Night Caching

So there are many types of caches that you can do - multies, micros, urbans, night caches and so on. There are also different levels of difficulty, not just of terrain but in access - some you need to take climbing equipment with you, some you need to decode the first clue, some involve much research before a cache can be undertaken so you can solve the clues, some have the first clue hidden in magic eye picture that you have to view online before starting, some have webcams at them that take a photo every minute to record the fact that you actually found it so you have to wait there long enough to ensure you picture was taken, while others you need a friend at home to actually wait for you command to activate a web cam...

Tonight we did our first night cache. Necessary equipment includes warm clothes (its cold here now) and torches (plus of course the GPS). Night caches generally rely on reflectors, so can only be done at night. With this one once you found the first reflector you had to see the next reflector and walk to it, shine your torch around and see the next one and walk to it and so on until you find the final and dig up the log book.

It was cool!!!!! The reflectors have to be close enough that you can see the next one from where you are, but we were in an orchard then a forest so its not so simple so it is quite fun

It was also the first time we have come across other cachers. As we were heading to the first spot we could see torches in the distance and guessed (correctly) that we weren't the only ones out. It did prove somewhat difficult to find the second reflector so the people we had come across (who have been caching much longer but were also on their first night cache) called a friend who knew the person who had set up the cache who was they then called to give us a clue to find the second reflector...

Once we had the second we were off. The reflectors were generally the size of a lage nail head in a tree trunk so it wasn't super easy, but it was fun.

Once you have worked out what you are looking for though it is easier to find. The first cache we did we didn't find the hidden box because we didn't actually know what kind of place it would be hidden in - now it's much easier to know where it should be. The first time we looked for something in a more urban setting it was also difficult, but you start to think like the person who hid the object and it becomes easier to find it.

Bel.