What is Geocaching

Geocaching – Outdoor Entertaining Action

Geocaching is said to be an outdoor entertaining action wherein the participants tend to utilise a Global Positioning System – GPS, receiver or a mobile device together with other navigational systems for hiding and seeking containers known as `geocaches’ or `caches’ at definite places which have been marked by co-ordinates all across the world. Geocaching could be a great stimulus in getting outside and doing some exploring, to get some kind of exercise and get to know about location which one may have never visited.

Geocaching could be considered as a high-tech treasure hunt where the task is to find a geocache, subtly hidden by other player utilising a GPS in guiding the player to the location of geocache utilising coordinates obtained from a geocaching website. When one had obtained the geocache’s location, you then have to depend on your senses in searching for and locating the geocache that is constantly concealed and at time well imperceptible.A distinctive cache is said to be a small waterproof container comprising of a logbook where the geocacher tends to enter the date they found it and signs it with their well-known code name.

Combine Technology with Adventure & Nature

On signing the log, the cache should be placed back precisely where the person had found it. Bigger containers such as plastic storage containers, or ammunition boxes could also have items for trading like toys or trinkets, usually of emotional value than financial. Geocaching tends to share several aspects with trig pointing, benchmarking, orienteering, letterboxing, treasure-hunting and way-marking.

Geocaching can be a real-world; outdoor treasure hunting game with the use of GPS enabled devices where the participants tend to navigate a specific set of GPS coordinates attempting to locate the geocache container concealed in a location. It is said to be a popular, fun filled, inclusive and healthy pastime for people of all age group and is also great for groups like classes, families, friends and youth groups which tend to work as a team. The sports tend to combine technology with adventure and nature, which is a combination that some of the individual had thought would be impossible.

Fundamental Guidelines

The fundamental of the sports comprise of utilising a hand held GPS receiver unit in guiding the individual toa location where the hidden container or a cache is stored. Once located, one could log the visit in an included logbook and optionally trade one of the several contained `treats’ for one of your own. Though always evolving, geocaching tends to follow a few fundamental guidelines which are:

• Refrain from placing caches on private land without consent or in national parks or wilderness areas 
• Do not encroach on reserved property without consent to reach a geocache 
• Do not include offensive or inflammatory substance in a cache 
• Observe a philosophy of `tread softly’ and Leave No Trace

Geocaching and GPS tend to go hand in hand and even the most simple of unit is adequate in tracking down the location of a geocache. However to get a visual knowledge with the area one intends to navigate, a map is essential. Your GPS could show you the straight line between two points, though unless the way points of the route has been preloaded in your unit, the map could only show you the path between you and your location.