Logging with a photo

[+kitt5]

What are your thoughts on cachers submitting a photo of the log as a find? Does this actually qualify as a find or should there be something printed on the paper? IMHO, if you're going caching, you should be carrying a pen/pencil first and foremost. Rarely does a cacher stumble upon a cache and just happen to not have a pen. If you're on an app, your intent is to find a cache, then it should be your intent to grab a writing utensil before heading out.

[+Isonzo Karst]

On my owned hides, I'd rather have photo of log  than,  a Found it! log saying, "forgot pen"...  ;-) 

Stuff happens, sometimes the log isn't signed.  I'm good with proof of finding. 

[+Mudfrog]

I'd rather see someone sign the logbook/logsheet than take a picture for proof. But a picture is not a deal breaker when it does happen to occur. Fortunately, seeing it done has been a rare occurrence over the many years I've been caching.

 

I do agree that having a writing utensil is important. But even if a person doesn't have one for some reason, it's really not that hard to leave a mark showing he was there. I remember a couple of occasions when I lost my pen along the way (left it in a previous cache) and had to improvise. A stick dipped in mud works in a pinch. There was one time where I used a stick and a blade of grass to leave my green initials. 

 

I wouldn't do it but I believe I've even read replies on here where someone used their own blood to sign a log. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Mudfrog

[+Max and 99]

I rarely get asked to accept a photo instead of a signed log, but I will accept it. Most of the "I didn't have a pen" excuses come from new geocachers, and I politely inform them that I'm giving them a one-time only no-pen pass, but next time..... Bring a writing utensil!

[+barefootjeff]

7 hours ago, kitt5 said:

IMHO, if you're going caching, you should be carrying a pen/pencil first and foremost. Rarely does a cacher stumble upon a cache and just happen to not have a pen. If you're on an app, your intent is to find a cache, then it should be your intent to grab a writing utensil before heading out.

 

My regular caching backpack has a handful of pens and pencils in it so it's not something I consciously tick off before leaving the house, hence I've been caught out a few times when I wasn't using that backpack. One was a newly published P&G so I just loaded it into my GPSr, dashed out of the house and drove off. There's normally a pen in the glovebox so it shouldn't have been a problem, except on this occasion there wasn't, but being an urban cache I didn't have to go too far to buy a pen then come back and sign the logbook. Another time I needed to take my telescopic ladder on a long hike so I used my larger hiking backpack to strap it to but didn't think to throw a pen in along with water, rope, etc., since my mind was on reaching the cache, not what I'd be doing if I achieved that feat. Even though the container was well into the range of "regular" size and had all manner of swag in it, there was no pen or pencil in that either so I had to improvise with a twig:

 

 

A similar thing's happened when doing water-access caches in my kayak and I haven't taken the backpack with me, most recently a couple of months ago on a newly-published local island cache. Fortunately that time the CO had put a pencil in the container but the experience forced me to leave a pen in the small waist bag I usually wear when paddling so hopefully next time...

 

My own caches all have pencils in them so I normally don't have to deal with "forgot my pen" logs, except on one occasion someone, upon realising they'd forgotten their pen, didn't even bother opening the container when they found it, a pity as that one has two pencils inside it. Incidentally, they said they hadn't intended going caching that day but were just doing the tourist thing at the lighthouse when they saw on their phone that there was a cache nearby. I let the log stand.

[+Mudfrog]

Well, funny coincidence. Just got this log in today.

 

Quote

First one in Louisiana. I didn’t have a pen so a photo will have to do. TFTC

 

His photo was of the cache so I accepted it!

[+JL_HSTRE]

On 8/27/2022 at 10:46 AM, kitt5 said:

IMHO, if you're going caching, you should be carrying a pen/pencil first and foremost. Rarely does a cacher stumble upon a cache and just happen to not have a pen. If you're on an app, your intent is to find a cache, then it should be your intent to grab a writing utensil before heading out.

 

And therein lies the rub.

 

I have a bunch of pens in my cachemobile. How often I remember to grab them is another. Even of I do remember them, there have been more than a few times mid-hike where I no longer have the pen I started with. Where I lost it along the way I don't know. Slipped of my GPS lanyard or fell from my pocket.

[+kunarion]

On 8/27/2022 at 1:12 PM, Max and 99 said:

I rarely get asked to accept a photo instead of a signed log, but I will accept it. Most of the "I didn't have a pen" excuses come from new geocachers, and I politely inform them that I'm giving them a one-time only no-pen pass, but next time..... Bring a writing utensil!

 

 

I've arrived at caches without a pen, and even lost a Space Pen that was clipped to a belt loop "so that I could never be without a pen while caching" (the pen portion lost on the way back from a cache).  But I would never in my life presume to impose on a Cache Owner, requiring the CO to accommodate me with my invented "way I'm gonna do this one".  Sooo obnoxious.  Instead, I go get a pen.  No "body fluid signatures for me", an actual normal ink pen that sane persons use (or a pencil).  Actually I'm prepared for adventure, I have the required Geocaching items.  I won't be without a pen, and it won't "run out of ink" or whatever insipid excuse.  Come back later with extra pens.  If one hates the idea of returning to my cache, one needs to re-evaluate which caches they are seeking in the first place.

