Geocaching

go-dive · Post by **go-dive** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:09 pm

Some of you must have already heard of or been involved with Geocaching, an internet based game where members (free) hunt for caches that have been hidden by other members and whose coordinates/details/pictures are posted on the game's website, once you find it you put your name in the cache's logbook and trade item(s) that were in the cache. The other option is to prepare a cache of your own and place it somewhere for others to find. Nothing to win or lose, just the satisfaction of being outside visiting places (and be the first to find a cache if it is the case). An interesting game for the adults as it gives them an objective when going out on a trip and a good opportunity to have the children be more interested in desert trips by having them involved in an activity they can actually participate in, because let's face it, being driven around in the back of a car is probably not their favorite part.
The easy start is to go on the game's website (http://www.geocaching.com), open the Google map in the "hide & seek" section, zoom on the area you want to search, select a cache, take the coordinates and other clues about the location and go on the hunt. You will most likely find some close to your home or work place in Abu Dhabi and few are in the desert (reading between the lines, if the Liwa crew of the weekend followed a rough axis going from Moreeb Hill to Hamim they must have been close at some point to one of this geocache), Oman has got some too.
Since you guys are often on the move I thought some of you might be interested, just my two cents.

adiga · Post by **adiga** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:43 pm

I like this Idea. I did register with my Nick name (adiga). BUT , as you know I need some help to understand how it works

Jax · Post by **Jax** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:37 pm

Waleed and I got excited about doing this last year - but it somehow tailed off .... I'd be interested in having a go, either following an existing one on the web - or even setting up one of our own to do. Any more takers?

Waleed · Post by **Waleed** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:40 pm

As a part of the game , when you find a cashe, you can take it and put your own cashe instead and you will place the founded cashe in another area for which you will do another replacement and so on , some toys traveled from country to other countries.

We can have our LOGO and club Name designed in a sort or shape of coins and this can be distributed in each trip we go for , then I am sure that within a short time our coins will reach the other side of the world

kghaleb · Post by **kghaleb** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:11 am

I get an update from the site weekly... some are actual "must see" areas as well .. someone posted one about saadiyat island and sir baniyas wildlife..etc...

go-dive · Post by **go-dive** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:22 am

Actually, when you find a cache (usually a small plastic container) you are not supposed to take it away and replace it with your own, the game's rules only allow to trade one or two items that are inside the cache, the original cache/container must be put back in its original position after each find.
But true that if you if you place an object (called a travel bug in the Geocaching linguo) that bears your name or that of your club it is likely to be picked up (traded) and moved later to another cache, possibly in a different country and so on, the people moving those travel bugs are supposed to keep the original owner of the travel bug informed of its whereabouts.
There is indeed a fair chance that a travel bug you have put in a plastic box in Liwa one day could end up in a different box somewhere in Patagonia or Manchuria few months later.
But in my opinion the best thing about this game is to have one more reason to get out and do something outside, be it a find during a walk on the Corniche in the evening after work or a desert/mountain trip prepared in a way that it gets pass one or more of this caches. Think of it as a rally check point, while doing your trip you stop at a cache location coordinates then take 10 minutes to find it, put your name in the logbook, trade an item if you want, put back the cache and go on with the rest of your trip, last thing to do is to declare your find on the game's website once you are back home.[/quote]

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 10:32 am

Found this on the Geocaching website. So if anyone is in Liwa try and find this one.

N22.54.418
E054.04.242

The cache has been placed in the Liwa desert, about mid distance between Moreeb Hill and Hameem. The container is hidden in the remains of an abandoned camel farm.

Getting to this cache location requires some of the most challenging desert driving, only attempt to reach the cache if you know what you are doing, have a "real" 4x4, be with a minimum of two other cars driven by people also having desert driving experience, have all the necessary recovery gears, carry enough food, have plenty of water and have a GPS based navigation prepared in advance of the trip and last but not least let someone knows about your whereabout before leaving for the "hunt".

The cache is a plastic container with a screw on yellow cap with a few things to trade, a pencil and a logbook.

