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Tricks for Wet Logs?


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I live in a fairly wet area and recently I've encountered a number of wet logs, some of them sealed in Ziploc bags. Do any of you have tricks for keeping log books/sheets dry? Is there a way to dry the wet ones in the field?

 

I live in the wettest city in the U.S. and its tough keeping logs dry. Use the best water tight container you can find ( match safes, ammo cans, lock & locks,baby soda bottles, etc )....still water will get in as folks cache in the rain and won't be able to get out causing mold.

We carry a sack of logs in ziplocks and add them to the cache if the existing log is soaked. I use a Sharpie and my wife a Space-Pen for writing on damp logs.

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I would add - cache maintenance. Owners could check their caches once or twice a year and wipe down the container and replace the logbook if it's showing signs of mold.

 

Finders could help out the cache owners by posting about the condition of the logbook. Also, adding a photo of the logbook/sheet would be a nice touch. Example:

 

a196e80e-d65d-4611-8340-7c68d617ddfc_l.jpg

 

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I use a Uni PowerTank pen. It will write on the wet paper/pulp, and on the baggie as well. I mention the log's condition in my Found It log, which goes to the Cache Owner.

 

I have taken damp or moderately wet log sheets and placed them on a dry rock, on the hood of the cachemobile, and even inside in front of the heater vents depending on where I was. I usually don't log a Needs Maintenance unless the container has obvious damage that cause the wet log.

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I've dried damp logsheets by setting them on the defroster vent of the car, by hanging them on something (a branch, a fence, etc.) for the sun/wind to dry them, or even just by setting them on a rock or on the container lid. For signing logs no matter what the condition, I carry an ultra-fine Sharpie, a Fisher Space Pen, and a gel pen.

 

As others have mentioned, waterproof containers keep the log dry, until someone opens them in the rain or otherwise lets water get in them.

 

The other approach I've seen work is to use weatherproof (or even waterproof) log sheets in a container that is not waterproof. For example, a plastic keyholder could let the logsheets get wet, but then the logsheets could dry out fairly quickly. Especially if the cache is in a relatively sheltered location, that may be a better approach than using a waterproof container that traps what moisture does get in.

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Just got back from the land of wet logs (east side of the Big Island of Hawai'i-Bamboozle, Mountain View got 124" rain last year per the NOAA)

 

The best technique I have seen for keeping logs dry is placing them inside the smallest ziplock that the sheet can fit in, inserting that into a match safe and putting the whole thing inside the actual cache. Checking the cache every 3-6 months (depending on climate) to replace any failed component is essential.

 

As for drying logs in the field: depends on the situation. I was up in a tree a couple days ago, in the ice and snow, and found a waterlogged log. Best I could do was blot the excess on the driest part of my pants and sign with the Sharpie I usually carry. A month ago, while mountain biking, I had to use a pocket knife to pry a frozen wad of paper out of the little cacheI found. As it was not only unusable as well as unintelligible (I carefully pried it open back home when it thawed but found most of the ink had washed out) I simply replaced it. There really is no one answer to that problem.

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Do any of you have tricks for keeping log books/sheets dry?

Hide it where there's no water :)

 

Seriously, it's a combination of placement, weather, container. I've seen cache logs in a waterproof container inside in another container. And it'll still get wet if someone opens it in the rain. I've encountered caches filled with water during summer here, when it never rains (San Francisco Bay Area), because someone hid it right next to a sprinkler. Someone suggested using Tyvek (recycled used FedEx envelope) and leaving a Sharpie for others to sign the log. Rite in the Rain is water resistant (it will disintegrate eventually if soaked). National Geographic Adventure Paper and DuraRite is waterproof. You can get RITR and DuraRite notebooks as well.

Is there a way to dry the wet ones in the field?

