Find #34: Crossing the Banks of the Nile ( GC11KMN )

This was an easy find outside of the New Jersey Aquarium.  Right off the promenade.  Great view of Philadelphia at night!  This was the only cache out of about 5 on the waterfront that I found.  However, it was my very first New Jersey cache!  The others were very elusive.  I'll return some day during the day light and do some more intense searching. 

Although the scenery and activity along the waterfront are great, you don't want to stray too far away from the waterfront in this area.  Nasty neighborhoods!

I searched for one cache although listed as disabled, I believed was still there according to the logs.  Had I only had the hint that I had printed out and left at home, I may have found it.  Hopefully it is still there when I return.  This cache is in tribute to the USS New Jersey which was nicknamed "The Black Dragon" by the Japanese during WWII.

Battleship USS New Jersey nicknamed "The Black Dragon" by the Japanese

Find #31: Saul Game Preserve ( GCVW1J )

I never new this game preserve was there until this cache hunt drew me there.  Great place to hike around and check out the beautiful scenery along Ridley Creek.  This is near the location of the historic Minquas Path crossing.  A place where the Miquas Indians forded the creek.  The "Minquas was here" cache is located on the hill across the creek. The trail head to get to Saul Preserve End is near the The Old Mill.  A faster approach is from the north, but most likely private property.  You cross over the remnants of the old dam.

"The Old Mill" now used for wedding receptions and such

One of the many awesome views of Ridley Creek along the trail

Dedication plaque embedded in a stone along the trail

The cache location is at the site of where the old carriage road used to cross Ridley Creek.  Only the stone buttresses and causeway remain.  A great old relic to find in the woods.

Remains of the old buttresses for the causeway

Another view of the causeway leading up to Ridley Creek

The caches at Indian Orchards

Yet another local park that I didn't know existed.  This tract of land was actually given by all of the local residents to preserve the land.  A quick way to get 4 easy caches.  Although one of them is actually located on the Linvil trail system which is adjacent to Indian Orchards and the trails link together to form one extensive trail system.  In the future, the Linvil trail will link to what will be the Middletown Rails to Trails system to make for an even broader adventure. 


You can enter the Indian Orchards trail system via Indian Orchards Park or through the Linvilla Orchards side on Linvill Road via the entrance to Hidden Hollow Swim Club.  This is the approach I chose to take.

Great scenery on the Linvil Trail approach to Indian Orchard Trail

Where the Linvil and Indian Orchard trails meet

X-Men Marks The Spot: Colossus  ( GC1Z7C1 ) was one of the best camouflage jobs I've seen on a cache yet.  It blended right in with the surroundings.  I didn't think it was the cache when I first uncovered it and saw it.  Phobia #10 ( GC1AJME ) was symbolic of the phobia of bees.  Cache container was very well done.

Scouts' Stash ( GC1T29M ) was deep into the preserve.  It was placed there to commemorate the spot where the Girl Scouts used to set up camp.  Sink or Swim ( GC1ZV0J )  was a little tough to get to, but after finding a good spot to cross the stream I managed to find without looking too hard.  Picked this one up on my way back through the Linvil Trail.

What is geocaching? A fun GPS game for all ages

Geocaching is a game where you literally try to find "hidden" treasure with a GPS unit.  Geocachers hide containers of varying sizes usually containing a log sheet where you can log your user name to record that you made the find.  Some containers are so small they you can barely see them.  They are called "nanos" which usually only contain a tiny log sheet rolled up inside.  If the container is large enough however, it may contain small items like small plastic toys, jewelry, small amounts of money or mostly items that are "trackable" online such as "geocoins" which have a unique ID number or "trackable bugs".  These are usually items that have a small tag attached that has an ID number that can be tracked on the geocaching web site.  The only rule is that if you remove an item from a cache, you must put something in it's place.  So you need to carry a few items along while geocaching to leave in place of things you find.

You find geocaches by logging into your geocaching account or create a free account if you don't have one.  By entering your zip code or address, a list of caches in your local area will appear.  You can then open the ones that look interesting and get the GPS coordinates of where the item is located.  You can also view a map of the items via Google Maps which show where the caches are located.  Sometimes there are clues included in the cache description.  In some instances, you must solve a riddle or find other caches to determine what the coordinates of the real cache.  If you have a compatible GPS unit, (Garmin, DeLorme, or Magellan) you can directly download the cache coordinates to your GPS by connecting your GPS unit to your computer.  Depending on your device, the caches will then show on your GPS display as small treasure boxes and can be easily tracked. 

The fun begins when you try and actually find a cache.  Some may be easy, but in most cases it is quite challenging.  Caches are very will hidden and often camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings and are difficult to locate.  Most of the fun is not in what you find, but the hunt itself.  I personally have seen some amazing things in the process of hunting geocaches.  I list some of my favorite places and finds in other entries in this blog.  Most of the time it involves a lot of hiking and therefore gets you exercising without even realizing it.

