Which Way do I go?

Geocacher language may seem a little strange.  We sometimes speak in acronyms and use words that just don’t make sense to new geocachers.  Muggles, of course, have no clue what we are saying! (Sorry about that… A muggle is someone who is non geocacher. Based on “Muggle” from the Harry Potter series, which is a non-magical person.)  There are many terms that we use so much that we will let them slip in front of a muggle, who then gives a blank stare.

So, I thought it might be helpful to give a quick lesson on the language of the geocacher. There will be a quiz at the end of the lesson.

Geocacher Language

Let’s start with the word geocaching.  Geocaching comes takes the “geo” from geography and combines it with “caching” which is the process of hiding a cache.  The word cache refers to stored information when dealing with computers or a hiding place for provision when hiking or camping.  The two words combine then mean to hide something at a set location on the Earth.  (By the way, cache is pronounced like cash, not catch)

Geocacher language may seem a little odd at first, but it is just different, like most geocachers I know.

Some simple acronyms

First Light 2016 Event Group Photo

BYOP – This stands for “Bring Your Own Pen”  Many times a geocache is too small to contain a pen or pencil.  This is usually used by the CO (cache owner) to communicate that you should bring your own writing utensil to sign the log book.

CITO – This acronym stands for “Cache In, Trash Out” Part of the geocaching community’s mission is to help clean up the game board (Earth) so we go in to seek and find the geocache and then pick up trash on the way back out.

DNF – This is an acronym no geocacher likes to use but it is sometimes necessary. In geocacher language, this stands for “Did Not Find”.  If the geocacher is not able to find and sign the log book, they should log it as a DNF on the website.

FTF – This is my favorite acronym.  It stands for “First To Find”.  This when the geocacher happens to be the first person to ever find a geocache.

STF – “Second To Find”.  Although not as good as FTF, being STF is still very honorable.

TOTT – “Tools Of The Trade” can be almost anything that helps the geocacher find, retrieve, or log the geocache.

SWAG – “Stuff We All Get”. These are the items left behind in a geocache to be traded.  Most of the time this is just some small trinket, but sometimes is something very special.

These are just a few of the many acronyms and words used in the geocacher language.  But they should help you understand some of what is being said if you find yourself among a group of Geonuts.  We are not dangerous or insane; we just speak a different language.

Oh and I was just kidding about the quiz!