GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects
This was the first 9 Usual Suspect CITO event that did not involve picking up litter. The activities ranged from making bat/bird boxes, insect/beetle buckets, bee-friendly seed bombs, nearly every attendee took something home.
Please let us know if your bat/bird boxes attract any residents and how many bees enjoy the flowers from the seed bombs.
Again we must thank everyone for attending and helping to make another successful 9 Usual Suspects event. A special mention goes to Bess’s Friends (Ray, the Woodwork Teacher and Julie) for all their hard work in manufacturing the bird/bat box, insect house kits and help in organising this event.
This Adventure Lab is based upon the legend of Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers and a little history of the beautiful isle.
Event Reminder
GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects When: Friday 7th April, 2023 (Good Friday) Where: Plas Gwernoer, Nantlle, Caernarfon LL54 6BB Time: 2.00-4.00pm
GIFF Returns in 2023
This year sees the 10 anniversary of Geocaching International Film Festival (GIFF), it began in 2013 as part of the annual Geocaching Block Party held at Geocaching HQ, in Seattle. The finalist films were screened in a park near HQ and it was a huge success. This event was successfully repeated again in 2014, but in 2015 awful wet weather forced the outdoor event to be cancelled. With the finalist films ready to be shown an alternative plan was made and the film festival was released to geocachers across the world to be shown at GIFF events. This was very popular with geocaching community with 449 GIFF events hosted in 46 different countries, one of those events was hosted by 9 Usual Suspects at Witch’s Brew, Pwllheli. Since then GIFF has become an annual event in 9US’s calendar.
2016: 123 film submissions | 16 finalists | 526 Events | 44 countries 2017: 47 submissions | 17 finalists | 601 Events | 55 countries 2018: 83 submissions | 16 finalists | 656 Events | 58 countries 2019: 54 submissions | 16 finalists | 688 Events | 56 countries 2020: Cancelled due to 20th anniversary celebrations 2021: 61 submissions | 17 finalists | 425 Events | 40 countries
There was no film festival in 2022 due to HQ focusing on the 20th anniversary celebrations that had to be deferred from 2020 due to Covid 19.
To mark this special anniversary year gold has been chosen for the colour of GIFF 2023. The GIFF 2023 Souvenir will be available to anyone attending an official GIFF Event from Thursday, November 9th to Sunday, November 19th. 9 Usual Suspects will be hosting their event on Sunday 19th, venue yet to be confirmed.
Have you ever fancied making a film? GIFF 2023 may be the time to make your red carpet debut…… The deadline for submitting a film for this years GIFF is August 3rd.
Only one new cache and an event reminder to report since our last post
GCA6GGX The Old Boathouse by Glaslyn1 Traditional D2.5/T3 Premium Member Only
Event Reminder
GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects
We have a wide variety of activities planned, from making bat/bird boxes, insect/beetle buckets, bee-friendly seed bombs and learning to recognise the diverse wildlife that surrounds us while out geocaching.
We will be suppling all materials and tools, the Cache Bar will be open with drinks available on a self service basis and it wouldn’t be a 9 US event without cake!
To help us with planning the day please remember to log a ‘will attend’ stating the number of adults and children that will be attending.
Favourite Points
What are favourite points? Favourite points are a Premium member only feature. On subscribing to Premium membership you are given one favourite point, then for every 10 caches you find one point is given to you to be awarded to a favourite found cache. These points can be awarded to any type of cache except events, even though Adventure Labs stages count as a ‘find’ they are not counted towards earning favourite points.
The purpose of favourite points is to highlight the best, fun or most interesting geocaches. This can be a very useful guide to finding great caches when visiting a new area. A recent upgrade to the Geocaching® app allows players to see highly favourited caches at a glance, with the favourite point total shown above the cache icon on the map.
The most favourited cache in our area with currently 503 points is GC5F13 Where is Snowdon Summit??? by GammaBoo Virtual D1/T1.5 Placed 16.5.2002
As a cache owner it is always nice to receive favourite points, especially when you have put a lot of effort to find a hide for a special container. But how many logs have you received promising a favourite point that never materialises?
After feedback from a recent post it has become apparent that there are two types of geocachers when it comes to favourite points, awarders and hoarders.
Team Marzipan are definitely one of the best awarders ‘We award lots of favourite points! But only if we think they merit it by our standards!!!! Have to keep retrieving them from archived caches.’
With Harry the furry squid coming out as top hoarder ‘I currently have 1267 unused favourite points. Have started awarding them a little bit more often since having a regular caching partner – “Which of that series gets the FP?” is a regular topic in the car on the way home!’
We have no new caches or events to report since our last post.
Wheel of Challenges: First Challenge
Monday 3rd April sees the end of Signal’s Labyrinth Challenge and the beginning of the latest challenge series, Wheels of Challenges.
Are you ready for this new set of challenges?
The Wheel of Challenges first challenge is all about quantity, see how many caches and Adventure Lab® Locations you can find in a month. There is three new souvenirs to collect, easy, medium, and hard.
Easy: Find and log 5 caches to earn the first souvenir. Medium: Find and log 10 caches to earn the second souvenir. Hard: Find and log 100 caches to earn the third souvenir.
This challenge runs from April 3rd–30th. The May challenge will be announced on Tuesday 25th April.
CITO 2023 Season 1 Message
Message of thanks from Norman Hughes from the council
“Great work once again. I have not been informed as to the intentions for the park however I will ask and let you know once I receive an update. Please pass on our appreciation to all the volunteers involved during the weekend.”
New Section of Coastal Path from Aberogwen to Porth Penrhyn
Currently there is no public right of way along the coast from Aberogwen to Porth Penrhyn but this is all about to change with the opening of a new 3km section of the Wales Coastal Path. The existing route of the Wales Coastal Path takes an inland detour to Tal-y-bont, through LLandygai and along the A5 to Porth Penrhyn where it once again joins the coast.
