Staying Safe while
Geocaching
Because the hobby does take place outdoors there is always
the element of risk. Inspired by an article on another geocaching website, here
are ten tips based on the geocaching experiences that either happened to me or
happened to some of my geocaching buddies.
10. Be wildlife
aware. If you read the logs for a geocache site and other people talk about
seeing snakes, raccoons, bears, and other wildlife, then there is a chance that
you might see them also. Use common sense and stay away from wild animals, no
matter how friendly they seem.
9. Obey the police.
Sadly the police sometimes ask you to leave an area when you are looking for a
geocache container. This could be because someone placed it on private
property, or because they have just not heard of it before. Regardless of why
they are asking you to leave, just do it.
8. Have spare
batteries. Nothing stinks worse than having your battery-operated GPS die
in the middle of locating a container. Or having your flashlight batteries die
when you geocached so long that you are bumbling and stumbling along in the
dusky twilight (if not total darkness) trying to find your car.
7. Carry essential
supplies. Along with a flashlight, GPS, and cellphone you may want to take
gloves, a Swiss army knife, and a walking stick. The more geocaching experience
you get, the bigger your list of essential supplies will grow.
6. Bring first aid
stuff. My husband is a firefighter, so we have a first aid kit in each vehicle
as well as one in the house. At the very least you should have wet wipes,
bandages, and some bug spray. Check the second below this list to learn about
the ideal geocaching first aid kit.
5. Have a way to
communicate. Don’t go geocaching alone. Make sure you and your partner both
have a phone in case you are separated. You can take walkie-talkies as a
backup. Sometimes one electronic communication device will work in an area
where another has failed.
4. Use sunscreen year
round. The winter sun does just as much damage to your skin, lips, eyes, and
scalp as the summer sun does, especially if it glares off a snow covered
landscape. Long sleeves and a jacket are not a bad idea, either because you
never know where geocaching will lead you.
3. Check for ticks.
So far this year, I am the only person in the family who has found a tick on
themselves, and I never would have if it were not for geocaching. While I do
not relish the thought of having a tick, it was the first time I have had one
in years and a sign that I am more active than in summers past.
2. Stay hydrated.
Some geocache containers require you to get out of your car and walk a few
feet. Others require you to rappel down rocks, dive into caves, or kayak
upstream for half a mile. Keep a bottle of water with you regardless of the
season or weather.
1. Know when enough
is enough. I hate marking an online log with a DNF (Did Not Find) status. I
want to find every container at ever geocache site that I visit! But sometimes
no matter how hard we look the container is just not there. If it does not seem
like a safe situation, then it is time to back off and move on.
The Best First Aid
Kit for Geocaching
Because my husband is a firefighter, our first aid kits keep
us prepared for just about anything. The closet that I have been able to find is
the American Red Cross Disaster & Emergency Kit by First Aid Only for sale
on Amazon.
About the size of a 3-ring binder, it has plastic pages that
hold all the products. It is super organized and everything is individually
wrapped so even if you open a plastic page to take one item out, everything
else is still sterile. It literally has whatever you need for almost any
geocaching emergency, including getting lost in the woods.
You can go geocaching without a lot of things, but a first
aid kit shouldn’t be one of the things you lack when taking the family on a GPS treasure hunt. Click the picture of the first aid kit above
to learn how to invest in a American Red Cross Disaster & Emergency Kit by
First Aid Only for your family now!
