Purge of missing movable caches

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caughtatwork
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Purge of missing movable caches

Post by caughtatwork » 01 July 15 11:54 am

Around 200 or so movable caches across Australia have been archived in the last 2 or 3 days because:
a. They're missing
b. They've been picked up and not moved on
c. They've been logged into events which are long past and never relocated

Every cache had their last couple of logs checked and if it looked like the cache wasn't in place, then it was archived.

As the task was done by human rather than computer there is a chance of error, so if this is the case and you own a cache that has been archived, at Geocaching Australia you can just log an "Unarchived" log against the cache to resurrect it. i.e. Self service resurrections.

This has reduced the number of active movable caches to 650 and hopefully most / all of those are still in place.

If you're a Geocaching Australia player and notice a movable cache is not in place, log a "Needs Archived" log against it and the site admins will pick it up for a review.

This will keep the database of live and in place caches clean so you can search with confidence.

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pjmpjm
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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by pjmpjm » 02 July 15 2:02 am

caughtatwork wrote:Around 200 or so movable caches across Australia have been archived in the last 2 or 3 days because:
a. They're missing
b. They've been picked up and not moved on
c. They've been logged into events which are long past and never relocated

Every cache had their last couple of logs checked and if it looked like the cache wasn't in place, then it was archived.

As the task was done by human rather than computer there is a chance of error, so if this is the case and you own a cache that has been archived, at Geocaching Australia you can just log an "Unarchived" log against the cache to resurrect it. i.e. Self service resurrections.

This has reduced the number of active movable caches to 650 and hopefully most / all of those are still in place.

If you're a Geocaching Australia player and notice a movable cache is not in place, log a "Needs Archived" log against it and the site admins will pick it up for a review.

This will keep the database of live and in place caches clean so you can search with confidence.
Good idea. Several of mine were among those archived and I was just telling rogerw3 that I had to go through my moveables and sort the wheat from the chaff.

Goldenwattle
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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Goldenwattle » 02 July 15 11:22 am

Thank you for all that work fixing that up =D>. That must have taken some hours.

:?: Is it possible to take a 'needs maintenance' off GA2986? Yesterday we fixed that cache up with a new log, cache and plastic bags, so this cache is all pristine again, (and not a crumbling, mouldy mess as it was).
Last edited by Goldenwattle on 02 July 15 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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caughtatwork
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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by caughtatwork » 02 July 15 11:26 am

The NM should stay as part of the history of the cache. Nice work to have gotten in back up and in pristine condition and I'm sure any new finder will appreciate the effort.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by fluffyfish » 02 July 15 9:30 pm

=D> good to keep the moveables up to date. Frustrated at those who keep them for long periods. Or who "move" them a year late

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Richary
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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Richary » 03 July 15 7:47 pm

fluffyfish wrote:=D> good to keep the moveables up to date. Frustrated at those who keep them for long periods. Or who "move" them a year late
I admit I've got one I've had a bit too long, that I got at the last event I attended. Though it's not really suited to being out in the elements so I need to find a sheltered hiding spot.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Goldenwattle » 03 July 15 10:45 pm

"I admit I've got one I've had a bit too long, that I got at the last event I attended. Though it's not really suited to being out in the elements so I need to find a sheltered hiding spot."

Under a bridge? I found a moveable cache under one, that needed protection.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Richary » 03 July 15 11:32 pm

Goldenwattle wrote:Under a bridge? I found a moveable cache under one, that needed protection.
Could work as long as it is a solid bridge such as concrete though I don't know of any nearby, a timber one that lets rain through wouldn't work given it is a witch made of straw, and just a mint tin as the log container. A big rock overhang or another event is the best option.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Goldenwattle » 04 July 15 10:10 am

Yes, that was a concrete bridge.

I would put that in a sealed plastic container, as we did with one moveable cache made of plaster, that had badly rotted. We re-plastered it and then repainted it, after finding it almost unrecognisable, and we didn't want it rotting again after all that work. We did have it too long, as we were a bit slow with the work, and we got an email from the owner wanting to know when we were to release it. But we never got an email to thank us for all the work we did in repairing it, and it was a lot more work than it may have looked. As it was before, the cache was in such bad condition it might as well have been thrown away. If someone had repaired my cache I would have thanked the repairer profusely, but not a word. Maybe they didn't like the repairs (we attached photographs) as it didn't look new, but I doubt they could have done better considering its pitted condition.

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Richary
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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Richary » 04 July 15 9:11 pm

Would need to be a big plastic bag, it's on a 1.5 metre broomstick! But yes I need to find a home for it.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Goldenwattle » 04 July 15 9:57 pm

Some highway overpasses have gaps underneath high up under the road that might fit something like that. If you were in Canberra I would have made a suggestion to investigate. Check under the road passes over your local railway line. Some might be suitable, especially any new concrete ones. But it will be a challenge finding a place for a 1.5 metre object.

Also, hollow trees in woodland. Some have huge hollows inside going up into the tree. Plus fallen hollow logs.

Good luck.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by geo_jas » 04 July 15 10:02 pm

When I found the witch at the end of last year she had spent almost 2 years under a bush with no ill effects. I wouldn't worry too much about finding a dry spot.

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Re: Purge of missing movable caches

Post by Just a cacher » 05 July 15 9:42 am

I like the thought, Pesky!, but wouldn't we be rewarding the very behaviour that contributed to the problem in the first place?

When I find that someone has caches in their car (or where ever) I don't want to reward them, I want to choke them with said caches.

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