If I happen to have a spare container with me, usually I’ll replace a damaged one. IMO if you found the original and know where it was, that’s not the same as putting out a random throwdown for a missing cache.
If it’s a specially made container, I’d probably just log Needs Maintenance, but if you’re just replacing a pill bottle with something similar I would think it’s fair game. In any case definitely mention it in your log
I wouldn’t do any maintenance, it’s up to the CO to care for the cache. And throwdowns are generally frowned upon. But do log a Need Maintenance log so the CO gets informed that there may be an issue with it. As a CO myself this is what I prefer.
The CO may be inactive and the cache is abandoned, but then the spot will open up again and someone can place a new happy cache in it’s place.
I drove down there from north of the border for the weekend. Spent some time exploring Seattle, finding a bunch of really creative gadget caches, and generally hanging out with some good geo-friends. I was quite impressed by how far some people travelled in order to attend. I think it’s still one of my fondest memories of 2022!
My biggest issue is my wife doesn’t find it fun so most of those are from before marriage or when she’s out of town. I look forward to introducing the kid to it later on to possibly have a buddy.
My partner pays for the Premium service. We go geocaching together all the time, I’d say it’s worth it. Lame subscription model aside, it’s pretty cheap entertainment and it gets us outside.
We don’t subscribe in the winter so it’s only a few months a year we need to pay for.
Yeah, it’s a shame when a container is abandoned and essentially becomes trash – in my experience, it’s rare for that to happen, though.
On the other hand, there’s ‘Cache In Trash Out’ events (CITOs): Geocaching events where people gather to pick up litter, remove invasive species, plant trees, or otherwise help the environment. They’re pretty popluar in my local area. So I wouldn’t say geocaching has a net negative impact as far as littering goes!
Geocaching.com would be the site everyone uses, it’s free to make an account. Their FAQ is a good place to start as well.
For apps, there is c:geo for Android, Cachly for iOS, or the official Geocaching app for both. I might see about adding more of a wiki or sidebar to this community…
It’s a community treasure hunting game. A person hides something, then posts GPS coordinates and/or clues to lead you there. Often the hidden item is a sealed container so people can leave log books or unique trinkets. Some of the trinkets have serial numbers you can use to see where they’ve traveled.
I haven’t done it in years, but I remember it being a lot of fun. Hunting for caches led me to a bunch of interesting new places that I would never have explored otherwise.
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