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Geocaching in Canada

Muchmor Canada Magazine decided to take aand durable. Some GPS units come with certain
look at the phenomenon of Geocaching and howfunctions and accessories and others require
you can get involved and make exploring youryou  to  but  additional  software  etc.
country  even  more  exciting.
As a guideline, you should consider
So,  what  is  Geocaching?purchasing a GPS with the following
functions:12 parallel channels, external
Put simply, Geocaching is a game of treasureantenna jack, in/out ports, NMEA compatible,
hunting or hide and seek. All over the worldat least 8 megabytes of memory, memory card
individuals and companies hide caches andacceptable, adaptable power sources i.e.
then share the location on the Internet andcigarette lighter cable, solar charger,
invite other Geocachers to find them usingrocker  keypad,  large screen and waterproof.
GPS  devices.
Some GPS units have colour screens and
Some caches can be found quite easily,although these can be useful they are not
whereas others require significant hikes andessential to Geocaching and the colour screen
map reading skills. There are puzzle cacheswill use up batteries much quicker than a
that require you to solve clues in order toblack  and  white.
find the cache and multi-caches, which
involve finding several caches before findingGetting  Started
the  final  location.
So, now we have you interested here is what
At the time of publication there were overyou need to do. Go to the Geocaching website
30,000 Geocaches in Canada and these areat here you can find out all sorts of
added to every day. This type of treasureinformation about your new hobby including
hunting makes it fun to explore yourhelp  and  advice,  forums  etc.
surrounding and makes for a great family
trip.Before you start you should purchase your GPS
unit and a map of the area, preferably a
What  is  a  cache?topographical map, which shows land features
such as hills and rivers etc., these can be
There are many different types of cache topurchased at camping stores or off the
find and the size and contents vary. SmallerInternet. You might also want a compass and
caches can be the size of a 35mm filmof course make sure you are equipped clothing
container and contain only a logbook andwise. You should also have items ready that
pencil to register who finds it and when.you can leave in the cache in place of the
Other caches can be the size of large bucketsones you remove. These can be anything from
or plastic containers with several itemskey  rings,  to  CD's,  jewellery to cameras.
inside such as CD's, money, books, maps,
games, in fact anything that is not illegalOn the Geocaching website you can locate one
or  dangerous.or several caches in the area you are
concentrating on. You can search by postcode,
When you find a cache you should enter yourprovince etc. Study the information given
details in the logbook and if items arecarefully and look at the results of other
included you should take one and replace itpeople who have found the cache. They might
with  something  of  equal  or greater value.give you some clues, which will make finding
the  cache  easier.
Where  are  caches  usually  located?
Next you need to use your GPS and input the
The location of the cache is what makeswaypoint  and  off  you  go.
Geocaching interesting. Some are located in
easily accessible areas such as at the sideOnce you find the cache, remember to sign the
of a road, in a local park, cemetery or evenlogbook and enter any additional information
in the middle of a town centre. However thesuch as how easy it was to find, what fun it
more interesting cashes can be placed in verywas etc. If there are items in the cache take
remote locations and may require specialone and replace it with something of equal or
equipment in order to find them. Examplesgreater value. Never move the cache from its
include caches hidden underwater that canoriginal position and always replace leaves,
only be accessed by scuba divers, onesrocks  etc  if  they  were  there  before.
located on rocky cliffs, accessible by rock
climbers  etc.  do  I  find  the  cache?You can log your find on the Geocaching
website and also email the person who hid the
When someone sets up a cache they submit thecache  to  let  them  know  you  found  it.
location details (waypoint) on the Geocaching
website. They will also give other clues suchSafety  First
as if it is a box or bag and its size, so you
know roughly what you are looking for. TheyRemember to always let someone know where you
may also give you practical information like,are going and if at all possible never travel
"you might need Wellingtons" or "it isalone. Make sure you have adequate clothing,
in a very public area". There will also befood, water etc and that you have spare
details regarding the difficulty and terrain,batteries  for  your  GPS.
so you can search only for caches that suit
your  ability.When you leave your vehicle at a cache point
it is worth entering the waypoint into your
When you decide which cache to search for,GPS so that you can find your vehicle after
you input the co-ordinates (waypoint) in youryou  have  found  your  cache.
GPS  device  and away you go.is a GPS Device?
Next?
A GPS (Global Positioning System) unit is an
electronic device that can determine yourOnce you get into Geocaching you can start to
approximate location (within around 6-20leave your own caches for others to
feet) anywhere on the planet, much like afind. You can also attend Geocaching
satellite navigation system found in manyevents and start to extend your search to
vehicles. Coordinates are normallyother  locations  and  even  other countries.
given in Longitude and Latitude. You can use
the unit to navigate from your currentYou can purchase trackable items to leave in
location to another location. Some units havecaches such as Geocoins and Travel Bugs. As
their own maps, built-in electronicpeople transfer then from cache to cache you
compasses, voice navigation, depending on thecan track them on the Geocaching website so
complexity  of  the  device.you can see how far your item has travelled -
you  might  be  surprised.
You don't need to know all the technical
details about GPS units to play Geocaching.There are many different kinds of cache, so
All you need to do is be able to enter theyou might want to track certain types such as
waypoint  where  the  Geocache  is  hidden.puzzle caches where you have to solve clues
in order to locate the cache, or you might
How  do  I  buy  a  GPS  unit?want to track only caches that contain Travel
Bugs.
You can purchase GPS units from many places
on the Internet as well as camping stores andThe scope of Geocaching is endless and new
other supply stores. The costs vary dependingvariations to the game are always being
on the type of device you purchase and whereinvented. One thing is for sure, once you get
you buy them. Units start at around $100 CADthe Geocaching bug it will be very had to
and  can  be  as  much  as  $1,000.travel anywhere without first checking to see
what caches lie nearby for your to find.
The GPS unit you choose should be easy to use



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