ceiligirls Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 What are the odds of this happening? A few months ago, I placed a multicache. A recent log stated that the finder was actually looking for a letterbox and found my cache by mistake. I checked the local letterboxes, and sure enough, I found one that appears to have been placed in the very same hiding place as my cache. The letter box was reported to be "gone missing" (which is actually appropriate since I named my cache "Gone Fishing" partly for the theme and partly as a play on words on the title "gone missing.") I find this a rather amusing coincidence, but I'm wondering if there is a problem with this. I am thinking of putting in an inkpad and a stamp (a fish, of course), and a special logbook for letterbox stamps and then putting in a card that reads, "Attention Letterboxers. If you found this cache by mistake, please add your stamp here." I also would want to remind them that they cannot take an item unless they leave something, but they should feel free to leave their own stamp in the book. Should I try to contact the original letterbox owner? Should I add a note to my cache about this? Just wondering. Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Before any toes get squashed contact the owner of the box. They are the ones you need to be talking to. You are aware of the friction between some in both camps? While there are many of us who do both, there are some who look down on the other group and for various reasons. Quote Link to comment
+jeff35080 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 The odds are pretty good Here's a log from a multi here in Alabama: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...d0-08843ed8410c I also found the letterbox when doing this cache. Both the multi-stage and letterbox seem to be coexisting peacefully Quote Link to comment
+Monkeybrad Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 When FullCT and I were hunting in Indiana last may I found a letterbox on the way to a cache. I thought we had found the cache and that the coordinates were 150 feet off. We proceeded on to the coordinates and found the cache. I did not know anything about letterboxing at the time. needless to say, it was very confusing for a moment. Quote Link to comment
+Geo Ho Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 There is a letterbox within 20' and 10' feet of this cache. The one letterbox was there before I hid the cache and the other was placed sometime afterwards. I guess Letterboxing don't have any guidelines about saturating an area. Happy caching and stuff! Quote Link to comment
+blazerfan Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 letterboxers think just like geocachers when it comes to hides. When looking for a place for a cache of mine once I found a letterbox exactly where I wanted to hide mine. I signed the log book since I didn't have a stamp and went to look for another place. Later in the same area I spotted a nice hollowed tree... the hollow was not open enough to put a cache in, but when looking inside the small opening I could see a container. On the other side of the tree was a small perfectly fitting peice of wood you could remove and inside was a letterbox... a terrific hide and I found it on accident just looking for a good spot. I plan to make myself a stamp and start letterboxing as well as caching... whenever I get the energy to carve a stamp. I might even make a letterbox hybrid cache. Quote Link to comment
+GatoRx Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 Before any toes get squashed contact the owner of the box. They are the ones you need to be talking to. Most definitely. E-mail the owner through the LB site (I don't think you have to be a registered user to do it), and let them know what's going on, and what you'd like to do. Quote Link to comment
+Lone Duck Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 .... and I can add to this thread that there's a local cache in my area that is right next to a letterbox. I signed the log in the letterbox and still have yet to go back and find the "real" cache. Quote Link to comment
+GeoBear18 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I actually found a letter box while searching for Celebrate Disney II in Orlando. The first time I went after the cache, we found the letterbox and signed it. A week later I was back and found the real cache easily. There is a letterbox near Happy Holiday Cache in Broward, Florida as well. Haven't found the letterbox - but I will be back soon to hunt for it. