Any lessons for the newbies to be learnt here?

[Bundyrumandcoke]

And a little but of chest pumped up self promotion.

Did a TB drop off to one of my own caches this morning. Having a look through the log book, I realised its still the original one, as is the container. Checking, I found that this cache- GCYZ1H ▼ CARORICA, Gladstones TB Motel, has never been disabled, never gone missing, and never AFAIK, been discovered by muggles.

The container is a length of 100mm PVC pipe, about 750mm long, so its not a micro or a small, in fact its quite sizeable. And its hidden under a pile of rocks, in the middle of an area that is mowed on a fairly regular basis.

I will admit, back in my early days, I did put a lot more effort into my containers, but this one has outlived just about all of my other caches.

So, if anything, a bit of a lesson for newbies, make sure your container is durable, and suitable to the location your going to place it in. I recently came across a cache, that was an ammo can- usually the pinnacle of container durability- which had almost completely rusted away, due to it having been placed in a beach environment. And choose a location that is hidden away from where the public usually doesn't go.

[caughtatwork]

One of the lessons is that's not a mint tin. Not everything needs to be a mint tin. In fact, almost nothing needs to be a mint tin. Look at how a quality geocache can last and last and last.

[Devar]

Agreed! My Sticks! hide (okay I havn't hidden many caches, okay, I'm sorry ) has only gone missing once in the thirteen years it's been there, and it's an ammo box no more than 10m from a footpath! You can get away with some sneaky sizable caches, because most people are kind of sick to death of yet another nano hidden in the forest (burn down the nano factory!)

[2y'stassies]

Always look for the older caches when we are travelling. Its a real thrill to find a large cache pre 2005 with its original log book. Do not like finding rusty mint tins with soggy logs

[Yurt]

My second cache was placed in 2009 and I think it never had a DNF and was never muggled... until last week. There was a DNF from a 'reputable' cacher so I thought something must be wrong. Found that the cache was missing and then noted that the entire area (near a sports oval) was now free of rubbish. Then realised that Clean Up Australia Day had just been and gone at the weekend. So some earnest volunteer had managed to pull my poor old cache out of its well-concealed hiding spot and toss it in a bag without opening it!

I've moved away from urban hides over the years though and only place ammo cans or those PVC pipe caches out in the bush now. That way the caches could just about live on indefinitely.

[belken]

We have six caches that have been in place over10 years still original containers. our 2, 9 year caches, one is still in place and 1 was burnt in a fire. 2, 8 year caches still in place in original containers. OOps I tell a lie Mt trio was changed when the old ammo tin got full of water. Still don't know how as I haven't been able to reproduce it at home here.

The two caches we archived in the west were all picked up before they caused a problem. ie tidal water, park clean-up. Playfair was a lock and lock lunchbox that was in place for 5 years and stayed dry and clean. Probably due to low number of visits. For the same reason I am happy to leave our GCA caches in place as the low visits seems to mean less trouble.

[Goldenwattle]

Find a good selection of caches (GA & GC) and a reasonable number of caches (I would say a minimum of 100 caches) before putting one out yourself. Start with one cache and see how that goes, before releasing more. Be willing to take advice re coordinates, etc. (I have corrected coordinates following feedback, but it is amazing how many people won't.)
Don't find only 25 caches and then release thirty caches, most with the coordinates out, or even worse release a cache (coordinates WAY out, difficulty WAY out) after only finding five caches and then argue against helpful suggestions given, saying that these people are wrong (apparently finding five caches makes them so much more experienced than those who have found thousands). I had found about 800 caches before I felt I was ready to release my first cache.

[Richary]

I just had one of my Adelaide hides archived, it had been in place since 2004. Adopted out when I left Adelaide, but in those 12 years it never needed replacement or maintenance. It's quite possibly still in place as while it hadn't been found for about 6 months only 1 DNF was logged a week ago. A little out of the way so over the 12 years it only clocked up 122 finds. Would have preferred it if the adoptor had actually checked before archiving but it's not mine any more (for the last 9 years) so I can't complain too much about it. Up to them if they want to continue maintenance or not. Still that was a pretty good innings for what was basically a lunchbox under a tree, can't even remember if I had discovered Sistemas that far back.

