Geocaching is a modern version of the old-fashioned game of hide-and-seek by using GPS technology for outdoor exploration to find the ultimate hidden prize. As National Geographic reports, geocaching has evolved from a small hobby to huge, well-organized treasure hunts for people of every age and ability. There are nonprofit organizations, as well as businesses for geocaching, the largest being the website geocaching.com, which is a treasure trove of information. Geocachers can record their explorations, learn about others, and compare their adventures to others.
Although there are many newcomers to the hobby these days, some fans have been at it for years, among them Irmo resident Billy Easterbrooks. Starting out, he used a kayak for his geocaching expeditions. He began enjoying the hobby while an executive with a pizza restaurant chain. His pleasure in organizing geocaching expeditions allowed him to develop his dream job. When he stepped away from the pizza business, he formed Carolina Outdoor Adventures in 2015, which provides kayaking and camping trips for outdoor enthusiasts. For years, he has been the administrator for the Facebook group, Geocachers of the Midlands, open to anyone who enjoys the hobby or wants to get started.
As a teacher in Lexington District One, Dr. Tamela Jett had the opportunity to attend a professional development session where she was introduced to the world of geocaching. That same summer she was on a hike with other teachers when a geocacher led the group to a hidden ammo can cache at a granite outcropping. The teachers stood around in awe as the can was taken out of its hiding spot and the small treasures were revealed.
Excited about the discovery, Jett saw the hobby as a learning experience for her children who were 8 and 10 at the time. She and her husband, James Jett, set up their account on the Geocaching website, establishing themselves as the JettClan. Their first cache was found on February 26, 2011.
Through Facebook, JettClan discovered the Midlands Geocache Facebook page. By connecting with fellow cachers and attending events, they began to learn the tips and tricks of caching. Since a GPS is needed to cache, as youngsters Taryn and Matthew Jett received their own handheld Junior Garmans – later replaced by cell phones – that were created just for geocaching. Taryn and Matthew were able to learn to estimate distance because of their geocaching experiences.
Although the JettClan doesn’t cache as often as they once did, they still find the time to look for a cache when traveling. Most recently, James and Tamela were able to reconnect with fellow cachers from the Midlands Geocache Facebook group during a summer event.
For newcomers, the website Hobby Help offers “The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Geocaching,” which covers everything from how the game is played to the essential equipment you need. Readers also learn about the different types of geocaches, how to find them, and the terminology you need to master.
As the Jett family discovered, geocaching is a great activity for all ages and an ideal way for a family to enjoy outdoor adventures together. Although opportunities are as wide as all outdoors, people can find at least one geocache at most of South Carolina’s State Parks. Some state parks have many geocache locations. To find the coordinates of these caches and for all other information, consult the Geocaching website. Just type in the name of the park or geocaching locations you are interested in visiting. If you would like to place your own geocache trackables in a park, you should contact the park directly before doing so.
Players may register on the Geocaching website, enter their postcode and obtain coordinates for geocaches around them. Geocachers obtain the coordinates for caches and log their findings in today’s updated take on an old-fashioned game – finding the prize at the end of the hunt. These are hidden or camouflaged containers placed all over the world by other members of the geocaching community – usually filled with knick-knacks and small items.
A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and sometimes a pen or pencil. The geocacher signs the log with their established code name and dates it, to prove that they found the cache. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers can also contain items for trading, such as toys or trinkets, usually of more sentimental worth than financial.
Geocaching was started in 2000 by a group of people in Oregon who were interested in technology and geography. Growing in popularity across the world in all kinds of exotic outdoor locations, geocaching has evolved from a small hobby to huge, well-organized treasure hunts for people of every age and ability. There are nonprofit organizations, as well as businesses for geocaching. The largest is geocaching.com. Dr. A. Brady Self and Keryn B. Page of Mississippi State University have developed an excellent guide for people wanting to learn about geocaching as the outdoor pursuit grows in popularity.
According to Geocaching website, there are more than 3 million active geocaches spread across 191 countries on all seven continents. Over 1.3 million of these are hidden across North America. Caches are hidden in parks, along hiking trails, on street signs, beside roads, on/in/under bridges, in cemeteries, around businesses and historical sites, underwater, and countless other places. Cache owners often hide geocaches in places that are interesting or have a special meaning to them. That’s what makes the game so interesting and exciting.