+sept1c_tank Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 One year ago, today, I lost my beloved GPSr. Oh, I didn’t really lose it; it turned up the next morning. Last night, I lost it again. I think it is for real this time. Ghost Town Bridge is about six miles up a creek that dumps into Monroe Reservoir in southern Indiana. My friend and I set out late afternoon in two canoes to make the 12 mile round trip journey on flat water to score what was sure to be an easy, but rewarding find. The first part of the journey was across open water, into a steady 20 MPH headwind. My favorite electronic gadget was tethered nicely to the top of the cooler in front of me (I always tether it when I’m canoeing). As dusk approached, we were paddling toward the cache in a narrow, deep winding creek laden with stumps. By this time, in this place, the water was like glass. We had already spotted a bald eagle and it’s nest, and we were anticipating finding the cache and a casual night paddle back to the boat ramp. As we approached ¼ mile of the cache, the light was becoming so dim, I was having a problem reading my display. What the heck, we could almost see the bridge; we would be on the bridge, searching for the cache in a matter of minutes. I released the tether to my GPSr to get a better angle on the display. A GPS unit makes a sickening sound when it drops into 10 feet of cold, muddy water at night. So after a few expletives (I was relatively calm and resigned about the whole episode), we paddled on to the bridge to look for the cache. My friend’s GPSr is not working, so he didn’t bring it. I had to use the clue on the cache page (because my coordinates were damp) and change batteries in both our headlamps to find the cache location. Then, after 30 minutes, we realized that this was going to be a DNF. The return paddle was subdued and peaceful. Bats, excitable beavers and millions of serenading frogs surrounded us. I’m going to miss my Garmin12. Quote Link to comment
+The Cheeseheads Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Maybe someone will make a memorial cache for you... Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Nice canoe experience!!! BAD geocaching experience...... a DNF (on the cache) and a DNF (on the GPSr) Sorry...... Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Somewhere, a lonely device lays quietly at the bottom of a lake, where, in a futile effort to please it's master, it will desparately hunt for satellites, for the rest of its battery life. Quote Link to comment
+Doc-Dean Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 Is this where the expression, "Get Magellan or Get Wet" comes from?? Quote Link to comment
+flask Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 i tether everything. i refer to these tethers as "idiot straps" and i won't buy so much as gloves that don't have them. Quote Link to comment
+BigWhiteTruck Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Do you happen to remember the last set or coords you saw? Quote Link to comment
+5 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Somewhere, a lonely device lays quietly at the bottom of a lake, where, in a futile effort to please it's master, it will desparately hunt for satellites, for the rest of its battery life. Dang... That's so sad to think about...I need another beer! Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Maybe someone will make a memorial cache for you... Misery loves company. Somewhere, a lonely device lays quietly at the bottom of a lake, where, in a futile effort to please it's master, it will desparately hunt for satellites, for the rest of its battery life. The batteries were brand new, rechargeable AAs. Do you happen to remember the last set or coords you saw? Well, these are the coordinates of the cache: N 39° 03.799 W 086° 16.434. The last time I looked, we were traveling on a bearing of around 121 degrees about .35 miles from the cache. If I had a GPSr, I could project a waypoint. The owner of the cache emailed me, offering condolences; he said I could log the cache as a find if I wanted. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 Do you happen to remember the last set or coords you saw? Well, these are the coordinates of the cache: N 39° 03.799 W 086° 16.434. The last time I looked, we were traveling on a bearing of around 121 degrees about .35 miles from the cache. If I had a GPSr, I could project a waypoint. I have a GPSr. If I find yours, can I keep it? Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Sure. Finders, keepers. Let me know when you're coming. I'll provide the canoes and libations. Maybe we can log some caches, too. Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted April 7, 2005 Author Share Posted April 7, 2005 Maybe we can make it an event! Quote Link to comment
+RockyRaab Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 DNF = Does Not Float? sorry about both Quote Link to comment
+PDOP's Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 I’m going to miss my Garmin12. Try to look at the silver liniing - you get to shop for a new toy. My first was a GPS12 but now I have a 76C, lots more features and it floats Quote Link to comment
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