You’ve found a traditional and a multi-cache, now let’s look at my favourite cache type, EarthCaches!
EarthCache
EarthCaches aim to teach the cacher about a geoscientific feature or aspect of the earth. There is no physical container to find or logbook to sign, instead certain tasks must be carried out and/or answers to specific questions sent to the EarthCache owner to qualify for logging the find on geocaching.com.
Do not include the answers to the questions in your online log, as the cache owner is well within their rights to delete it. Email them to the cache owner by clicking here on their profile:
If you click ‘Message this owner’ on the cache page, rather than clicking in to their profile and then messaging them, the GC code and cache name will appear as the subject on your email, which is really helpful.
You do not need to wait for a reponse from the EarthCache owner in order to log your find. You can send the answers and then log the cache immediately online. The cache owner should contact you if there is any issue with your answers.
EarthCache logging requirements can vary greatly in difficulty, so reading the cache page in advance is good preparation and taking the D/T rating in to consideration is also advisable.
The variety of tasks to complete and questions to answer in order to log the EarthCache can vary greatly. Some can entail various mathematical equations, while others can just involve reading a noticeboard and finding answers. It’s a good idea to have an idea of what’s involved before setting out.
EarthCaches assume no prior knowledge of geology, so everything should be taught in the cache description. Don’t worry if you know nothing about the subject matter. The purpose of EarthCaches is to teach the finder something.
The EarthCache program is a partnership between the Geological Society of America (GSA) and geocaching.com, as well as other partners. There is a dedicated website for EarthCaches, which outlines what the program is all about, how it was established and where you can buy specific EarthCache merchandise. However, you can access all the required information for the EarthCaches you want to find on geocaching.com.
Earthcache.org offers the opportunity to earn ‘EarthCache Master’ levels and will provide you with the html code for your earned level so you can display the corresponding badge on your profile. There are various requirements to fulfill to earn the badges, with the top level (platinum) requiring the geocacher to:
To apply to be an EarthCache Master and obtain the virtual badge for your profile, you need to fill in a request form provided on the EarthCache website here.
You can find a rundown of my favourite EarthCaches here – hopefully this will whet your appetite to get out there and learn something about geology!
Happy caching!
Sarah
© 2016 | Sarah Murphy | All Rights Reserved
Awesome job.
It is wonderful to see something that I started over 10 years ago is still near and dear in the hearts of cachers around the globe. 🙂 Nice info too 🙂
‘The’ Geoaware read my blog. Wow!
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