I've used the rear window defroster to dry a wet log in the field a few times when it's a P&G. I used to be more concerned with fixing such caches in the past, but have become more apathetic the longer I play this game. I'd still give a helping hand every now and then, especially if I know the CO. This is why we need fresh blood in the game - the old timers just become grumpy forum regulars :)

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Just got back from the land of wet logs (east side of the Big Island of Hawai'i-Bamboozle, Mountain View got 124" rain last year per the NOAA)

 

The best technique I have seen for keeping logs dry is placing them inside the smallest ziplock that the sheet can fit in, inserting that into a match safe and putting the whole thing inside the actual cache. Checking the cache every 3-6 months (depending on climate) to replace any failed component is essential.

 

 

I can see a Coghlan's match safe doing a good job, both as a stand-alone cache container or inside another container. Doubling up with 2 quality cache containers in a particularly damp/wet climate makes sense.

 

Doubling up with 2 leaky containers doesn't work. I'm seeing a trend in my area where cache owners put their logscroll inside a film canister and then use a leaky outer container for the swag. Almost every time (I don't remember an instance where it wasn't true), the logsheet in the film canister was damp/wet if there was water in the outer container. One time the contents of the outer container were dry, but the logscroll inside the film canister was quite damp. Gave me a chuckle that even within a dry jar, a film canister is a leaky choice for a cache container.

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Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

It sounds like I need to stock up on rite-in-the-rain paper, ziplocs, and a couple of new pens. A lot of the caches I go after are too far from my vehicle for drying out logs to be practical, but at least I could leave behind a dry sheet for the next cacher.

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Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

It sounds like I need to stock up on rite-in-the-rain paper, ziplocs, and a couple of new pens. A lot of the caches I go after are too far from my vehicle for drying out logs to be practical, but at least I could leave behind a dry sheet for the next cacher.

 

I would only leave a dry sheet in caches that have responsible active cache owners. Sometimes a quality cache container gets compromised (tabs not locked down, container opened in the pouring rain, etc.) and the contents could use a wipe down or a fresh sheet to tide the cache over until the owner can visit. A report should still go to the cache owner so they can visit and remove the wet log.

 

If there are notes in the cache logs that repeatedly say the log is wet/damp/moldy and no response from the owner, instead of a dry sheet I would log an NM. Already NMs about the log, the cache owner is unresponsive but active, I'd leave an NA and preface it with 'Needs Attention. The log has been wet for a very long time. Logs and NMs have noted the problem since [month, year]. Already NMs and cache owner hasn't logged in in months I'd log an NA telling the reviewer that the cache has been in need of attention since [date], the cache owner hasn't logged in in [x] months and may have stopped participating in the game.

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I would add - cache maintenance. Owners could check their caches once or twice a year and wipe down the container and replace the logbook if it's showing signs of mold.

 

Finders could help out the cache owners by posting about the condition of the logbook. Also, adding a photo of the logbook/sheet would be a nice touch. Example:

 

a196e80e-d65d-4611-8340-7c68d617ddfc_l.jpg

I use only waterproof paper and a baggie. I had some cachers post NM on some caches I have near the bay. Said the logs were soaked. I went out there and they were barely damp and the signatures were still clear and none faded. So photos help show the CO what degree wet they are talking about.

Edited by jellis
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As far as waterproof paper, companies have started making stone paper...some kind of calcium carbonate polyethylene stuff that uses "waste" materials to make. We've gotten a few sample note pads of it. Totally waterproof and fairly tear-proof, too. Feels a bit like very thin plastic. It's new enough to be slightly more expensive than regular paper, but I'm betting that will change soon. I haven't seen loose sheets of it yet, but that might change, too. I'm going to try it for log books for the next few caches I put out.

 

Maybe once this kind of paper becomes more common, finding wads of unreadable pulp in caches will be a thing of the past.

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As far as waterproof paper, companies have started making stone paper...some kind of calcium carbonate polyethylene stuff that uses "waste" materials to make. We've gotten a few sample note pads of it. Totally waterproof and fairly tear-proof, too. Feels a bit like very thin plastic. It's new enough to be slightly more expensive than regular paper, but I'm betting that will change soon. I haven't seen loose sheets of it yet, but that might change, too. I'm going to try it for log books for the next few caches I put out.

