Geocaching vs. Letterboxing

• What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is basically a treasure hunt in which players must use GPS’s to find the treasure locations. The coordinates which you must input into your GPS is found on-line and these caches are placed in these coordinates by individuals or organizations. Once you find the rewards the visitor is asked to take one thing and leave one item.

• What is a GPS device?

Global Positioning System is an electronic device that is able to approximate your location within 6-20 feet. The coordinates are given in Longitude and Latitude and are used to help find the caches.

• Where can it be purchased? How much does it cost?

You can find GPS in many locations these days such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Radio Shack or on-line if you wish. GPS’s usually can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000 depending on the capabilities of the GPS you are looking at.

• Are there any rules associated with Geocaching?

Geocaching is a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, the rules are very simple:

1. Take something from the cache

2. Leave something in the cache

3. Write about it in the logbook

Where you place a cache is up to you.

• Take a look at Letterboxing.com and compare Letterboxing and Geocaching. How do the two activities differ? How are the two activities similar? Which one do you think would be the most interesting? Why?

Letterboxing and Geocaching are similar because it is like a treasure hunt to find their location and you must keep it secret and they tend to not be to easy to find. Letterboxing you simply place your stamp in the logbook whereas Geocaching you take an item from the box and replace it with a new one for the next visitor. I believe the Geocaching would be more interesting, because I believe it would be cool to see items from all over the world/country and how they move from one box to the next.

• Have you participated or would you like to participate in either of these activities?

I have known a few people who have participated in Geocaching and I would be interested in attempting to play this form of a treasure hunt myself.