[J_&_J]

I just had one of my Adelaide hides archived, it had been in place since 2004. Adopted out when I left Adelaide, but in those 12 years it never needed replacement or maintenance. It's quite possibly still in place as while it hadn't been found for about 6 months only 1 DNF was logged a week ago. A little out of the way so over the 12 years it only clocked up 122 finds. Would have preferred it if the adoptor had actually checked before archiving but it's not mine any more (for the last 9 years) so I can't complain too much about it. Up to them if they want to continue maintenance or not. Still that was a pretty good innings for what was basically a lunchbox under a tree, can't even remember if I had discovered Sistemas that far back.

Bugger! That was our first ever geocache find. We've been meaning to drive through that track again, but as yet haven't. Hopefully we'll get out and have a look in a week or so. We do have a spare PVC stormwater contraption that we'd be happy to donate if it is indeed missing.

[firnsy]

I generally agree with the sentiments behind the comments here and I love finding old caches, especially ammo cans in the bush. However, I also don't mind finding a cleverly hidden nano or micro - or even a not-so-cleverly hidden nano/micro that takes me to an interesting location.

Also, while I understand why people say you shouldn't start hiding until you have a good number of finds under your belt, I'm not sure I agree ... there's nothing wrong with having a go and learning from your mistakes. I have a mixed bag of hides - some are a source of pride and get some great logs. Others are pretty run-of-the-mill and the logs usually reflect that - but no harm done and all hides are appreciated by those who are in the game for the numbers

[firnsy]

I generally agree with the sentiments behind the comments here and I love finding old caches, especially ammo cans in the bush. However, I also don't mind finding a cleverly hidden nano or micro - or even a not-so-cleverly hidden nano/micro that takes me to an interesting location.

Also, while I understand why people say you shouldn't start hiding until you have a good number of finds under your belt, I'm not sure I agree ... there's nothing wrong with having a go and learning from your mistakes. I have a mixed bag of hides - some are a source of pride and get some great logs. Others are pretty run-of-the-mill and the logs usually reflect that - but no harm done and all hides are appreciated by those who are in the game for the numbers

Oh, and having said all of the above, congratulations to Bundyrumandcoke on the longevity of your cache ... if I ever get to Gladstone, I'll go looking for it

[Richary]

I just had one of my Adelaide hides archived, it had been in place since 2004. Adopted out when I left Adelaide, but in those 12 years it never needed replacement or maintenance. It's quite possibly still in place as while it hadn't been found for about 6 months only 1 DNF was logged a week ago. A little out of the way so over the 12 years it only clocked up 122 finds. Would have preferred it if the adoptor had actually checked before archiving but it's not mine any more (for the last 9 years) so I can't complain too much about it. Up to them if they want to continue maintenance or not. Still that was a pretty good innings for what was basically a lunchbox under a tree, can't even remember if I had discovered Sistemas that far back.

Bugger! That was our first ever geocache find. We've been meaning to drive through that track again, but as yet haven't. Hopefully we'll get out and have a look in a week or so. We do have a spare PVC stormwater contraption that we'd be happy to donate if it is indeed missing.

Sorry about that, I guess you have me to blame for the addiction then 3000+ caches later

I would be happy for it to be replaced, and either relisted - or adopted keeping the old code if stanleys no longer want to maintain it. It's nice to have some of those old 6 character codes still out there to find. That's assuming it is missing in the first place, it has had it's share of DNFs but rarely more than 1 or 2 in a row before the next finder. So as it's not a D1, it will get the odd DNF which is why I was a bit disappointed in an archive after 1 DNF.

[Goldenwattle]

Also, while I understand why people say you shouldn't start hiding until you have a good number of finds under your belt, I'm not sure I agree ... there's nothing wrong with having a go and learning from your mistakes.

But not learn with a mass first release of 30 caches and then learn you don't know how to take an accurate coordinate. Then when some people try to assist by providing more accurate coordinates, ignore them, throw a tizzy and archive most of them, leaving the caches still in place as rubbish. Start with a single release and learn from that.