 

Maybe once this kind of paper becomes more common, finding wads of unreadable pulp in caches will be a thing of the past.

Read somewhere that stone paper doesn't do well in Sunlight (maybe due to the milk bottle plastic added), so clear plastic hides might not hold up.

Could change with more companies getting into it and a little tweaking if enough interest in outdoor use.

Seems it'd be great for ammo cans.

Please do a product review (after a couple months) if you think of it. :)

 

We still use Rite In Rain paper in all hides.

Edited by cerberus1
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As far as waterproof paper, companies have started making stone paper...some kind of calcium carbonate polyethylene stuff that uses "waste" materials to make. We've gotten a few sample note pads of it. Totally waterproof and fairly tear-proof, too. Feels a bit like very thin plastic. It's new enough to be slightly more expensive than regular paper, but I'm betting that will change soon. I haven't seen loose sheets of it yet, but that might change, too. I'm going to try it for log books for the next few caches I put out.

Does it take ink easily compared to regular paper? Gel ink, ball point pen, pencil?

 

Maybe once this kind of paper becomes more common, finding wads of unreadable pulp in caches will be a thing of the past.

You're a lot more optimistic than I am :)

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Checking my caches, I noticed that although the containers, LnL's, were shut tight, the temperature swings in this last month (-35C to +7C) has caused condensation within the container. I dried it out and dried the log in front of my car heaters, but I am sure it will be damp again in short order.

I'll be going and replacing the logs with RiR logs in the spring. I also noticed that some of them are in areas that hold water (not obvious in the fall when I hid them). Some adjusting will be necessary as it is.

Still fairly new to the hiding aspect but having fun learning all the same. Thanks to this topic, I'll learn even faster !

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Does it take ink easily compared to regular paper? Gel ink, ball point pen, pencil?

 

Maybe once this kind of paper becomes more common, finding wads of unreadable pulp in caches will be a thing of the past.

You're a lot more optimistic than I am :)

 

It's smoother than paper and takes ink better, IMO. Regular ink does run slightly when wet, but not to illegibility. And...I can only hope!

 

As far as waterproof paper, companies have started making stone paper...some kind of calcium carbonate polyethylene stuff that uses "waste" materials to make. We've gotten a few sample note pads of it. Totally waterproof and fairly tear-proof, too. Feels a bit like very thin plastic. It's new enough to be slightly more expensive than regular paper, but I'm betting that will change soon. I haven't seen loose sheets of it yet, but that might change, too. I'm going to try it for log books for the next few caches I put out.

 

Maybe once this kind of paper becomes more common, finding wads of unreadable pulp in caches will be a thing of the past.

Read somewhere that stone paper doesn't do well in Sunlight (maybe due to the milk bottle plastic added), so clear plastic hides might not hold up.

Could change with more companies getting into it and a little tweaking if enough interest in outdoor use.

Seems it'd be great for ammo cans.

Please do a product review (after a couple months) if you think of it. :)

 

We still use Rite In Rain paper in all hides.

 

I read about the problems degrading in sunlight, also. I'd think most hides and containers would protect it enough (reviews were saying 3-4 months in direct sunlight started the paper decomposing).

 

I do like the little Rite in the Rain notebooks...otherwise, I have small sheets printed that I cut up for smaller caches on regular paper. It would be nice to get loose sheets of either paper that would go through a standard printer. Hmmm...I had to Google that. A pack of 200 sheets of Rite in the Rain copy paper is $32 on Amazon. Could be worse. That would produce a lot of nano and micro logs.

 

I'll let you know how the stone paper holds up.

