Caches in high traffic areas

[Hairy Little Dwarf]

Anyone have ideas/experiences in retrieving or replacing caches when the public suddenly decide to descend on you? This happened to me recently with 2 whangarei caches. First was beside the road at a junction, now I normally grab the cache and retire to a respectable distance to avoid drawing attention to the true location. This was fine. But when replacing it, there were at least three cars appear from nearby driveways and staring at this figure rummaging in the grass by a roadsign. What do you do? Nowhere to hide and trying to act casual doesn't work when you're skulking in the kikuyu.

Second (to make a long story even longer), I found a cache at a nice secluded dam. Took five minutes to find....Then a steady procession of cars, cyclists, horse riders, astronauts etc means I had to wait 3/4 Hr to get it back!

....Or am I just being paranoid?

 

A friend helps you move house - A true friend helps you move a body.

[+tgsnoopy]

Well, thats a tricky situation. One of my caches has that situation (Cathedral Cove). Lots of people have decided to leave that cache alone and come back later. I must admit I placed that cache in the evening. I'm pleased people have err'ed on the side of caution, but I'm also considering moving the cache. However, I figure I'll need to do it one evening, so it's on the to do list, and there it may stay for a while.

 

All you can do is trust your judgement in that situation. I'm amazed when visiting some caches as to how much foot traffic there really is. If the cache gets plundered, it gets plundered, in the case of my caches, I'll simply find a new nearby location and replace them. Hopefully other cachers will have the same attitude. There are a few caches around where the cacher who placed them isn't around anymore, Whangarei is a prime example. Unfortunately when those caches get plundered, they are unlikely to be replaced. In fact I understand there is concern over a number of them. Something I should find the time to research, another item on the to do list.

 

Trust your judgement, we do .

[+BigNick]

Sounds like you have had a string of bad luck. From memory I have only had one cache that I have decided not to hunt for due to people in the immediate area (Tricky 3) and luckily only one when someone walked past while I was re-hiding the cache (Spy Break 0) but fortunately the area is not somewhere where people hang round, so they just passed by (wondering why my hand was in the bush )

I don't think there is much you can do in the situation when you have found the cache but can't return it, except what you have been doing - I commend you on a 3/4Hr wait, not many people would be that diligent - I guess if worst came to worst you could take the cache with you and return it later...

Cheers

Nick

[Hairy Little Dwarf]

I won't hunt if there are bods in the vicinity, my problem occurred when people turned up while actually replacing the caches. Normally I can use my Superhero powers to detect approaching citizens, unfortunately cars travel faster than I do and attempts to "run away" tend to attract more attention I considered taking the long wait cache with me, but as I face a 2hr drive each way to get to my nearest caches It could be a while before I get back to it. I suppose I could have stashed it elsewhere and emailed the owner to let them know? (There's an idea - having to find your own cache!) But being a virgin cache there could have been some demand for it. Mind you, I've designed my upcoming caches so the only people you're likely to see is the Search & Rescue team looking for you

I have an idea as to the ID of the missing Whg cacher - could you confirm my suspicions via email pls?

Cheers

And looking forward to a frustrating but rewarding summer!

[+tgsnoopy]

Ok, I got a little motivation this morning (first job of the day postponed).

 

Now those Whangarei caches, most were placed by two different cachers. One of them I have no idea how to contact, the other fortunately I have an updated e-mail address for.

 

I've made the appropriate contact asking for the two caches that appear to be missing to be checked.

 

The other cache simply appears to have the wrong co-ordinates, I understand the hints are accurate and a number of people have found it ok using the hints. One cacher suggested perhaps it was a Geod49/WGS84 error.

 

Lets hope we will be able to resolve this shortly. I'm hoping the cacher I've e-mailed (and it didn't bounce - Yay) will be able to lead to the other cacher who's e-mail is bouncing.

 

Lets keep our fingers crossed. In the mean time, if you are going up to Whangarei, please take the time to read the comments from people who have already found/attempted to find the caches to save a little heartache.

[+tofska]

quote:

---

Now those Whangarei caches, most were placed by two different cachers. One of them I have no idea how to contact, the other fortunately I have an updated e-mail address for.

---

 

I can understand Peejay losing interest - the scene just wasn't active enough up there until very recently. It was such a long time before anyone found some of his caches. Pity as Manaia Mania, Kai Iwi cache #1, and Kai Iwi cache #2 are really cool caches to visit.

 

quote:

---

The other cache simply appears to have the wrong co-ordinates, I understand the hints are accurate and a number of people have found it ok using the hints. One cacher suggested perhaps it was a Geod49/WGS84 error.

---

Don't know, but I saw Waatz's GPSr setup. It's a huge thing that he carries in a backup with a huge aerial. I was curious about the Geod49 datum, but that didn't seem to match up. It fits in with the type of work he does though.

 

Auckland Kayakers Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auckland-kayakers

[Hairy Little Dwarf]

Drifting off topic a bit, but I've got half a dozen caches planned to go in over the next month up here. I see Green Eagle is already hard at it Could be the start of a burst of activity in the Far North (maybe we could get lucky and some of these Southerners coming up for the break might throw a few in for us as well?).

 

If it moves, it's not food.....yet.

[+tofska]

Geees, just when I thought I'd knocked 'em all off and wouldn't have to go up there again for a while . We could 'make our marks' as it were while visiting, but we may have to get you guys to verify their status now and again.

 

Auckland Kayakers Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/auckland-kayakers

[Hairy Little Dwarf]

I'm happy to monitor any caches from Kaitaia to Kawakawa for their absentee owners, Just to try and draw more cachers up this way (If nothing else, the extra activity might stop the wild pigs eating the caches)

Be nice to get some extra flavours of cache up here - lack of through traffic is one of the downsides of living in a geographical cul-de-sac.

 

H.L.D.

WYSIWIT: What You See Is What I Typed.