Page+11+May+2011+Community+Profiles

**  By Paul Nessman, UW-Manitowoc News Staff   ** When I was asked by a friend last summer if I wanted to go geocaching, my answer was, “Yes … but what the heck is geocaching?” I knew that // geo // had something to do with geography but the only // cache // that I knew of was a place that I stored data on my computer. I was soon delighted to learn that geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt in which trinkets, secret messages, and little surprises are stored in waterproof containers (called // geocaches //) that can be hidden in the wilderness or in a public venue. These geocaches are located with the help of specialized GPS units that send and receive coordinates, hints and directions to where the “treasure” may be found. Geocaching is a scavenger hunt for techno-nerds … and I do not mean that in a bad way. Some geocache excursions are as simple as an Easter egg hunt, while others involve the complexity of deep-sea diving. Geocaching has been around since about 2002 and was made possible by the Pentagon’s development of the Global Satellite Positioning system (GPS) back in the cold war years. So in addition to guiding bombs to their targets and keeping track of friendly forces on the ground in foreign lands, the GPS has provided the foundation for some healthy and environmentally friendly fun for families, friends, and organized competitions. However, since the activity is fairly new, the participants’ actions are sometimes misunderstood. Sometimes when geocachers are observed by the non-geocaching public, the local police are called to investigate the geocachers’ “suspicious” behavior. In a worst case scenario incident, a person came upon a hidden geocache and then called the local bomb squad to investigate the device. Geocaching is forbidden in national parks to protect the sites. A good rule of thumb when hiding a cache is this: if you are not sure the hiding place is a legally acceptable spot, check with the landowner, the park system or the local police first! The positive aspects of geocaching are numerous:  1.) It is a great family, social and competitive activity.     2.) It is good for one’s physical and mental health (exercise and puzzle solving).  3.) It does not harm the environment.      Geocachers often help the environment because of their “cache-in trash-out” (CITO) policy, which means geocachers pick up trash, maintain the grounds, and generally care for the areas in which they roam while looking for their cache. In general, geocachers are known to be conscientious and environmentally aware. They abide by a code of ethics that is fundamentally the same as being a good neighbor.    If you are interested in geocaching then your first step should be to visit the following website. [] At this site, you will find a wealth of information about what to do, where to go and what you will need to get started…ENJOY!  One local resource is our beautiful and internationally known museum right here in town: On your next visit to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, you can check out the "museum" that exists outside in our community. The museum offers five GPS units that can be borrowed from their front desk. You can explore any of the ten maritime history caches that have been left in Manitowoc and Two Rivers and see special places in local maritime history while you search. A booklet is available showing easy instructions and coordinates to get you started. There is no charge for this activity! If you are you already familiar with geocaching, and have your own unit, you can go to www.geocaching.com and type in Manitowoc's zipcode, 54220. A list of caches will appear. Choose any cache by // WiscMaritime // and you will be on your way to enjoying the adventures of maritime geocaching right here in our community!
 * What’s Geocaching?  **