Wind Chime Cache?

[CacheNCarryMA]

I was checking out birdsong-n-bud's new "Mr. Jangles" night cache and the name made me think of wind chimes.

 

What would you think of a mystery cache in the woods where the posted coordinates got you to within a hundred yards or so of the cache, then you would have to listen for a set of wind chimes placed above the container to zero in?

 

Personally, I think wind chimes are a little annoying, but it might be interesting to get another one of your senses involved in the hunt. You'd probably want to set it up in less frequently trafficked woods to cut down on the chance of the chimes being muggled. Or maybe set the chimes high in a tree out of reach and then state that the cache is "30 feet east from the tree" or somesuch.

 

Is this a good idea? Or just another form of pollution (noise)?

Edited April 23, 2005 by CacheNCarryMA

[+bigredmed]

I was checking out birdsong-n-bud's new "Mr. Jangles" night cache and the name made me think of wind chimes.

 

What would you think of a mystery cache in the woods where the posted coordinates got you to within a hundred yards or so of the cache, then you would have to listen for a set of wind chimes placed above the container to zero in?

 

Personally, I think wind chimes are a little annoying, but it might be interesting to get another one of your senses involved in the hunt. You'd probably want to set it up in less frequently trafficked woods to cut down on the chance of the chimes being muggled. Or maybe set the chimes high in a tree out of reach and then state that the cache is "30 feet east from the tree" or somesuch.

 

Is this a good idea? Or just another form of pollution (noise)?

I would discourage it. The wind chimes will need to hang from a tree with wind to work. This will mean they are in the open. This will mean that they will be lost or damaged soon after they are hung. Once that happens, you are in a maintenance hassle of going out there again and again to fix the chimes. The other problem is that once the chimes arer fixed, you have the rangers who will be unhappy that some one left these and will be interested in talking to you .

 

The beacon cache idea is a difficult one to pull off.

[CoyoteRed]

Another issue might be do wind chimes scare off wildlife?

 

Personally, I think the idea interesting. There are some things to think about though. If done properly, I think it would be a cool idea.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Cool concept, but I would be concerned that it could only be heard on windy days! Don't know where you are, but my wind chimes on the porch have enough wind only 2-3 days a week, and sometimes not that often.

 

I think you'd be setting cachers up for DNFs.

 

Now, add radio control to the idea, like one of the radio-operated doorbells at Home Depot, where they go to a certain spot, push a button and hear a sound, then have to find it, now that would be foolproof and kewl, and the batteries in those things last for years!

 

Hey! I may have to do that - in fact I will do that for my upcoming AGA Amazing GeoRace - 370 miles, 50 caches in 30 hours, modeled on The Amazing Race TV show! May 14-15, y'all come see how it works!

 

 

Ed

[+DaveA]

Another issue might be do wind chimes scare off wildlife?

 

Nope. Decades have been spent trying various methods to discourage wildlife from visiting an area (scarecrows, predator scents, noisemakers etc) and the end result is that while some methods work for awhile, none work for long. Wildlife survives by being cautious around things which are new. Once the new thing is no longer new, the critters move back in.

 

Personally, I think the idea interesting.  There are some things to think about though.  If done properly, I think it would be a cool idea.

 

I agree, some thought is required, but the idea has good potential in my opinion.

 

Personally I think finding some wind chimes which have an eery sound would make for a terrific night cache. I wouldn't try this in a well visited park, but some out of the way remote area of the woods I would. Just place the chimes up high enough in a tree to discourage anyone actually being able to touch them (or even see them) and it should work pretty well.

 

If in doubt check with the land manager. If there is no land manager (lots of public property has no real management) then there is nobody to risk annoying.

 

I definitely think the idea, if fully thought through and any necessary permissions granted, is one with a lot of potential. In fact I think I might steal this idea

Edited April 23, 2005 by DaveA

[TCE]

You can get wooden or bamboo wind chimes. Those would be ideal since they'd blend in better.

 

Another possibility would be an aeolian harp or flute. The harp would be harder to make, but would potentially be much eerier since harp lines wouldn't need to be all in the same place. And, the more the wind blew the more notes the harp would play. For a flute, you'd only need one piece, and then it would only work if the wind blew just right. It would work great on the coast...assuming you live near the ocean. You could even buy a cheap plastic recorder, and paint it brown, and put it in a tree...that'd be cool! Oh, you've got my imagination running!!! What a cool idea!!!

 

Of course if someone were to see a bird perching in mid-air from a harp line...it might be a bit strange...and may be seen as trash rather than music.

 

I think with careful planning, and maybe proper permissions, it would be a very cool cache. I'd enjoy finding one like that, or placing one like that I hope it works out well!!!!

[+Team Cotati]

Where I live, wind chimes work 6 out of 7 days a week. I say go for it. However, only do so after having given it much thought.

Edited April 23, 2005 by Team cotati697

[+cache_test_dummies]

I think the idea of getting other senses involved in the hunt for a cache is great! Sure, there might be some practical challenges which need to be worked through in getting it set up, but having to isolate the position of a sound in the woods is just a really cool idea.

 

So it isn't windy every day? Just makes it more of a challenge, because you have to plan your trip based on the weather. Nothing new about that.

 

Now you've got me thinking. Wind isn't the only natural mechanism for generating a sound - I'm sure you could rig up something in moving water which made a distinct sound, too.

 

Or how about this - in another thread there is discussion of the smelliest caches. How about a cache that you find by smell?

 

Ok, maybe not so good. But I do like the wind chime idea!

[+GSVNoFixedAbode]

I'd been thinking of a wind-based cache but not quite as noisy: small wind turbine feeding a LED circuit (IR/numerical display perhaps). That way it could only be done at night, when the wind is blowing. "It Was A Dark And Stormy Cache"

[+Kite and Hawkeye]

I've been to a cache that operated on a similar principle. A waypoint marker was a perfectly camouflaged metal "leaf" attached to a tree. The only, and I mean ONLY, way to find it was to poke at the vegetation with a stick until you heard a metallic noise. You could look right at it and still not know it was fake.

[TCE]

Ohh...like a bell in the bushes! You know you're close 'cuz the bell rings! Good idea!