Thunder Bay Geocaching

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September 28th, 2016
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Thunder Bay is truly a wonderful part of the North of Superior Region. With our beautiful scenic look outs, and beaches in the summer, as well as our many parks and recreational trails.

Recently, I have discovered another amazing side of Thunder Bay (as well as our surrounding area)..

Geocaching.

Hidden within our many parks and trails are small hidden containers. Part of a global game it seems, geocaching has hit the NOSR by storm. All you need to participate is a keen sense of adventure, a love of the outdoors, and a smart phone with the Geocaching app. No wifi or data needed, the app itself runs off of satellites which contain the coordinates for many caches hidden throughout the city and country side. Some of the caches are placed in historical sites, which also give a brief history lesson on the area. Stashed inside each cache is a log book, where you sign your name and date of location, carefully tucking the log book back inside once you’ve finished and placing the cache exactly where you found it. Caches come in all sizes, from micro small to extra large. Some contain trade items, which means you need to carry small items with you if you’re looking to trade for a small token of your find. Most caches are well camouflaged, making geocaching a very fun experience. I’ve climbed through trees, trudged through bushes, and even climbed the side of the shale cliff outside of the Terry Fox lookout just to locate a cache, even though the vehicle my friend and I were in wound up stuck in the snow for a good few hours. Every scrape, every bruise, every snow or rain soaked pair of pants are totally worth the adventure!

Geocaching can also be a child friendly outing, sticking to the smaller terrain or park and grab caches. My husband and I have taken our 4 and 6 year old out numerous times and they’ve had a blast running through the trees looking for little “treasure boxes” as they call them. I have yet to participate in any caching events, but will be doing so next week when the most recent one starts. Cache events involve groups of geocachers searching for specially placed caches for the particular event, which after the event stay available for other cachers to find and log. It’s a great way to learn more about geocaching, as well as meet other people who enjoy the search and find game!

If you’re tired of your usual go-to time killers, or are looking for something new and exciting, geocaching definitely is a good start! Pouring rain, snowing, or bright and sunny, there is always caches to be found! So throw on some boots and go get dirty!

Mickayla Sutton