+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) I placed this in OT because it's not really about hating geocaching, just about hating it today, just about sharing your experiences and having fun doing so while leaving yourself open to all the ridicule and off topic posts this forum has to offer. So a new cache came out on Bowen Island, a roughly 20 minute, $50 ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Saw it come out on my way to work last night, checked ferry schedules, first one at 6 am so after work off I went. Got to GZ and could not find the hint or the cache, after an hour and further review I saw it was a new cacher, first hide, no finds, I left for the ferry back home, oops 3 sailing wait (1 ferry/hour). Figured it was locals going to the mainland to work and as there were other caches on the island went to look for those. Found 1 of 8 and after 3 hours got back to the ferry, 3 sailing wait, some kind of major camping thing going on and everyone was headed home. Wasted $50 plus gas, no sleep for 24 hours, no FTFs and 8 DNFs and a 3 hour wait, I hate geocaching today! Did you hate geocaching today? If so, why? Edited April 29, 2015 by Roman! Quote Link to comment
+GeoBain Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 That FTF game can be a bear! Quote Link to comment
Cascade Reviewer Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics. What if we change it to an optional topic, why I hate geocaching and/or my lunch today? I had a stale snickers bar and a warm coke for lunch while sitting in a three hour ferry lineup today, I hated my lunch. Edited April 29, 2015 by Roman! Quote Link to comment
Cascade Reviewer Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics. What if we change it to an optional topic, why I hate geocaching and/or my lunch today? I had a stale snickers bar and a warm coke for lunch while sitting in a three hour ferry lineup today, I hated my lunch. You are perfectly free to start a thread in OT about hating lunches. Quote Link to comment
+dprovan Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Am I hearing this right? Geocaching gave you a great excuse to go on that fabulous adventure described in the OP, and you hate it for that?? Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 Am I hearing this right? Geocaching gave you a great excuse to go on that fabulous adventure described in the OP, and you hate it for that?? Yup. Quote Link to comment
+The_Incredibles_ Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) That cache you found, was it a nano with a mushy log? I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. Edited April 29, 2015 by The_Incredibles_ Quote Link to comment
+speakers-corner Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 You cant hate geocaching. Its about the fun, the experience and the stories to be told after. Quote Link to comment
+Seaglass Pirates Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 ....Got to GZ and could not find the hint or the cache, after an hour and further review I saw it was a new cacher, first hide, no finds .... PPPPPP Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 You cant hate geocaching. Its about the fun, the experience and the stories to be told after. I have much better stories such as driving to Alaska to find a cache and have lunch then heading home. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 You cant hate geocaching. Its about the fun, the experience and the stories to be told after. Today ranks near tge bottom of my stories to be told, 3 hours sitting in a car waiting for a ferry sucks. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 29, 2015 Author Share Posted April 29, 2015 That cache you found, was it a nano with a mushy log? I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. Nah, it was an ammo can with a mushy log. Quote Link to comment
+AustinMN Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 (edited) I'm still waiting for a day when I hate geocaching. (No, not really waiting for it.) There are days it does not appeal to me enough for me to go out and do it (especially when it is -15°F/ -26°C outside), but never been a time I've said "I hate geocaching." Austin Edited April 29, 2015 by AustinMN Quote Link to comment
+narcissa Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I don't hate geocaching today, but there have been days when I've been standing in some godforsaken, thorn-infested, mosquito-swarmed swamp in the rain and thought "Wow, I hate this." But by the time I get back to the car I'm okay. Quote Link to comment
+Dread_Pirate_Bruce Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I sometimes get frustrated by spending time looking for a cache in the wrong place. Or hoping to look for a cache only to discover I can't actually get close to it while staying in my comfort zone. Or deciding there are too many muggles nearby. But its always an adventure. I only hate geocaching when something happens that screws up my score so that I can't win. Then I break whatever club I happen to be holding. Oh wait, that's golf. Quote Link to comment
