Geocaching proves fun for all ages

ORANGEBURG (AP) -- Many children imagine themselves as pirates seeking buried treasure, their imaginations full blown and in tow.

Thanks to the advent of hand-sized global positioning systems, a new form of the old childhood game is now becoming popular with people of all ages.

Described as a high-tech game of hide-and-seek or scavenger hunt, geocaching is growing in popularity across South Carolina, throughout the United States and around the world.

Geocaches are containers of varying size that contain items of modest value and a logbook. The basic rules of the game involve documenting your adventure in the logbook, and if you take something from the cache, leave something in its place of equal or greater value.

The coordinates for each geocache can be found on any number of websites geared toward devotees. After inputting the coordinates into their GPS, the hunt is on.

Gerald Vanlandingham of Elgin said he has placed two geocaches in the Orangeburg area out of the eight he has hidden himself.

An accountant by occupation, he has sought geocaches in 17 states and personally discovered almost 400.

"I've been doing it for over a year," Vanlandingham said. "It's a chance to get out and see new areas you wouldn't normally go. I read a magazine article that talked about where a geocache was placed at the helicopter landing site in California where the television series "M-A-S-H" was filmed. I thought it was kind of cool.

"I was living in Charleston at the time I started. The first geocache I ever found was located about a mile and a half from my house."

Geocaching was conceived shortly after the removal of Selective Availability from GPS on May 1, 2000. The move significantly increased the accuracy of civilian-grade GPS units and allowed for specific placement and location of small containers, or caches, anywhere on earth.

The first documented geocache was placed on May 3, 2000, in Oregon. Since then, more than one million geocaches have been placed around the world on every continent, including Antarctica.

Vanlandingham said there aren't as many geocaches in Bamberg, Calhoun and Orangeburg counties as in some of the larger urban areas of South Carolina.

"Each website has rules on how to place geocaches," Vanlandingham said. "Generally, people are asked not to place them near schools, highway bridges, churches or anywhere it would cause problems. They shouldn't be placed within one-tenth of a mile of another geocache.

"You do see a lot in highway rest areas and public parks across the country. If you come off I-26 at exit 145 there is one located there."

Geocaches have been hidden at several exits along I-26, Bull Swamp, North, U.S. 301 and Springfield.

A major rule of geocaching involves respecting the land and clearing requests for placement with property owners. Several geocaches have even been placed at Santee State Park.

Manager Nathan Maiwald said park management cooperates with people desiring to hide their secret "stashes."

"It's here to stay," Maiwald said. "They place geocaches in places that are easily accessible and don't disturb the natural area. We also have what are known as earth caches. They are simply topographical features on the park that people can locate using GPS coordinates.

"(Geocaching) has been a great thing for us because it brings people out into the park. It gets them excited about the outdoors and associated activities, such as hiking."

Elloree Police Chief Preston Avinger assisted with placement of a geocache in the town's Loyns Park in conjunction with the Elloree Heritage Museum and Cultural Center's 2009 Children's Summer Day Camp.

Although he isn't able to spend much time geocaching, Avinger said his interest began in 1993.

"GPS units were just getting good during my last year in the Marine Corps," Avinger said. "It was only operable during certain parts of the day because all the tracking satellites weren't up yet. I was taking land navigation through various military courses, and that's how I got interested in it.

"When they started looking for something for the day camp, I thought it would be a good thing for them. I've only found about 10 to 15 geocaches the whole time, but I try to do a couple each year. It's a neat concept and very family-friendly."

Ginger Fogle of Cordova has been geocaching for three years and credits her daughter-in-law, Cheryl Fogle of Aiken, with introducing her. Fogle said the geocaches are hidden, but not buried.

"I let the younger ones do the GPS coordinates," Fogle said. "When we get to the general area, I like to look for something that is out of place. I get clues by spotting what stands out from the ordinary surroundings.

"The geocaches we've found are in downtown Orangeburg and in the Edisto Gardens. One we tried to find was supposed to be in Bamberg near the tennis courts.

"The little ones enjoy it. It is fun especially if you have children."