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Too far from the car? How about a cordless hair dryer? :)

 

I've never heard of a geocacher using something like this, but fly fishermen have a number of ways of drying out wet "dry flies" quickly in the field. One is a type of bracket fungus called Amadou

 

12FML4VF.jpg

 

Natural absorbent material used to dry soaked fly patterns. The best way to revive CDC fly patterns, Amadou has amazing fly drying qualities and is a natural product derived from horse's hoof fungus (Fomes formentarius). Simply squeeze your drowned dry fly inbetween the Amadou patch and all the moisture is sucked out. You are now ready for action. Not just for CDC flies, the Amadou Fly Dryer will also dry larger flies and prepare the fly to be redressed with floatant. Leather cover protects the Amadou. 2" X 3".

 

(http://www.orvis.com...ying-patch/12fm)

 

Another option is using those silica packets, not IN a cache, but ON the wet log. Alternately, there are commercial versions of silica formulations sold specifically for drying out delicate dry fly hackles:

 

Frogs-Fanny-Dry-Fly-Powder.jpg

 

(note that these are dessicants, for drying, not floatants. I'd think you'd want to avoid any product that would contain a silicone floatation component)

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One of my caches (one that I actually adopted) is a chapstick tube with a rolled up piece of paper inside, hidden in a gap in the granite stones at the base of a historic fountain. Basically what one might consider the least likely arrangement to keep the log in good shape. Funny thing is...the three times I've been there (first time to find it, second time to confirm it was still there, third time with another cacher while he found it), the log was always dry and in terrific shape. I can't explain it...nor can I explain why the logs in half the ammo cans I find are damp or soaked. Sometimes there's just no telling how a log will fare until you put it out there and let it sit for a few months.

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I've never heard of a geocacher using something like this, but fly fishermen have a number of ways of drying out wet "dry flies" quickly in the field. One is a type of bracket fungus called Amadou

$30 to dry out someone's wet log, I'm not surprised if no one uses it :blink: You'll probably have it stained with ink as well. Hmm, maybe a ghetto DIY version using a pad of paper towels. Won't dry anywhere near as well, I'm sure, but significantly less expensive.

 

Just for laughs I entered "drying paper" into Chrome and one of the suggestions for autocompletion is "drying paper logs". Hmm, I didn't realize it's such a hot (heh) topic. Clicked on it. Apparently, "paper log" doesn't mean what I thought it means. Some people turn old newspaper into log (as in wooden log) shapes for burning. There's even a "paper log maker" on Amazon for doing this.

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I've never heard of a geocacher using something like this, but fly fishermen have a number of ways of drying out wet "dry flies" quickly in the field. One is a type of bracket fungus called Amadou

$30 to dry out someone's wet log, I'm not surprised if no one uses it :blink:

 

You'd have to be familiar with the fly fishing community to understand why people in that community would pay $30 to dry their flies. I remember someone asking for a recommendation for a "beginners fly rod" in a fly fishing forum I used to read and someone responded that they should by a Winston fly rod, which starts at around $700.

 

BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

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I've never heard of a geocacher using something like this, but fly fishermen have a number of ways of drying out wet "dry flies" quickly in the field. One is a type of bracket fungus called Amadou

$30 to dry out someone's wet log, I'm not surprised if no one uses it :blink:

 

You'd have to be familiar with the fly fishing community to understand why people in that community would pay $30 to dry their flies. I remember someone asking for a recommendation for a "beginners fly rod" in a fly fishing forum I used to read and someone responded that they should by a Winston fly rod, which starts at around $700.

 

BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

Oh, I'm not surprised that fly fishermen use this for drying flies. They'd probably get that portable hair dryer if it does a better job (but I don't think it does). I think they're just about as crazy as any geocacher. What I meant was that I'm not surprised no geocacher would use this to dry logsheets they come across while geocaching.

 

Duck butt paper sounds like toilet paper for ducks...

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If it's sunny and breezy, a log sheet will dry rather quickly on a tree branch, even here in Georgia in the humidity of Summer. When there's no obvious reason why the log is soaked, I'll dry the container, hang the log to dry, and take some pictures for a few minutes. When feel like it. :anicute:

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A few times I've considered grabbing a tyvek FedEx envelope and cutting it into strips to use as a log sheet, but I'm not sure how well the various types of pens write on that material.