The cache can be approached from different places, we placed it while driving from Moreeb Hill to a point about 13 km from Hameem on the Southbound gatch track (below the new Qasr Al Sarab site), but options are almost endless.
If interested in a fast track finding the nearest sand track is 3.5 km to the East of the cache.

Jax · Post by **Jax** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:32 pm

Out of interest - did any of the recent trips to Liwa try to look for the one Mac posted above?

I'm still keen to get this started in the club if anyone else is interested in joining in

For example on yesterday's trip to Al Khazna one of the drivers could have been designated to go and find a spot to hide a cache (jc or Viking for example as they had licence to 'explore' and could hide the cache with no one seeing where)

The co-ords are then posted for the next group who go to that area to find and add their own pics and notes etc ....

Would also be a great exercise in getting members used to using their GPS more on trips, what do you think?

jc · Post by jc » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:31 pm

Dont worry Jax I am working on details for such a trip there are 2 geocahes out there 1 close to Adventure fun Track and another near himeem towards the Saudi Border near a well. will probably be after New Year.

There is 1 in Sweihan I might use a a practice run soon be patient

Jax · Post by **Jax** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:43 pm

jc wrote:Dont worry Jax I am working on details for such a trip there are 2 geocahes out there 1 close to Adventure fun Track and another near himeem towards the Saudi Border near a well. will probably be after New Year.

There is 1 in Sweihan I might use a a practice run soon be patient

I've been looking at that one too! :okaay:

pseacraft · Post by **pseacraft** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 3:01 pm

Just remember if your going to go looking for any of the cache sites please register with geocaching.com, and log on the website your find or lack of find. One of the problems that we have is non-geocache people (aka muggles) who find them by accident, curiousity, etc... removing the cache or it's contents. Many of the trackable items are not cheap. Many of the locations are perfect for members of this club to practice their skills and see areas of this beautiful desert that you didn't know exisited. this is one of my reasons for joining this club and looing for a much better machine than I currently have.

Be warned the game can be addictive!

Kind of like offroading.

Eric

jc · Post by jc » Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:12 pm

pseacraft wrote:Just remember if your going to go looking for any of the cache sites please register with geocaching.com, and log on the website your find or lack of find. One of the problems that we have is non-geocache people (aka muggles) who find them by accident, curiousity, etc... removing the cache or it's contents. Many of the trackable items are not cheap. Many of the locations are perfect for members of this club to practice their skills and see areas of this beautiful desert that you didn't know exisited. this is one of my reasons for joining this club and looing for a much better machine than I currently have.

Be warned the game can be addictive! Kind of like offroading.

Eric

I am alredty registered with geocache .com Eric, This just adds a new dimension to offroading looking forward to lots of hunting trips

Lionbar · Post by **Lionbar** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:46 pm

Right here goes, Jax myself and Jannig headed out to the Geocache placed 20Kms away from Al Ain Airport towards Al Nahel town. The geocache itself was placed in a tree about 300mtrs away from the Pylon track.
We took out a Geo-coin/medallion from the geocache and put in an AD4X4 flag/a U.A.E. badge and a dirham coin.
The geocoin is going over the border to Oman and knowing the Gallivans as I do, will really give the hunters a run for thir money!!!
Now the ball is rolling, lets keep the momentum up!!!

iguana · Post by **iguana** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 6:13 pm

Good work Lee and his team ... Lets start doing it

go-dive · Post by **go-dive** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:53 pm

Hi Lionbar, Jax, Jannig,
good to see more people getting into the game here in the UAE and Oman, especially if you are more interested in the caches placed off the beaten tracks, the more the merrier.
Great to see you found the Sweihan cache, but please don't forget to log your find on the geocaching website, I just visited the Sweihan cache page and saw that the last log report is dated 08 December and the description doesn't seem to be the same as yours so I take it that your find is more recent but has not been recorded yet.
Looking forward to go after the caches you will no doubt be placing. Cheers.

Geocaching

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