+J Grouchy Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I can't say I've ever hated geocaching, but I've hated going out on a lunch break from work to find a cache in a wooded area and coming back to work sweaty, dusty and covered in spider webs. Summer in Atlanta sucks... Quote Link to comment
+fuzziebear3 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I can't say I've ever actually hated it. Frustrated because I can't find it sometimes, but not hate. This weekend, I was at a CITO in the rain, because I wanted the souvenir. I was wet and cold, as I hiked around a lake and picked up trash. My hubby was dry and warm at a wine tasting. One could question which of us made a better choice Even a DNF day geocaching is better than being at work! Quote Link to comment
+thebruce0 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 So a new cache came out on Bowen Island, a roughly 20 minute, $50 ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Saw it come out on my way to work last night, checked ferry schedules, first one at 6 am so after work off I went. Got to GZ and could not find the hint or the cache, after an hour and further review I saw it was a new cacher, first hide, no finds, I left for the ferry back home, oops 3 sailing wait (1 ferry/hour). Figured it was locals going to the mainland to work and as there were other caches on the island went to look for those. Found 1 of 8 and after 3 hours got back to the ferry, 3 sailing wait, some kind of major camping thing going on and everyone was headed home. Wasted $50 plus gas, no sleep for 24 hours, no FTFs and 8 DNFs and a 3 hour wait, I hate geocaching today! This is why one of the first things I do is check who the CO is. Good habit. Then you can weigh whatever risk/cost there is for finding it. Especially a $50 ferry ride... ugh. Feel your pain. But had nothing like that for quite some time now... Quote Link to comment
+Dame Deco Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I placed this in OT because it's not really about hating geocaching, just about hating it today, just about sharing your experiences and having fun doing so while leaving yourself open to all the ridicule and off topic posts this forum has to offer. So a new cache came out on Bowen Island, a roughly 20 minute, $50 ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay. Saw it come out on my way to work last night, checked ferry schedules, first one at 6 am so after work off I went. Got to GZ and could not find the hint or the cache, after an hour and further review I saw it was a new cacher, first hide, no finds, I left for the ferry back home, oops 3 sailing wait (1 ferry/hour). Figured it was locals going to the mainland to work and as there were other caches on the island went to look for those. Found 1 of 8 and after 3 hours got back to the ferry, 3 sailing wait, some kind of major camping thing going on and everyone was headed home. Wasted $50 plus gas, no sleep for 24 hours, no FTFs and 8 DNFs and a 3 hour wait, I hate geocaching today! Did you hate geocaching today? If so, why? Kinda your fault for not reading the cache page and noticing all that about the hider... Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I assume that you told the story in the DNF log so that the n000b, if sincere, could learn that bad coords, etc., have negative effects on people? Quote Link to comment
+L0ne.R Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 I assume that you told the story in the DNF log so that the n000b, if sincere, could learn that bad coords, etc., have negative effects on people? I agree. I would let them know that I spent $50 on a ferry ride just for this cache, and it ended in a DNF after an hour of searching. Especially because the D rating isn't high, the clue seems pretty clear - a stump with a T carved in it. Also it's a small - which should be at least palm size, so one would expect that with the rating, the hint, the description, the size, that it should be a relatively simple find. Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 That cache you found, was it a nano with a mushy log? I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. 3-hour wait: endless. Ferry ticket: $50. FTF dreams: priceless! Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 That cache you found, was it a nano with a mushy log? I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. 3-hour wait: endless. Ferry ticket: $50. FTF dreams: priceless! I barely fared better last month when I went to Galiano, that was $85 but at least no three hour wait. Two new caches, one I DNFed, the other I found about 45 meters out after an hour. Quote Link to comment
+Pork King Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I hate geocaching today because I didn't get to go. Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 ....Got to GZ and could not find the hint or the cache, after an hour and further review I saw it was a new cacher, first hide, no finds .... PPPPPP I hear you, brother. I went down to Argentina, detoured to Córdoba, hired a guide, and off we went into the mountains for a couple of lonely FTFs. Well. Never again will I go that far without checking the hider's profile first. Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics.Gosh... how can we ever thank you enough... Quote Link to comment