 

I created some logs for a couple of caches which had issues staying dry using a tyvek FedEx envelope. I haven't had any complaints about logs being wet but I have had a couple from people indicating that they had trouble writing on the material. Unfortunately, the containers are too small to hold a sharpie pen.

 

 

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One of my caches (one that I actually adopted) is a chapstick tube with a rolled up piece of paper inside, hidden in a gap in the granite stones at the base of a historic fountain. Basically what one might consider the least likely arrangement to keep the log in good shape. Funny thing is...the three times I've been there (first time to find it, second time to confirm it was still there, third time with another cacher while he found it), the log was always dry and in terrific shape. I can't explain it...nor can I explain why the logs in half the ammo cans I find are damp or soaked. Sometimes there's just no telling how a log will fare until you put it out there and let it sit for a few months.

 

That's really funny, but you know, I've put chapstick through the dryer in my jeans pocket more times than I can count, and it always melts inside the tube without leaking out. Huh.

 

Lately I've been seeing a lot of caches (size small and up) with the log in a film canister inside the main container. Seems to do the trick.

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That's really funny, but you know, I've put chapstick through the dryer in my jeans pocket more times than I can count, and it always melts inside the tube without leaking out. Huh.

The lip balm is poured into the container while molten, so that does seem reasonable that it stays mostly inside. Water poured into a chapstick container will slowly leak out over a couple of hours.

 

I thought the "turn knob to extract log" mechanism for a chapstick is rather interesting. I found some (unused) ones with a lanyard attachment cap, may try to use that as a container.

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That's really funny, but you know, I've put chapstick through the dryer in my jeans pocket more times than I can count, and it always melts inside the tube without leaking out. Huh.

The lip balm is poured into the container while molten, so that does seem reasonable that it stays mostly inside. Water poured into a chapstick container will slowly leak out over a couple of hours.

 

I thought the "turn knob to extract log" mechanism for a chapstick is rather interesting. I found some (unused) ones with a lanyard attachment cap, may try to use that as a container.

 

But does water get in?

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I've never heard of a geocacher using something like this, but fly fishermen have a number of ways of drying out wet "dry flies" quickly in the field. One is a type of bracket fungus called Amadou

$30 to dry out someone's wet log, I'm not surprised if no one uses it :blink: You'll probably have it stained with ink as well. Hmm, maybe a ghetto DIY version using a pad of paper towels. Won't dry anywhere near as well, I'm sure, but significantly less expensive.

 

Just for laughs I entered "drying paper" into Chrome and one of the suggestions for autocompletion is "drying paper logs". Hmm, I didn't realize it's such a hot (heh) topic. Clicked on it. Apparently, "paper log" doesn't mean what I thought it means. Some people turn old newspaper into log (as in wooden log) shapes for burning. There's even a "paper log maker" on Amazon for doing this.

 

$30 one time cost. I know people that carry long reaching poles with them that cost more than $30. The powders would, of course, not be reusable, so really the amadou would be a better choice for the long run. Ink stains wouldn't be a problem. Amadou is much more absorbent than paper towels, else fly fishermen would be using them.

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BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

 

I'm not gonna ask what Cul de Sac means, then. :o:D

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One of my caches (one that I actually adopted) is a chapstick tube with a rolled up piece of paper inside, hidden in a gap in the granite stones at the base of a historic fountain. Basically what one might consider the least likely arrangement to keep the log in good shape. Funny thing is...the three times I've been there (first time to find it, second time to confirm it was still there, third time with another cacher while he found it), the log was always dry and in terrific shape. I can't explain it...nor can I explain why the logs in half the ammo cans I find are damp or soaked. Sometimes there's just no telling how a log will fare until you put it out there and let it sit for a few months.
That may fall into the category of non-waterproof containers that allow wet logsheets to dry out between soakings. And the gap in the stones may provide it a sheltered location, where it doesn't get soaked all that often.
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BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

 

I'm not gonna ask what Cul de Sac means, then. :o:D

 

Pretty much exactly what it sounds like...bottom of the bag. A figure of speech meant to illustrate a dead end road, usually rounded out as a bag or sack would be.