 

Nobody has ever offered even to "post a photo for proof" on my caches, they merely are not doing Geocaching in its simplest form (find it, sign it), yet expect the Smilie anyway.  Something Ain't Right Upstairs with those people.  Everyone's on same page here, right?  ...we allow this behavior not because it's a suitable alternative to Geocaching, but it's merely that we know for sure they are sociopaths and we don't want to get on their bad side.

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by kunarion

[+Goldenwattle]

1 hour ago, JL_HSTRE said:

Slipped of my GPS lanyard or fell from my pocket.

I carry my pens in a zipped up back pack, so this won't happen.

[+Goldenwattle]

 I think it's rudeness and presumptive of the person to think that's okay. Now, an email saying they dropped their pen or the pen ran out of ink (or more honestly say they forgot to bring one) and here's a photograph of proof of find. Then say they will respect the wishes of the CO on this. DON'T log until you do this. Get permission from the CO. That's what I do, as it polite. Of the COs who bothered to reply (there's a lot who seem to live in La LA land and never reply), none have refused me permission to log. The very few times that someone has been polite enough to email me first about this, with proof of find, I have never refused their log either. I'm impressed by their consideration. For those rude COs who can't be bothered to reply to a polite email, after about a week I log the find. 'Stuff you!' or thoughts similar.

[+barefootjeff]

11 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

I carry my pens in a zipped up back pack, so this won't happen.

 

I thought the same thing too, until it happened. I wasn't using my regular caching backpack but had put a pen in, except when I got to GZ (a hike of several kilometres from where I'd parked and an hour's drive at least from the nearest pen shop) there was no pen in the backpack. I signed the log with a gumnut, returned to the car and drove off, stopping at a beach along the way for a swim. When I lifted my towel out of the back of the car, the missing pen was under it. I don't know how it got out of the backpack and under the towel, but it did.

Edited August 28, 2022 by barefootjeff

[+JL_HSTRE]

3 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

I carry my pens in a zipped up back pack, so this won't happen.

 

Unless I'm going on a hike of longer than 2 hours I usually don't carry a backpack nor any equivalent. They make my back sweat too much. And if it is so hot out I need to carry water for a shorter hike then it's usually too hot to be worth hiking at all. (This may change if I move somewhere with elevation.)

[+JL_HSTRE]

3 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

 I think it's rudeness and presumptive of the person to think that's okay. Now, an email saying they dropped their pen or the pen ran out of ink (or more honestly say they forgot to bring one) and here's a photograph of proof of find. Then say they will respect the wishes of the CO on this. DON'T log until you do this. Get permission from the CO. That's what I do, as it polite. Of the COs who bothered to reply (there's a lot who seem to live in La LA land and never reply), none have refused me permission to log. The very few times that someone has been polite enough to email me first about this, with proof of find, I have never refused their log either. I'm impressed by their consideration. For those rude COs who can't be bothered to reply to a polite email, after about a week I log the find. 'Stuff you!' or thoughts similar.

 

I learned in my first year of geocaching it was a lot simpler to never state in my online log whether I had signed the physical log. In some cases it could be deduced because I said the container was full of water or the logsheet was mush.

 

I make a good-faith effort to sign the log, but I'm not going to go to extreme lengths or play permission games with COs. After a decade and nearly 7000 Finds my average is 1 DNF logged for every 8 Finds. It should be pretty obvious I'm logging honestly whether my name is on a particular piece of paper or not.

[+kunarion]

5 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

I carry my pens in a zipped up back pack, so this won't happen.

 

+1

 

My little cache pack has convenient outer pockets for pens.  I learned pretty quick never to use those pen pockets.

 

I have several kinds of pens zipped up in the pack, including pens for re-stocking my own caches, and cut pencils.  And before I head out on a cache run, I place a pen or two in my pants pocket.  Because I tend to hop out at some roadside cache where "I won't need my pack". 

[+Hynz]

On 8/27/2022 at 4:46 PM, kitt5 said:

What are your thoughts on cachers submitting a photo of the log as a find?

What irks me more and more is the fact that when browsing often found caches especially in touristic areas that about 2/3rd of gallery photos are either photos of the logsheet (without the signature of the finder) or photos of the cache (often in the hands of the finder).

The corresponding logtexts are short, generic and give rarely any hint about why such photo was attached.

 

So my probably pesimistic interpretation of that is the following: Those finder rarely make a physical signature. They don't even consider that making a photo is only a stopgap which should be an exception. I belive they honestly think that's a fully accepted alternative way to mark their find. And owners of such caches rarely care about it. To the contrary they are happy and and best are appreciating finders who replace logsheets (certainly by just throwing away the old ones).

 

More than an irk is it then for me when seldom found and remote caches (and god forbid my own caches  ) are visited by cachers with that attitude.

[+Happy_Terd]

I take a single photo for my own personal scrapbook but never to log.  I generally carry a small strip of paper to sign and stuff in, just in case the log is water damaged and cannot take a signature.  I think a cacher should always have a pen to get credit.

[+TheVoytekBear]

I always have my stamp with me. I have a telescopic pen attached to my keychain. I still accept found it logs when someone added a photo because they forgot a pen. They found it, why make the game irritating for them (unless it's a puzzle box where signing the log is some kind of task on it's own).