+SwineFlew Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I think I can top that. When I was in Hong Kong, I made a trip to Macau and was planning to get a virtual over there but things went wrong for me and run out of coins for the bus fare before I got to the island south of there, so I hiked back to the ferry dock which was a few miles. Found a bunch of caches, but i would never saw what I saw if I didnt ran into that problem. It costs me over 60 bucks for the ferry ride. Quote Link to comment
+WarNinjas Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Its all part of the game! Enjoy it! Quote Link to comment
+sunnyhill_Ahrtal Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 Cache owner = Ferry owner ??? Quote Link to comment
Cascade Reviewer Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics.Gosh... how can we ever thank you enough... Chocolate. Quote Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Perhaps my most fond remembrance was the day that I tried for an ftf, and the cache didn't exist... or did it? Further review of maps led me to believe that one number was off, and the cache was straight north a few miles.... in a State Nature Preserve where it was illegal. I believe I was the only one ever to get credit for finding it, and I contacted my reviewer who archived it. I drove close to 100 miles, but all "in my area." I felt like a genius. Quote Link to comment
+JL_HSTRE Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 If I have lots of DNF it can get frustrating, especially given my tendency to miss caches that turn out to still be there. (I have told COs before that if I DNF their micro it is not actually a cause for concern.) As such, I tend to avoid certain kinds of hides, at least for Traditionals. DNF on a puzzle final is extra frustrating. Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I appreciate, Roman!, that you may have wanted this in OT so that the discussion could possibly be a bit more relaxed, but the topic really is about geocaching. So I'm going to have to move it to Geocaching Topics. What if we change it to an optional topic, why I hate geocaching and/or my lunch today? I had a stale snickers bar and a warm coke for lunch while sitting in a three hour ferry lineup today, I hated my lunch. You are perfectly free to start a thread in OT about hating lunches. As you wish. Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. Well, we did pay $45.50 CDN to take the Confederation Bridge to PEI on our tour of the Maritimes. (That's a very strange amount for a bridge toll?) But there were four of us in the car, and we did find caches on PEI. But not a lot of time to spend. We had to be in Halifax by night fall (And the oldest caches in Canada.) So it wasn't a waste of money. Then the plane from Halifax to St. John's, Newfoundland. Quote Link to comment
+JohnCNA Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 During the winter before last, I ran off the road and into a ditch on a snowy and icy day. Did not damage the car, but it cost $350 to get winched up out of there. Found 3 caches that morning, so it cost about $115 per cache. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I've had bad days of caching, but nothing like that, at least none that lost me $50. I remember going out one time in the pouring rain, in the dark, and getting 6 DNFs in a row. It was still fun. Well, we did pay $45.50 CDN to take the Confederation Bridge to PEI on our tour of the Maritimes. (That's a very strange amount for a bridge toll?) But there were four of us in the car, and we did find caches on PEI. But not a lot of time to spend. We had to be in Halifax by night fall (And the oldest caches in Canada.) So it wasn't a waste of money. Then the plane from Halifax to St. John's, Newfoundland. I paid $45 for a one day visa for Zimbabwe, $15 entry fee into a national park, and $15 for a guide for 1 cache (and to see Victoria Falls). I have, on several occasions, book business travel itinerary so that I could stay overnight in a country I had not previously visited and paid for 1-2 nights at a hotel (in Barcelona that cost me a little over $200) so I could do some geocaching in a new country. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. Quote Link to comment
+Pork King Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I hate geocaching (app) yesterday because it logged my finds out of order. I'm OC enough for it to bother me, but lazy enough that I'm not going to delete and re-log 17 or so logs. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. I assume he's already underway, so we look forward to the story -- or the TV series! Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. I assume he's already underway, so we look forward to the story -- or the TV series! Nah, leave in an hour. Gotta learn somehow. We will be hugging the shoreline the whole trip and besides I can swim and my kayak can't sink. Quote Link to comment
