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A question on Protocol...


cleahy

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I did my first cache last night, after work. Here is the link to it:

 

Amphitheatric Altoids

 

As you can see, this cache has been wet, frozen, or completely soaked since December. It's in a damp location, and the hiding place tends to collect water.

 

I think that if the cache isn't shoved deeply into the hiding place, it won't get submerged, so a more airtite container could fix it, but it will have to be taken home for a day or two to dry it out, since once it is soaked, airtight containers will only keep it that way.

 

I consider this an important cache. It's one that can be done in just a few minutes, and was the perfect one for me to try out my equipment and make sure all my GPSr settings were right, before going on a more extended trip with a coworker this weekend. In addition, I pass right by this one every day on the way home from work, and live very near it.

 

I'd love to fix this cache up. It wouldn't take long, just cart it home, dry it out, and pop it into a new container that will fit the hiding place. I could also drop in some new sheets of paper, and maybe a small trade item or two for a mini.

 

What worries me is that to do this I'll have to REMOVE the cache for about a day, and I would want to post that it was going to be gone in advance. Should I do this, without permission of the owner? I don't want to offend him/her, but I might live closer, so it might be easier for me to fix this one up.

 

What do you folks think I should do?

 

DrMemory

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did you try contacting the owner yet. all cache owners that i have contacted get right back to me. water invasion seems to be a common problem amongst caches. i always carry additional ziplocks and duct tape for repairs. i may even carry a medium tupperware for repairs soo, as i hunted a recent cache where racoons invaded and chewed up the container. -- but i digress.

 

try contacting the owner. be guided by their response.

 

robbie

 

wings_flag.gif

A family that Geocaches together... eventually gets wet.

 

required reading

My first bible

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This one has been soaked for close to a year and a half. Apparently the owner doesn't give a rats patootie about it. I'd e-mail him anyway, just as a courtesy and if you get his permission, or no response, go ahead and fix it (leave a note mentioning that it's gone).

 

Altoids containers are OK for certain applications, but obviously this isn't one of them. So a new watertight container is probably a good idea too.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

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quote:
Originally posted by timberlane74 & pumpkin:

Why not e-mail the owner with your generous offer? If it was mine, I would welcome the assistance!


 

Thank you gentlemen, for reminding me of the obvious! I hadn't realized until you posted this that the system had e-mail capabilities!

 

DrMemory

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Or, assuming you receive no objection from the owner, you could prepare a replacement container and logbook beforehand and then just do a quick swap. Then you could take the old log home, dry it out, and replace it later. Or... to save space in the small cache, photograph the old log pages and post them to the cache webpage instead of replacing them in the cache. I did that for this cache not long ago, and it seems to have worked well.

 

Worldtraveler

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We had a cache in So. Miss. that the previous 6 cachers before me had reported was leaking and all contents soaked. So, before I went searching for that cache myself, I prepared a new container, and when I made the find swapped out and trashed all the soaked contents and replaced them with new dry stuff, and put in a new log book and left the old one in another ziplog bag in the cache just for "archival" purposes. The cache owner, who was not from the area (it was placed before the moratorium on "vacation" caches), Emailed me with sincere gratitude for resurrecting his cache. Seems to me you could do the same thing on the one you're looking at.

 

-Dave R. in Biloxi

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The guy seems to be active, he logged onto the site this morning. If he doesn't respond to your email I think worldtraveler has the right idea. Prepare a replacement cache to leave when you pick up the soaked one. Then later you can replace the old log book.

 

Give him a few days to respond though. Most cachers would appreciate the offer, but some may not.

 

___________________________________________________________

Don't mind us, we're just looking for tupperware in this bush.

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If the cache container is no longer an Altoids tin, the cache name won't make sense... amphitheatric ex-altoid? You'd need to either secure the owner's cooperation to change that, or adopt the cache yourself. Since the owner does still log onto the site, I don't think the cache can be considered abandoned, though it is pretty poor 'maintenance' to ignore "this cache is soaking wet" logs for six months... especially when they began almost the moment the cache was placed. Ultimately, though, it's his cache, and maybe if he doesn't enjoy maintenance he'll happily agree to let you fix it up.

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quote:
Originally posted by Kite & Hawkeye:

If the cache container is no longer an Altoids tin, the cache name won't make sense... amphitheatric ex-altoid?


 

I may have the solution here. I found a tupperware that was about double the size of an Altoids tin, and is about the same shape. I THINK it will fit where the Altoid's tin is. (I'll have to try it to make sure.) If it does, I have an Altoids tin of my own, nice and new, I can put this inside the tupperware, and store it in the old one's place.

 

DrMemory

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quote:
I may have the solution here. I found a tupperware that was about double the size of an Altoids tin, and is about the same shape. I THINK it will fit where the Altoid's tin is. (I'll have to try it to make sure.) If it does, I have an Altoids tin of my own, nice and new, I can put this inside the tupperware, and store it in the old one's place.


