So you’ve found the geocache. Now what?

1. Sign the log. You can either sign with your caching name, or if caching with a group you can use a team name to save space. Some caches will have a pencil/pen inside. But you really should have a pen with you when you are caching. If you haven’t signed the paper log the cache owner is allowed to delete your electronic log. 2. Put it back Make sure normal people aren’t watching and re-hide the cache where you found it and as you found it. Do this right away. Don’t take it home to show your mum (with a vague plan to bring it back a week later) Resist the temptation to put it in where you think might be a better place. If the cache owner wanted it somewhere else, she would not have put it where it was. 3. Log your find electronically More about that below 4. Go find another It’s that simple…

Electronic Logging

You also need to register your find on geocaching dot com. You can do that via your app when out caching, or when you get home… Logging via your app The various apps operate in different ways, but basically type in what you want to say and press “enter”. However this will rapidly eat your phone’s battery and is entirely dependent on having internet signal for it to work. In frustration you may well try to re-send your log and end up trying to log the same cache several times and the system doesn’t like that. Logging via the website Most apps allow you to make field notes about each cache. This is less intensive on batteries, and you can then upload your field notes to geocaching dot com (and amend or elaborate on them) when you get home. You can upload them one at a time, or in bulk via GSAK.

What to say in your log At the risk of being flippant, it is probably fair to say that whatever you write will be wrong. You are supposed to write a little story about your caching experience with regard to that particular cache. C.O.s like to read that. Apparently. It is considered bad form to put spoilers for a particular cache into your written electronic log. However that is the only reason anyone ever reads them. Writing “TFTC” (“thanks for the cache”) is considered very bad form even though many people do so. Copy & Pasting logs is also looked down upon (most of my logs are copy & pasted) Realistically log in whichever way suits you. I copy and paste with a link to a daily on-line diary I keep. From a purely personal point of view I maintain the hobby is a treasure hunt, *not* an exercise in creative writing, and I will only take criticism of what I’ve written from other published authors. If the cache needs repair don’t mention this only in your log; write a second “Needs Maintenance” log