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Top 10 Geocaching
Safety Tips
By Dan Lawson
Geocaching and related outdoor activities all carry an element of risk. The
most important part of keeping safe is to know your limits and be prepared
if something happens. The geowife and I like to push the limits. We've been
lucky. Early in our geocaching career, we blundered into a couple of
situations that worked out OK but could have been serious. We learned our
lessons. Now when we saddle up for a long range cache, we are seriously
geared up. Of course, if you're doing drive by caching in parking lots and
the like, you don't have to be as intense. But if you're headed into the
boonies or even just out of sight of your car for a while, you need to be
prepared. You don't want to be out there, separated from your geopartner, no
communication, no water plus it's starting to rain, get dark and you're not
sure how to get back. We speak from some experience on that. Keep the
following 10 things in mind and apply as needed for safer and more effective
caching.
#10. Be bear aware. If you're in bear country, your outlook changes because
you're not at the top of the food chain anymore. Bears can't see very well
but their hearing and smell are sensational and they can outrun a horse over
a short distance. Talk to people about recent local bear activity. Make some
noise as you walk. I use binoculars to check the area around us as we move.
You'd be amazed how little cover it takes to hide a big bear. Keep an eye
down wind. Carry bear spray.
#9. Do what the cops tell you. Geocaching often looks suspicious, especially
these days. Hanging around, looking, climbing, crawling can all get you
noticed. We've been confronted by the police three times, once by the Ski
Patrol and once by a construction foreman. Be nice and tell them about
geocaching. We've had no problems with the encounters. One cop even helped
us look. But some geocachers have been seriously hassled. Be ready just in
case.
#8. Take extra batteries. The energizer bunny's name is Murphy. It's gut
wrenching to have a GPSr die on you when you're out in the middle of
nowhere. Same with flashlights, phones, etc. If you're depending on battery
powered equipment to complete your quest, make sure you've got enough juice
for the job -- especially if you need to find your way back.
#7. Carry a big stick. Geowife and I use five foot lengths of 1 1/2 inch
dowel rod which you can buy at any hardware store. They're effective,
innocuous and legal. They have a multitude of uses, from poking inside a
dark cache to probing the trail in front of you to protection from animals
(both four legged and two legged). They can also double as a crutch. We find
them to be downright indispensable.
#6. Bring a first aid kit. Scratches and bug bites are part of the charm of
geocaching. It can also be dirty, so take care of any open wound. The kit
doesn't need to be massive. Outdoor stores all sell small kits that will fit
in a pocket. It can't hurt to throw in an ACE wrap. If you're allergic to
bee stings, take your epi-pen. Keep your tetanus shot up to date for that
rusty nail. Remember -- if something happens out there, you're on your own,
at least for a while. Plan accordingly.
#5. Take your cell phone or walkie-talkies or both. Becoming separated from
a geopartner is mildly annoying at best and can be downright dangerous. It's
happened to us a couple of times. So now we use walkie-talkies in the
FRS/GMRS range with cell phone backup. Check the reception before you
launch. Have a reconnect plan if all comm fails. Go to a pre-arranged
meeting place after a certain time period. If all that fails, call 911.
#4. Don't forget the hat and sunscreen. This one can really sneak up on you.
You're out getting multiple caches, in and out of the car and the trees and
figure you don't need to worry about the sun. But it all adds up and at the
end of the day, you look like a lobster. If you're going to be out in the
sun, make sure you protect yourself. Lather on the sunscreen and keep it
fresh. Then top it off with a wide brimmed hat and cool UV sunglasses.
#3. Be tick aware. Ticks are a clear and present danger in the outdoors --
much more so than bears and snakes. They carry Lyme disease and other
assorted bugs and they are everywhere. Wear long pants and long sleeve
shirts. Douse your shoes and pant legs with DEET. Tuck your pant lags into
your socks or wear gaiters. Check yourself and each other thoroughly and
often and keep checking. The critters seem to come out of nowhere and are
almost indestructible. The good news is that they have to attach themselves
to a human host for 24 hours to pass on the virus. If you find one latched
on, pull it straight out with tweezers. Lyme disease is treatable but no
fun. If you geocache, you're going to get ticks. Stay vigilant and stay
healthy.
#2. Bring lots of water. This one that can sneak up on you too, usually in
the form of a "quick cache" which turns into a marathon. Next thing you
know, you've been out there for two hours with nothing to drink. Unless
you're doing PNGs, throw a bottle of water in your kit. For longer ventures,
you can't beat a CamelBak. Fill it with ice and top it off with water.
You'll have ice water the whole day.
#1. Know when to back off. Geocachers are a pretty tenacious bunch. Part of
this activity is recognizing limits. Whether you are wilderness caching or
getting a few in the local park, you have to constantly evaluate your
situation. Heat, cold, dehydration, darkness, weather, time and distance are
just some of the things you have to keep an eye on. It's great to go for
that one more cache but remember you have to get back. We've stopped
literally yards away from GZ because we didn't think we could complete it
and/or get back safely. Things can go south in a real hurry out there. Don't
compromise your safety for a cache. It'll be there tomorrow.
Be safe, stay healthy and cache on!
About the
Author:
Dan Lawson has more information about this topic and many others on his
website at [http://www.offthebeatenpath.ws.
Comments, suggestions and questions are welcomed and can be submitted
through site links to his email and guest book.
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