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One of my caches (one that I actually adopted) is a chapstick tube with a rolled up piece of paper inside, hidden in a gap in the granite stones at the base of a historic fountain. Basically what one might consider the least likely arrangement to keep the log in good shape. Funny thing is...the three times I've been there (first time to find it, second time to confirm it was still there, third time with another cacher while he found it), the log was always dry and in terrific shape. I can't explain it...nor can I explain why the logs in half the ammo cans I find are damp or soaked. Sometimes there's just no telling how a log will fare until you put it out there and let it sit for a few months.
That may fall into the category of non-waterproof containers that allow wet logsheets to dry out between soakings. And the gap in the stones may provide it a sheltered location, where it doesn't get soaked all that often.

 

Sorry...the gap is between two horizontal platform stones. It basically sits in a crack in the ground, so it's not like it's even elevated to allow easy drying. I can't recall getting any emails mentioning a wet log, even after recent rains. After I adopted it, I intended to change the hide to something more sheltered, but I soon realized it was actually holding up just fine. The first time I have to replace it, though, I'll probably do something a bit different.

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That's really funny, but you know, I've put chapstick through the dryer in my jeans pocket more times than I can count, and it always melts inside the tube without leaking out. Huh.

The lip balm is poured into the container while molten, so that does seem reasonable that it stays mostly inside. Water poured into a chapstick container will slowly leak out over a couple of hours.

 

I thought the "turn knob to extract log" mechanism for a chapstick is rather interesting. I found some (unused) ones with a lanyard attachment cap, may try to use that as a container.

 

But does water get in?

I left one floating on top of a bucket of water for a few hours with a piece of paper inside. It felt damp but was not soaking wet.

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$30 one time cost. I know people that carry long reaching poles with them that cost more than $30. The powders would, of course, not be reusable, so really the amadou would be a better choice for the long run. Ink stains wouldn't be a problem. Amadou is much more absorbent than paper towels, else fly fishermen would be using them.

Many geocachers are willing to spend lots on their personal equipment, but I'm not so sure they're willing to spend so much when it comes to something that is only useful in another's geocache - assuming it is your own cache, you can just change out the logsheet or logbook. Much easier to just add a new logsheet in a baggie when possible. It is an intriguing solution, I must admit. Have you tried it with paper to see how well it works? I also wonder if it is so expensive because it is marketed towards fly fishermen, not that there's anything we can do about that...

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BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

 

I'm not gonna ask what Cul de Sac means, then. :o:D

 

Pretty much exactly what it sounds like...bottom of the bag. A figure of speech meant to illustrate a dead end road, usually rounded out as a bag or sack would be.

 

Guess I used the wrong smilies, huh?

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$30 one time cost. I know people that carry long reaching poles with them that cost more than $30. The powders would, of course, not be reusable, so really the amadou would be a better choice for the long run. Ink stains wouldn't be a problem. Amadou is much more absorbent than paper towels, else fly fishermen would be using them.

Many geocachers are willing to spend lots on their personal equipment, but I'm not so sure they're willing to spend so much when it comes to something that is only useful in another's geocache - assuming it is your own cache, you can just change out the logsheet or logbook. Much easier to just add a new logsheet in a baggie when possible. It is an intriguing solution, I must admit. Have you tried it with paper to see how well it works? I also wonder if it is so expensive because it is marketed towards fly fishermen, not that there's anything we can do about that...

 

Oh, I don't have one. Those things are way too expensive for me, especially when its just for drying out someone else's log. It would be easier and faster to just slip a new strip of paper in (notice how I assume it is a strip of paper, and not a log book like in the good old days?)

