Your First Geocaching Hunt

In order to keep this as basic as possible, we're going to begin with just two assumptions:

1. You have never used a GPS before, and the one you have is a basic handheld model.
2. You're going to be hunting a fairly easy Traditional Cache that is hidden in the woods.

Of course, assumptions are just that—assumptions. The cache you choose might be quite a bit easier or maybe even a little harder than the one in the tutorial. It shouldn't be too difficult to adapt the information below to the cache you are searching for.

Basic Geocaching Equipment

Ask 100 different geocachers what equipment you need to hunt a cache and you'll get 100 different answers. That's because the equipment you use will vary depending on the kind of cache you're seeking, the kind of terrain you're on, the season of the year, the amount of caching you plan on doing and several other factors.

It can be a bit overwhelming to know where to begin with this game, but there's no need to make it too complicated. It's best to begin simple with what works for you and add items as you progress. Much of what you find on these pages is a matter of what I have tried and what works for me. The list begins with the basics—a simple GPS unit—and works up from there. There are items listed that you might never need and others that aren't here but you find to be essential. Be prepared to adapt in this game. In many ways your caching equipment will be a unique part of your style.

 Writing Great Online Logs

MY day job requires that I do quite a bit of writing, most of it creative. Thankfully it's something I love to do and for which I have developed a certain amount of skill. Geocaching has allowed me to carry my love of writing into new areas. From designing this website to serving as a Moderator in the Groundspeak forums, and ultimately to my online logs, I've discovered new avenues for expressing myself, and whole new reasons to worry about typos and grammar mistakes!

It occurred to me recently that for many people posting their geocaching finds online constitutes their first endeavor in creative writing and online publishing. Depending on the individual, that reality can either present a great amount of freedom or fear—freedom of expression or fear of saying the wrong thing or making the wrong impression. Perhaps this is why many people whittle their logs down to such basic sentences that you can hardly tell whether or not they enjoyed the experience of finding the cache.