few minutes of freedom came my way. I spotted two caches within a few hundred metres of my location so sidled off to find.

I got the first one and signed the log book with the pencil in there and then set about finding the other. However, the second was a nano and they don't make nano pencils.

I initially thought I would take a photo of the cache, in hand and against the sky so as not to give anything away but then wondered if the picture of the cache itself might be a spoiler so replaced and didn't log. Nano, though, was in the title of the cache.

Any thoughts? Would I have been ok taking pic and logging? Is this a crime punishable by death or execution by forum damnation?

Cheers,

Glyn

 

Personally if I found the cache and successfully opened it then I consider that a "find" regardless of whether I signed the log or not. Obviously if I can sign the log I do but if the log is wet, or I don't have a pencil (which does happen, even with the best intentions) then sometimes it's just not possible. Sometimes a caching trip is on the spur of the moment and you forget a pencil, I've been out caching only to realise my caching pencil was in my other caching trousers, and on one occasion I can only assume I rested my pencil on my bike saddle while I replaced the cache and then lost the pencil as I remounted. Whatever happened I got to the next cache only to find my trusty caching pencil had gone.

 

What I usually do is take a picture of the cache. That way I can provide the owner with a detailed description of the site and the hide, and can email them the photo if they would like to see it. For a traditional the photo is unlikely to be classed as a spoiler unless it shows exactly where the cache was hidden; for a multi or puzzle you don't want to give away the final location. If the owner decides to delete my log on the basis I didn't make a mark on the log book that's just one of those things.

 

I think it's very easy to end up bogged down with endless etiquette when a little common sense is, IMO, all that is needed. If a cache is rated 1/1 then I'd regard proof that I spotted the cache as acceptable. If it's rated 4/4 and 50 feet up a tree then it's clear you have to climb the tree - if I climbed the tree only to find I couldn't sign the log then I'd look to provide proof I retrieved the cache (perhaps a photo of the cache, with log book visible, in my hand).

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People get far too hung up about signing log books. If you found it, you found it. Whether the CO believes you or not is their problem. I would never delete a log from someone who said they found one of my caches and didn't have a pen or pencil. Why on earth would they lie about finding it? That would be ever sadder than deleting someone's log. It's a game when all said and done...

 

Talk about hitting the nail on the head! Great post! :lol:

 

OP, claim your smiley! :)

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People get far too hung up about signing log books. If you found it, you found it. Whether the CO believes you or not is their problem. I would never delete a log from someone who said they found one of my caches and didn't have a pen or pencil. Why on earth would they lie about finding it? That would be ever sadder than deleting someone's log. It's a game when all said and done...

 

Talk about hitting the nail on the head! Great post! :lol:

 

OP, claim your smiley! :)

 

I got a very snippy log going on and on complaining that there was no pencil, which I suitably ignored - after all, they were showing themselves up by the tone of their log.

 

My boxes always start out with a pencil, but I also realise they do go missing, points break etc. BUT, when this person also put a NEEDS MAINTENANCE log on just because the pencil goes missing ...........

 

Owner maintenance - BYOP!! Sorted!! :lol:

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I got a very snippy log going on and on complaining that there was no pencil, which I suitably ignored - after all, they were showing themselves up by the tone of their log.

 

My boxes always start out with a pencil, but I also realise they do go missing, points break etc. BUT, when this person also put a NEEDS MAINTENANCE log on just because the pencil goes missing ...........

 

Owner maintenance - BYOP!! Sorted!! :lol:

 

I always mention in a post if there isn't a pen/pencil there, I hope it doesn't come across at a complaint, just sharing information with other hunters. I've started carrying little personalised pencils with me, which I leave in caches where there aren't any pencils. I cannot seem to find any half sized pens though, I don't know where they hide!

 

As for the OP - my first find I didn't think to take a pen! I still logged it as a find, and a few months later I made my way back and signed the log. It was a quick learning experience though, and I've since attached a pen on a lanyard to my rucksack, and a mini pen on my keys, and I usually have various pens/pencils/markers floating around in my bag and my geocaching pack.

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