Our first GeoCache!

We were so excited to get a GPS for christmas, and after a weekend figuring it all out, RD led us on our first geocache!!! Those that have never heard of geocaching, it is where people hide a container at specific GPS coordinates and then someone else puts in those coordinates and goes on a treasure hunt to find it. The rules are simple. If you take a treasure out of of the cache, put one back in. It was so fun for the boys to have a purpose to our hike, and finding a 'treasure' on the hike really helped. We have about 10 or so in Sitka we can get to without a boat, and chose Mosquito Cove for our first adventure. This is the same site we saw the bear, which worried the kids a little, but didn't slow them down. It was a very foggy morning, about 50 ft visibility when we started, but cleared into a beautiful sunny day by the time we left, which made for some awesome interactions between light and wet. It was amazing walking through this primeval forest carpeted by green moss, with the ocean visible through a few trees. The fog on the water was a little eerie, like we were alone on this otherworldly island (not too far from the truth). We detoured to a little beach, where the mist almost refracted the light into a sideways rainbow... I thought it was neat. I also loved how the sunlight on a split cedar made the darker forest up the mountainside appear gloomy and blue... I really want to learn more about how to get that in a picture.

Anyway, it was just a breathtaking hike. At one point with the sunlight we could see the moisture droplets in the air.... how cool! I really love the beauty that surrounds us here.
SO, with the boys checking the GPS along the way, we made it to within 15 ft of the cache. The forest limited the preciseness of the location, and we were left to find it with a clue.."a fallen tree and a stump". Well, we were in a forest full of..... fallen trees and stumps!!!!! Fortunately, the boys were happy to jump around on the springy moss and needles, and slide down the wet mossy trees. After checking and rechecking about 8 stumps and log combinations in a 20 ft radius, and 45 minutes later as we were about to leave, RD spotted a piece of bark that looked placed... and behind it was the cache, yeah!!!!
We traded a metallic fishing ornament for a totem crest pin, and headed back on the trail. We had a few rough spots (Reese got a huge bruise/bump from falling on a stump, Grace wasn't happy and wanted to be held for the last half) but we've learned those are to be expected, and we had a great time!! Too bad there are only 9 more.... we'll have to space them out and make some more!

If you're interested in treasure huntin', we'd love to tell you about it or you can check it out at: www.geocaching.com. Here we are, victorious with our cache! It was an awesome family activity!