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Hello - just joined and have never geocached before but I think it would be so much fun to do.
We actually are awaiting the shipment of a handheld GPS that we purchased primarily for when we go boating (think trip down Kennebec to the ocean... started back home by way of wrong river.. thankful for friends we were boating with!)
Just wondering, are there trips that include access by boats larger than canoes & kayaks? Thought it might be a good side trip while boating...
Thanks!
welcome to the addiction!
There are several hydro caches in Maine. Many can be accessed by boats larger than canoes.
And if you often take the wrong river, then you're the type that will produce some interesting cache logs!
Welcome to the treasure hunt!!!
Opalsns and BubbaBass
Team Cachin' Crow
Welcome to geocaching . . . and more specifically to geocachingmaine.org.Quote:
Originally Posted by rquirion
It sounds like you may have got into geocaching in a similar way that I did . . . for me it was getting lost while ATVing that prompted me to get a GPSr . . . and then I figured I would take up geocaching as a way to justify the expense of buying the hand-held unit . . . now it sometimes seems as though I do more geocaching than ATVing.
As for your question . . . there are several caches that you can access by motor boats . . . you may have to run a search for them. Oftentimes you'll find the higher terrain rating (4 stars) means the cache is only accessible by water (although sometimes it may mean that the terrain is just wicked tough or you'll be putting on some miles via your own two-feet).
I can think of one by Laughing Terry that is at the boat landing in Hinckley that you can get and there are a few that you can get to from the Sidney boat landing if you land there. Just make sure of the tides when boating below Winslow. Have fun!!!
Now I really can't wait for the GPS to show up so we can get started - thanks for the tips!
Just curious as to what you decided on for a GPS?
. . .Unfortunately he bought a Magellan and now is lost all the time.:D:D:DQuote:
Originally Posted by firefighterjake
Hope you didn't jump the gun Vic and rquirion states that he has a Magellan as well....:eek:
There are at least half a dozen caches you can do while traversing the Kennebec by boat. First of all, be forewarned that the recent flood stage flowage and has moved or sunk many of the navigational aids. The "red-right-returning" concept will get you in a bunch of trouble. If you add a C-Map data card to your GPS, then all the bouys will appear on your screen where they are supposed to be and you can do what I call "virtual Navigation," that is rounding the bouys on your screen. You could also just do it reading a paper chart or the depths posted on your GPS if you have the program, but I would not recommend it unless you have somebody with you that is very familiar with the river. Even with the bouys in the right place, I have seen a lot of costly mistakes on the Kennebec. The river is tidal and once south of Bath the water is cold enough that an immersion could bring on hypothermia in minutes so be careful.
Now for the caches. Bad Rock cache is located about a mile or so north of the Gardiner boat ramp. there are 2 caches on the left side of the river as you head down stream at Merry Meeting Bay. Just south of BIW is Maritime HIstory museum and there is a cache located just outside the museum area. You can type up at the float where the tour boat is moored.
There's another one located less then a half mile from the Phippsburg town docks.The bridge keepers at Townsend gut have a cache locatednear the bridge. Tie up at Robiinson's, have a lobster and grab the cache.
From my not so great memory, those are a few you can do in a power boat.
Welcome to the addicting world of caching!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quirious
dubord207 did a fine job of describing our trip down the Kennebec! The friend we boated with had done the trip before but our first wrong turn happened early and we were in some very shallow water for a bit... We still had a great day but I have insisted on GPS for any future excursions - the Maine coast is very vast and if there had been fog etc. it would have been a bad bad day! Bouys seemed to be in place but then again how would we have really known as it was our first trip? Somebody may very well have been looking out for us! My husband drives truck and can get us anywhere there's pavement or dirt, he will need to learn the H2O highway!
As for a GPS we found a Garmin 60CX on Ebay that is probably more than we really need. Half the cost because it was refurbished but carries the same 1 year warrenty from Garmin. Wish I had it today as it's the last day before the kids go back to school. We have a Tom Tom One from days of hauling to Boston but the battery doesn't hold a good charge - I assume if the battery worked though...hmmmm... a gps is a gps..... There's that curiousity getting the better of me!
HaHaHa . . . hey wait a minute . . . that's not funny. I recall that I got to your birthday party with my Magellan . . . oops . . . forgot . . . Hiram357 was navigating that day with his DeLorme. ;):D Well anyways, all who wander are not lost, right -- we just happen to love wandering in circles in middle of the woods -- we Magellan users find it relaxing. ;):DQuote:
Originally Posted by vicbiker
Um..... Not exactly. Why do you think we give Magellan owners such a hard time? LOL!Quote:
Originally Posted by Quirious
But you're right - the 60cx is a great gps for a new cacher. Sheesh! If you really get hooked, you'll be wanting an upgrade in 6 months! LOL!