Night Caches

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Geocaching Australia
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Night Caches

Post by Geocaching Australia » 01 October 15 9:19 am

Geocaching Australia has launched a new geocache type called a Night Cache. A Night cache is a sub type of multi-cache that can only be achieved after dark.

Together with this launch, Geocaching Australia are also running a competition to find the best Night Caches in each Australian state and territory.

From 1 October 2015 through to 29 February 2016 (AEDST) inclusive, Geocaching Australia is running a competition in line with the announcement of the new Night Cache type at Geocaching Australia.
You can find out more about the competition here:
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Nigh ... ompetition

The top 3 Night Caches in each Australian state and territory will be awarded a specially minted pathtag that will not be available for sale. The only chance you have of getting hold of one is to be a prize winner or trade with those who have won a prize.

Image

A Night Cache should show up on your GPS as a multi cache.
The GA Cacher app should show a Night cache up on your device as a Night Cache.

Unlike "Night Caches" which are listed on other listing sites, there is no mandatory requirement for you to need your GPS after you have started the Night Cache course. Of course, if the geocache owner decides to make you use your GPS that's up to them, but there is no mandatory requirement for GPS use. It can be all reflectors to find the cache once you have reached the starting point. This removes the irritation of interrupting your Night Cache course to comply with an arbitrary rule about GPS usage.

Traditionally night caching uses reflective trail markers to lead you to a cache, but any method of navigation that can only be achieved after dark can also be used for a Night Cache. The coordinates given on the geocache page will generally take you to the starting point for the geocache. From there you need to find the method of navigating the course to get to the geocache.

Something like looking for the reflective trail markers (FireTacks) is what can be generally assumed for a night cache. They would different to a typical multi-cache where you enter additional co-ordinates and navigate to. They might be [fire tacks] places on trees, stumps, rocks or other items in your path. They might be like road reflectors which you can bounce your torch light of in the distance. They may be reflective tape placed around something that you would need an additional light source to activate.

Reflectors are not always as easy to see as you may assume. Fire tacks and other types of reflectors are retro-reflective. This means they shine back towards the light source. If you hold the light source low they reflect back to that low point. For best results hold your light at eye level or use a head lamp. In this manner the light is reflected back to the source which is in line with your eyes.

Other types of navigation may use lasers, UV, glow in the dark, shine through, shine on and even braille (after all you're doing this without the aid of usual light sources). Trying a night cache might open up your geocaching activities to a whole new experience. One we think you’ll enjoy.

A Night cache should not be able to be completed during the day. i.e. The method of following the laid out course should only be able to be achieved after dark.

You can find our more about Night Caches here:
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Night_cache

If you are on Facebook and would like to help spread the word, please share this post.
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 9041697791

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Now_To_Morrow
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Re: Night Caches

Post by Now_To_Morrow » 02 October 15 8:30 am

What if you live in the middle of nowhere and no Australian geocachers come out and find it before the end of the competition period?

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caughtatwork
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Re: Night Caches

Post by caughtatwork » 02 October 15 9:15 am

Then I suspect you will only collect the terrain and difficulty points.

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oldfella
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Re: Night Caches

Post by oldfella » 02 October 15 10:03 am

I have two GCA hides in my area, that I own, and they hardly get a visit. I have also, along with other local cachers, hidden a substantial lot of hides, other sites, in the area which do attract finders. I am going to place two GCA multi's ( night hides) and encourage would be cacher visitors to my area who do stay overnight to have a go at these as I know a lot of them are members of GCA as well. I have a event coming up and I will actually publicise the fact that these two night multi's are available and see how I go. I was a member of GCA before I joined the other site.

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Re: Night Caches

Post by MavEtJu » 02 October 15 10:23 am

I have already found two online shops in Australia where there are no fire tacks for sale anymore. Who knows one where they are still available or should I loot the Chinese vendors on eBay?

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oldfella
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Re: Night Caches

Post by oldfella » 02 October 15 10:31 am

I use this shop as well as well as three or four other Australian based stores. Just had a look and fire tacks and cubes are in stock.

www.cachingsupplies.com.au/supplies

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Re: Night Caches

Post by MavEtJu » 02 October 15 11:04 am

oldfella wrote:I use this shop as well as well as three or four other Australian based stores. Just had a look and fire tacks and cubes are in stock.
http://www.cachingsupplies.com.au/supplies
Thank you, I will check them out.

Edwin

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Re: Night Caches

Post by Just a cacher » 02 October 15 12:47 pm

If you advertise your new night cache on here or on Facebook, you never know who might take a fancy to go and find it!

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Now_To_Morrow
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Re: Night Caches

Post by Now_To_Morrow » 02 October 15 2:37 pm

And just to be well and truly certain... being GCA you can hide outside your region/state?

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CraigRat
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Re: Night Caches

Post by CraigRat » 02 October 15 4:48 pm

No_Tomorrow wrote:And just to be well and truly certain... being GCA you can hide outside your region/state?
Yes.

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Re: Night Caches

Post by Bushwalker53 » 03 October 15 6:30 pm

Thanks to No_Tomorrow for telling me about this. I have a bag of fire tacks I bought over a year ago sitting around without a use. I also have tonnes of containers I need to do something with. If I find the time I may get a little creative! It may also include a few of these: :gnome :frog :gnome
My only problem is getting enough people to find it. I may have to do a little advertising on Facebook :D

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ziggiau
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Re: Night Caches

Post by ziggiau » 04 October 15 10:54 pm

oldfella wrote:I use this shop as well as well as three or four other Australian based stores. Just had a look and fire tacks and cubes are in stock.

http://www.cachingsupplies.com.au/supplies
Thanks for this link. This retailer has never shown up in my searches and they have some really good stuff.

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Re: Night Caches

Post by Geocaching Australia » 11 March 16 7:22 pm

And ... the winners will be asked to provide their details to collect their rewards in the weekly Reward Emailer on Monday afternoon. Run a query on Night Caches and everyone who hid a cache during the period will be rewarded. Thanks to everyone who participated.

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rogerw3
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Re: Night Caches

Post by rogerw3 » 17 March 16 11:03 pm

:D :griffin

Thank you very much for the Pathtags received today, looks really great much better than the picture.

Your constant hard work is very much appreciated, thanks again.

=D> :griffin

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