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 (edited) Many letterboxers use the same criteria for hides as many geocachers, so there are bound to be places where they are close together. I found one about 40 feet from one of my caches during a maint trip. It had obviously been found by geocachers because I saw some familiar names in the logbook. I placed a note inside saying "this is not the geocache". I also have one abandoned cache that I've been looking after. I noticed a log that complained that the cache was soaked and the pen had leaked all over. The log also mentioned the person found sunglasses nearby and put them inside the cache. I went and checked and the cache was fine. I was stumped. Then I figured I'd bag the letterbox that was in the same area. Found it and sure enough it was soaked, with ink from the pad all over and a pair of sunglasses inside. The geocacher had found the letterbox. The odd thing was that in this instance, they were at least 200 feet apart. There have also been instances where letterboxes were mistaken for caches and the geocacher traded out the cool stamp. In your case, I'd contact the letterbox owner, but I've found that they are not always easy to get in touch with. The letterboxing.org site isn't as user friendly as GC.COM. If you can't get in touch, then I'd go with your idea of adding a stamp and separate pad for letterboxers. Then have your admin change the cache to a letterbox hybrid. Edited April 21, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 I placed a note inside saying "this is not the geocache". How about a note inside the cache stating "this is not the letterbox?" Great stories, by the way. Quote Link to comment
Happy Boy Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 In Hartsville, SC, I once found a letterbox and thought it was the cache. I was confused and angry, since it seemed like the perfect hiding spot. Then I looked behind where the letterbox was sitting and found the cache. Quote Link to comment
+bons Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I am thinking of putting in an inkpad and a stamp (a fish, of course), and a special logbook for letterbox stamps and then putting in a card that reads, "Attention Letterboxers. If you found this cache by mistake, please add your stamp here." I also would want to remind them that they cannot take an item unless they leave something, but they should feel free to leave their own stamp in the book. very cool. Thumbs up!!!! Should I try to contact the original letterbox owner? Should I add a note to my cache about this? Just wondering.I'd say "Yes and Yes." Quote Link to comment
ceiligirls Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 Well, I tried to contact the letterbox owner, and my e-mail bounced back. Not sure what to do now. Quote Link to comment
Pipanella Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 My very first find was a Letterbox, only because it was close to me and easy to find. I enjoy doing both! Quote Link to comment
+blazerfan Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 if the email came back then the letterbox is abandoned in my opinion. I would put your stamp in your cache if you like, just make sure to mention that it is not really the letterbox and that the real letterbox is nearby. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Well, I tried to contact the letterbox owner, and my e-mail bounced back. Not sure what to do now. It may well be abandoned. Just throw a stamp and pad and notbook inside your cache call it a letterbox hybrid. it might be a good idea to put them in a smaller container inside the box and label it as "letterboxing items, not for trade". Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Well, I tried to contact the letterbox owner, and my e-mail bounced back. Not sure what to do now. Join the letterbox talk list and ask there. It might be abandoned, or they might know that the owner is in the middle of a move or taking a hiatus. There needs to be some sort of resolution for that box. Shouldn't just leave it there becoming trash without attempting figuring out what to do with it. Quote Link to comment
ceiligirls Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 Let me clarify. The letterbox is no longer there. My geocache is in the exact same location that the letterbox was. It's a type of hiding place. I think the owner of the letterbox lives nearby. As far as I can tell, he planted letterboxes in several states. Quote Link to comment
ceiligirls Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 Oops -- I meant to say, "I DON'T think the owner lives nearby." Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Always nice to see the Ceili Girls in here! I say if you can't find the letterbox owner and see what they want to do, go ahead and make it into a geocache/letterbox hybrid. I have been dragging my feet getting a stamp for letterboxing. Since I haven't found Gone Fishing yet and was planning to do it soon, I guess I had better get that done! Quote Link to comment
ceiligirls Posted April 22, 2004 Author Share Posted April 22, 2004 Hi Carleen, Yes, now we're into the forums; I guess that means we're going to get addicted to checking the forums. Sigh. Anyway, I'm not sure it would be a good idea to change the cache type. First of all, I'm not sure it's possible unless we start over. Also, if we changed it to a letterbox hybrid, then it wouldn't show up as a multicache. I might just add a note stating what's going on. Anyway, I'll let you know when I add the letterbox items to it. I'm not sure when we'll get to it. Quote Link to comment
RumpusingReynolds Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 We found the same one in Hartsville that HappyBoy mentioned. Me, being the brains of our operation, knew what it was right off. The rest of them had no idea what was going on....I had to 'xplain it to 'em. Turned out the Girl Scouts (think it was GS's anyway) thought they might get more hits if they put it there with the cache and I'd imagine they were right...they got us and HappyBoy after all! Gwen Quote Link to comment
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