+cheech gang Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Roman! I don't think either one of those people looks anything like you. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 Roman! I don't think either one of those people looks anything like you. Close though, on the bright side, we survived, on the brighter side, got 2 FTFs. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. I assume he's already underway, so we look forward to the story -- or the TV series! Or a new edition of a book that I've read. It's called "Deep Trouble" by Matt Broze. Matt is/was the owner/designer of Mariner Kayaks, a company in Washington state. The book chronicles a dozen or so stories where kayakers got into "deep trouble" after kayakers that were unprepared for the conditions they encountered went out on trips just like Roman describes. The incidents (some involving death) often were directly related to a lack of experience or ignorance regarding how quickly things can go bad paddling on open water. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. I assume he's already underway, so we look forward to the story -- or the TV series! Or a new edition of a book that I've read. It's called "Deep Trouble" by Matt Broze. Matt is/was the owner/designer of Mariner Kayaks, a company in Washington state. The book chronicles a dozen or so stories where kayakers got into "deep trouble" after kayakers that were unprepared for the conditions they encountered went out on trips just like Roman describes. The incidents (some involving death) often were directly related to a lack of experience or ignorance regarding how quickly things can go bad paddling on open water. I wouldn't call where we went open water, it's sheltered by all sort of islands, big and small and we were never more than 500 meters from shore. We also had friends in their canoe (the CO) of the cache following us just in case as we did have to go ashore for the caches. I have motor boated the waters and also have thousands of hour paragliding so I am very familiar with both the water conditions as well as weather. I also have all the the safety gear and am a very competent swimmer. I was well aware what I was getting into and sorry to say, we survived without incident, sometimes life isn't stranger than fiction. Edited May 4, 2015 by Roman! Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Ha, someone else DNFed it two days after I did. Anyways, just bought a kayak a week ago (never kayaked before) and we're going after 2 FTFs that have been out for several months. Looks like about a three hour round trip on the ocean, hopefully I won't hate geocaching today. You've never kayaked before and you're going on a three hour tour on the ocean? Even "the skipper" had experience driving a boat and look how that turned out. I assume he's already underway, so we look forward to the story -- or the TV series! Or a new edition of a book that I've read. It's called "Deep Trouble" by Matt Broze. Matt is/was the owner/designer of Mariner Kayaks, a company in Washington state. The book chronicles a dozen or so stories where kayakers got into "deep trouble" after kayakers that were unprepared for the conditions they encountered went out on trips just like Roman describes. The incidents (some involving death) often were directly related to a lack of experience or ignorance regarding how quickly things can go bad paddling on open water. I wouldn't call where we went open water, it's sheltered by all sort of islands, big and small and we were never more than 500 meters from shore. We also had friends in their canoe (the CO) of the cache following us just in case as we did have to go ashore for the caches. I have motor boated the waters and also have thousands of hour paragliding so I am very familiar with both the water conditions as well as weather. I also have all the the safety gear and am a very competent swimmer I was well aware what I was getting into and sorry to say, we survived without incident, sometimes life isn't stranger than fiction. Since you wrote that you were going out "in the ocean" it is not unreasonable to assume that you were going out into open water. If you're going to be making use of that kayak a lot more I would recommend reading that book and taking some classes which focus on safety and you might find that you're not as aware of what you might be getting into as you think. As someone with many hours of training and many years of experience paddling a kayak in less than optimal conditions I just cringe a little bit when I see someone without any experience go out into places which *can* result in serious incidents. I'm glad that you survived without incidents, but people that drive without a seatbelt or drive while intoxicated might survive without incident for many many years but that doesn't make it safe. Sure, getting those FTFs might be nice but the only reason I mentioned anything is that I don't want to see *anyone* hurt because they haven't taken the time to understand to fully understand the risks involved with open water paddling. Quote Link to comment
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