Once you find and log your cache, you can log your find on-line by opening the cache's web page, and entering information about your find.  You can log that you found it, did not find it, etc.  You can leave a note detailing your search and you can even attach pictures.  Any trackable items picked up or dropped off can also be logged in the inventory area of each cache.

You can see where a trackable item in the cache has been and where it will go in the future. When you find one of these items, you log into your geocaching account, pull up the name of the geocache that you found, and log that you found it in the inventory area.  If you removed any trackable items, you find them in the inventory, select the item, then log that you removed it from the cache.  Then, when you decide to place it in another cache, you open the trackable item on-line using it's unique ID.  Then you log that you placed the item in a different cache.  It is exciting to see where some of the things you find have been.

The goal is to see how many caches you can find and just to have some good clean fun in the process of your hunting.  To get more information or to create a geocaching account, log onto www.geocaching.com.  Unless you choose to create a premium account, its FREE!  You will also begin to spend some money if you decide to hide your own caches.  If you do not have a GPS, you can get started buy logging in and printing out the cache detail sheets and the Google cache maps.  These will get you pretty close to the hunting area.  You can purchase a GPS unit for $100 or less if you stick to a base model or the kind you use in a car.  You can even use an iPhone if you download the apps available on the geocaching web site.

Have fun and good luck in your geocaching adventures!

Find #10: Kaboom Tree ( Kaboom Car Redux) ( GC19KBD )

This cache was located in Smedley Park.  A great park with many caches to be found and some great sites to see. Picked up a Utah Jeep geocoin at this cache after quite a climb.  Took the long way through a valley thinking the climb would be easier.  Ha!  The cache visit was relatively uneventful, however, I chose to make the descent straight down the hill and had a ran into a vulture's lair.  With a vulture still there!  It was a shallow rock cave. The vulture was outside of it at first the started hissing and made it's way inside.  I wanted to get a close up shot of it, but didn't want to scare it and get my eyes gouged out or anything.  I have to say this was one of my most interesting experiences so far!

Cache found!

Vulture found!  You can just see his head above the rock center of pic

A shot of the vulture, center pic

One of the many trail bridges at Smedley Park

Find #8: Hildacy Farm nature preserve ( GCQEGH ) and #9: Hildacy Hollow ( GC2318V )

I've been living in this area for 15 years and I never knew this nature preserve was here. What a great place! Nice walking trails and scenery. I even had an up close and personal run in with a doe at the first cache site. I think I interrupted her evening meal, she didn't seem to happy that I was there and would not go away!

 Bridge leading to first cache

I spy a deer...  can you?

 First cache found!

Up close and personal

Cache number #2 was a little deeper into the preserve.  The hiding place was in an extremely cool spot.

Awesome view of stream in the evening mist

Eerie view of a field covered with a misty blanket on the way to cache #2

 Hildacy Hollow cache found!

Nice sunset over Springton Lake.  Hildacy Nature Preserve is at the base of the dam

Geocaching without a GPS. You can try it even though you don't have one!

Although geocaching involves trying to find caches or stashes of goodies with a GPS device using given coordinates, it is possible to do this without one.  Though it may be a bid more difficult.  I didn't have a GPS unit when I was first introduced to geocaching and yet that did not hold me back from trying it out. I found my first three caches without using a GPS device. 

How to do it


After logging into the geocaching.com web site, click on the Hide & Seek a Cache link, then enter your zip code or address to get your list of local caches.  Select a cache then click on it to get the details.  Next to the state or location of the cache which will appear under the coordinates, there will be a View Map link.  Click on this link and a Google maps screen will appear with your cache and all other caches in the local area.  To get an accurate fix on the cache, zoom the map in the the closest or next to the closest possible magnification.  What you want to try to do is get as close detail as possible that shows some nearby landmarks that you can easily locate while walking around.  If you zoom too close and get nothing but trees, then you need to back off of the magnification so that you can at least identify individual trees and their positions or buildings and other landmarks nearby the cache.  Once you are satisfied that you have gotten the ideal detail in the Google map, print it out along with the information about the cache and any hints you may want to know.

A sample Google map with a geocache location in the center of the map

Once you drive or walk to the cache site, look at your map printout and position yourself where you think the cache may be according to the landmarks on the map.  You won't have the luxury of pinpointing the location within a few feet like you would with a GPS, but after a little searching and using any hints or the name of the cache as clues, you should have some success.


Good luck and happy cache hunting!

Find #3: First cache visited, third one found - A Tired Swing ( GC13T35 )

We didn't find this one on our fist visit, but the next day I found it.  It had a nice track-able geocoin in it that originated from Alberta, Canada.   This cache is in a small local park called Houtman Park which has a nice rope swing in the middle of it hanging from a tree.  Hence the name of the cache.

This picture was taken a few years previously the tire swing on the tree to the right is no more

 First cache large enough to hold things found

First geocoin found, originating in Alberta, Canada