 

The small Tupperware is a good idea. If not, and you use another altoids tin, be sure to place the log in a small ziploc. Some crafts stores (Michaels, Rag Shop, etc...) sell ziplocs in a variety of sizes ranging from 2" x 3" to 4" x 6". Keep the pencil outside the bag so it doesn't puncture it.

 

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

 

[This message was edited by BrianSnat on May 23, 2003 at 08:24 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by DrMemory:

I did my first cache last night, after work. Here is the link to it:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=45357

 

As you can see, this cache has been wet, frozen, or completely soaked since December. It's in a damp location, and the hiding place tends to collect water.

 

I think that if the cache isn't shoved deeply into the hiding place, it won't get submerged, so a more airtite container could fix it, but it will have to be taken home for a day or two to dry it out, since once it is soaked, airtight containers will only keep it that way.

 

I consider this an important cache. It's one that can be done in just a few minutes, and was the perfect one for me to try out my equipment and make sure all my GPSr settings were right, before going on a more extended trip with a coworker this weekend. In addition, I pass right by this one every day on the way home from work, and live very near it.

 

I'd love to fix this cache up. It wouldn't take long, just cart it home, dry it out, and pop it into a new container that will fit the hiding place. I could also drop in some new sheets of paper, and maybe a small trade item or two for a mini.

 

What worries me is that to do this I'll have to REMOVE the cache for about a day, and I would want to post that it was going to be gone in advance. Should I do this, without permission of the owner? I don't want to offend him/her, but I might live closer, so it might be easier for me to fix this one up.

 

What do you folks think I should do?

 

DrMemory


 

I did this cache back in Feb/March time frame and it was soaked then. I too like the location. I have e-mailed the owner on other subjects and got a response in a couple of days. I think he lives in the east end and would proably like it if you would fix it for him. Your idea for a plastic container to hold the tin sounds like a good one. After doing that cache myself, I think it would be best if you replace everything, logbook, and tin. Then you can ask the owner if he wants the old logbook (or whats left of it). I would ask the permision of the owner 1st.

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quote:
Originally posted by Turtle3863:

I did this cache back in Feb/March time frame and it was soaked then. I too like the location. I have e-mailed the owner on other subjects and got a response in a couple of days. I think he lives in the east end and would proably like it if you would fix it for him. Your idea for a plastic container to hold the tin sounds like a good one. After doing that cache myself, I think it would be best if you replace everything, logbook, and tin. Then you can ask the owner if he wants the old logbook (or whats left of it). I would ask the permision of the owner 1st.


 

Well, I went to pick up some tupperware for my first cache (Sometime over the next few weeks I figure...) and couldn't resist picking up supplies to revamp this one. This morning, I dropped by with the tupperware. One wouldn't fit, and it was the one that the Altoids can would fit into. The second WOULD fit, and fit quite well, but it's a "bottle" style container with a screw top lid, and I wouldn't be able to get the Altoids tin into it, just the contents.

 

As a stop-gap, I put my new Altoids container into the baggie, with a new set of log sheets, and took the old one to work with me. (Your note is flattened out on my desk right now, in front of a fan. Interesting that you have paper with a picture of a green turtle on it! icon_wink.gif

 

As long as the baggie is wrapped properly, and is replaced now and then, this may be enough. In any event, I'll drop all the old logs and notes off there on the way home today. If the owner wants me to, I'll put my tupperware in the place of the altoids tin and he can change the name if he wants.

 

Quiddler, if you read this... Your card was in the bottom and was the most damaged. It's still legible, but it's torn, and has rust marks all over it.

 

DrMemroy

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quote:
Originally posted by DrMemory:

I did my first cache last night, after work. Here is the link to it:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=45357

 

 

DrMemory


 

I noticed that you have only did that one cache in that park. You need to go over to the stairway that goes to the top of that knob and do the other caches in that park. You will really enjoy them, they were created by the local master of caches: Show Me The Cache, Get out there and enjoy.

Turtle

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quote:
Originally posted by Turtle3863:

I noticed that you have only did that one cache in that park. You need to go over to the stairway that goes to the top of that knob and do the other caches in that park. You will really enjoy them, they were created by the local master of caches: Show Me The Cache, Get out there and enjoy.

Turtle


 

Oh, don't worry about me! This one cache was my trial run, to make sure I knew how to run my GPS.

 

The stairs are planned for tomorrow, at noon. I'm hoping to hit all four of SMTC's Iroquois Park sites. (Going with a co-worker). After that, I have printouts, I'm set up with EasyGPS, and I have a WEEK off next week. I'm going to be hitting Waverly Park HARD. (I've never been there, but my mother used to go to the Tuberculosis Hospital as a child while HER mother was in there. There's some family history in that park)

 

I intend to have SMTC's technique down pat after next week!

 

DrMemory

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I'm going to be hitting Waverly Park HARD. (I've never been there, but my mother used to go to the Tuberculosis Hospital as a child while HER mother was in there. There's some family history in that park)

 

I intend to have SMTC's technique down pat after next week!

 

DrMemory

 

You will really like Waverly, the nice thing about those caches is that SMTC live close by and you have a good chance of bumping into him while you there. Enjoy and hope to see you around. Turtle

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