Large geographic areas

[+releasethedogs]

I have a question about large geographic areas. Pretend that an earthcache is placed on one side of a lake in a country called "aaaastan" and a cacher visits the same lake but the side he visits is on the other side of a lake in another country called "bbbland". The logging tasks can be preformed anywhere on the shore of the lake. Is it ok for him to log the cache even if he is not in aaastan? Similar problems crop up with deserts too, im sure their are more geologic features that cross political borders. What do you think. Been thinking about this for a while and i cant decided where i stand.

[+GEO WALKER]

I guess the 1st question that comes to mind is “Are the requirements identical w/in the 2 EC’s?

Now GSA will “prohibit” future EC approvals based on “type”, but I am unaware of the limitation of x# of EC’s w/in a given radial distance. Now for those who create EC’s this shouldn’t be too hard to calculate. We could use the mapping provided by GS and forego any need for a full blown GIS.

[+T.D.M.22]

So for example it says that Such and such earthcache is here. To prove you where there you must tell me the colour of the sand on the beach by the hotel. Well I could potentially see that while being on the beach, on the nearby road, in the hotel, or even on the other side of the lake. I was able to answer the question by visiting the location. If border of the country is 5 feet away or 5 miles it won't change the colour of the sand. These are geological, and have nothing to do with political boundaries. So as long as the you answer the question and visit the location I don't see any reason not to allow a found it log. (as opposed to looking up the info online and copy/paste from wikipedia.)

[+StarBrand]

Being that the root of Earthcaches is geocaching, I would think that the questions/educational experience for an Earthcache should be unique to the listed coordinate(s). And not just a large Geographical location.

[+releasethedogs]

The two that come to mind is one in Afghanistan about the registan desert. The registan desert is mainly in Afghanistan but crosses in to neighboring countries too. Also the earthcache for the dead sea is in Israel but you can also visit the dead sea in Jordan. I have personally been to both sides, its the same on either side but could you log it if you only visited the Jordanian side? Im sure their are others.

[+CanadianRockies]

I've been to many EarthCaches where you don't have to be standing exactly at the posted coordinates to answer the logging questions. While I cannot remember any significant political boundaries separating me from GZ, I wouldn't care if there were. (I guess I might get an "incorrect" map area filled or souvenir awarded, but I don't really care much about those.)

[+hzoi]

I've seen the EC in Afghanistan, I applaud the effort, but it doesn't seem terribly specific. Ostensibly, the whole reason earthcaches are part of geocaching is to tie in GPS navigation and earth science. It doesn't take Magellan (either Ferdinand or GPSr) to get to a gigantic desert.

[+GeoawareGSA1]

To log an EC, you must visit the posted coordinates and solve the logging task for those coordinates.

How do you know the sea in one country has the same characteristics as that same sea once you cross a boundary? You don't, unless you visit the location described specifically in the cache. Deserts, oceans, etc., all have variability.