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People are mentioning drying logs with your clothes, etc. A lot of the wet logsheets I find in micros smell bad, from slightly sour to oh, please, make it all go away. I found one recently near Seattle that I had a hard time not gagging at. So nasty.

Edited by Ambrosia
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People are mentioning drying logs with your clothes, etc. A lot of the wet logsheets I find in micros smell bad, from slightly sour to oh, please, make it all go away. I found one recently near Seattle that I had a hard time not gagging at. So nasty.

Good point. One of those I found - a tupperware type box that leaked - had abundant growth inside. A few of the logs before my find went something like "I'm happy to report that the science experiment is doing well and that the culture is fluorishing".

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BTW, I find it odd that that Amadou patch is for CDC files. CDC, or Cul de Canard (french for Duck Bottom) are the feathers from, well, the bottom of a duck and are naturally water resistant due the secretion of the preen gland. Forget about stone paper, someone should create duck butt paper.

 

I'm not gonna ask what Cul de Sac means, then. :o:D

 

Pretty much exactly what it sounds like...bottom of the bag. A figure of speech meant to illustrate a dead end road, usually rounded out as a bag or sack would be.

 

I get a different but synonymous word when I enter "cul" into google translate

Edited by NYPaddleCacher
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I get a different but synonymous word when I enter "cul" into google translate

I like that one better :)

 

Wikipedia tells me that "Bag End" in Lord of the Rings is coined to make fun of the use of "cul-de-sac" in the English language.

 

This thread has been a wealth of trivia for me. First amadou, now a language lesson :)

Edited by Chrysalides
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One of those I found - a tupperware type box that leaked - had abundant growth inside. A few of the logs before my find went something like "I'm happy to report that the science experiment is doing well and that the culture is fluorishing".
Yeah, I've found a couple "science experiment" caches myself. Yech...
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People are mentioning drying logs with your clothes, etc. A lot of the wet logsheets I find in micros smell bad, from slightly sour to oh, please, make it all go away. I found one recently near Seattle that I had a hard time not gagging at. So nasty.

Good point. One of those I found - a tupperware type box that leaked - had abundant growth inside. A few of the logs before my find went something like "I'm happy to report that the science experiment is doing well and that the culture is fluorishing".

 

Yes...it's why I carry a small pack of disinfecting wipes in my car. There have been many occasions when I've returned to my car with some funky smelling stuff on my hands and I'm grateful for the wipes.

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Gel Pens in my case - in particular the Ink Joy range by PaperMate. 10 assorted colours for $4.99 Cdn. Not clicking pens, they have the cap you take on and off, which I find irritating. I will try the clicker type next time.

 

We carry hand sanitizers in each car - liquid in a bottle type - to deal with funky stuff on our hands from caches.

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Curious me had to Google "Wet paper mold"

 

http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v09/bp09-02.html

 

  1. The mold organism which you see on paper is most likely to be a hazard if it gets into an opening in your skin, causing an infection. When the mold is dead and the paper is dry, allergic reactions can result if the mold is scattered as dust in the air.
  2. Mold releases reproductive cells called spores, which are easily inhaled into the lungs. Hundreds of types of molds can be associated with paper, and they are the source of numerous allergies. The spores of a few species of mold also cause disease such as histoplasmosis. "Old mold" can be a source of spores, even when the mold organism is dead.

A third source of risk is bacteria, another complicated micro-organism. Many different types of bacteria can cause ill-health in humans, and the mechanisms which cause disease or infection are varied:

 

  1. Some bacteria cause allergies just by their presence, since the human body reacts to the bacteria as "foreign" cells.
  2. The enzymes which bacteria produce can cause harm to human tissue.
  3. Bacteria have two groups of by-products which are classified as toxins. One group affects human hosts while the bacteria is alive; the second group becomes a hazard when the bacteria dies. So it is possible for there to be a health risk from both newly contaminated paper and paper which was exposed to living bacteria long ago.

 

 

 

 

 

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