Map showing existing Coastal Path
Back in May 2021 Gwynedd Council issued a ‘Public Footpath Creation Order’ to establish a public footpath through the Spinnies Nature Reserve and the Penrhyn Estate. After successful negotiations between Gwynedd Council, Penrhyn Estate and North Wales Wildlife Trust the new route was agreed. The new path will be accessed through the Spinnies main gate, then follow the estate wall crossing over Afon Ogwen via the old estate bridge.
It will then follow the coast giving spectacular views over Traeth Lafan before joining the existing Coastal Path at Porth Penrhyn.
New Route
There is no date set for the opening of the path but all work is expected to be completed enabling the path to open spring 2023.
One new traditional cache to report since our last post.
GCA6CFV Goedwig by Jacq123_1911 a jonboi Traditional D3/T3
New Event
And for once not hosted by 9 Usual Suspects! GCA656C Nikoski and the Bee on Tour – North Wales 2023 by Nikoski D1/T1 When: Sunday 30th April Where: Incredible Edible Garden, Conwy Time: 11-11.30am Suffolk cachers Nikoski and Bee of Good Cheer are back holidaying in North Wales and would love to meet up with local and not so local geocachers.
Event Reminder
GCA5YNK 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 55 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1 When: Wednesday 29th March Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
Wheel of Challenges Souvenirs
We see no rest from souvenir challenges with this week Geocaching HQ launching its next souvenir challenge, Wheel of Challenges. Starting on Monday 3rd April 2023 this is the same day the current challenge and last labyrinth, The Dragon’s Lair, ends. Wheel of Challenges will run for 6 months, with a different challenge each month. This could be from finding a certain number of geocaches in a month, to testing how long you can keep up a daily streak. Each challenge will begin on the first Monday of the month. Challenges will begin on the following dates:
April 3, 2023
May 1, 2023
June 5, 2023
July 3, 2023
August 7, 2023
September 4, 2023
Aprils challenge will be announced on 28th March with the details of how to earn the new souvenirs.
Challenges, are they good for Geocaching? Do they inspire you to find more caches? Are there just too many challenges that they become boring? Or do you just ignore them? We have our views, it would be interesting to hear how others feel.
For this event we returned to Caernarfon to one of our regular CITO sites Morfa Park/Parc Dre and the wooded area behind Tesco. This being our 6th CITO here since April 2018. We have increased the area picked but it is always disappointing to find so much rubbish when the park litter bins are emptied weekly. On the positive side there isn’t the fly tipping problem that we first encountered.
The hot spot behind Tesco recycling bins, again nice and tidy
Again the ‘Weather God’ looked after us, holding off the rain for the litter pick, the cake, paned and geochat, even for the visit to the recycling centre but sadly not for the unloading of the car.
Todays hard working Team with the results of their labours
Another trailer filled with all the usual cans, bottles, fast food containers and general litter. The odd finds included a couple of bread trays, part of a lifebuoy/ring stand, a silver sequinned stiletto shoe, a pair of glasses, a couple of old milk bottles and a Japanese soft drink Codd-bottle.
South Caernarvon Creameries Ltd
Phone Chwilog 251 1pt 568ml
According to the guy at the tip the oldest milk bottle, pictured above, is from the 1960’s due to the telephone number for the dairy being Chwilog 251.
Hatakosen Ramune Soda – Blueberry Flavour 200m modern Codd-bottle
The design for the above bottle was patented in 1872 by Hiram Codd a carbonated soft drink manufacturer from Camberwell, London. The original bottles were made from thick glass to withstand internal pressure with a chamber to house a marble and a rubber washer in the neck. The bottles were filled upside down, pressure from the gas in the bottle forces the marble against the washer, sealing in the carbonated drink. The bottle is pinched into a special shape to provide a chamber into which the marble is pushed to open the bottle. This prevents the marble from blocking the neck as the drink is poured.
Ramune (ラムネ) (Japanese pronunciation: ɾamɯne) History
In 1884 at Kobe, Japan, a British pharmacist, Alexander Cameron Sim, started producing a carbonated lemonade drink in Codd-bottles. This soon became very popular with the local Japanese after it was advertised in the Tokyo Mainichi Newspaper as a preventative for cholera. Today the drink remains a popular soft drink, sold worldwide, under the name of Ramune and is still available in Codd-bottles. There have been 57 different flavours which include peach, melon, and bubble gum, some of the more unusual flavours include takoyaki, curry, and wasabi. In Japan the empty bottles are recycled.
What have the council done to the park?
Improvements
We quote Norman Hughes from the council, ‘I am pleased to confirm that Cyngor Gwynedd have completed work at “Parc Dre” hopefully you will notice a great improvement and will lessen some of the workload for all volunteers.’ How could you not notice, I think the best description is they have implemented a scorched earth policy. Gone are all the massive Rhododendrons that surrounded the lake leaving vast areas of stumps and wood chip. It will be interesting to see how the council maintain their ‘improvements’.
At least the resident swans are still here
A big improvement to the park would be the re-opening of the toilets.
A very big Thank You to all who attended, your efforts are, as always, very much appreciated.
GCA5YNK 9 Usual Suspects – Nosh & Natter 55 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T1 When: Wednesday 29th March Where: Anglesey Arms, Harbour Front, Caernarfon LL55 1SG Time: 7pm to 9pm or when the last person leaves
Event Reminder
GCA5C5J CITO 2023 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3
Our task for the day will be to pick up as much litter/rubbish as possible starting from our base on the old bridge, around the park then following the River Seiont towards Lon Eifion plus the wooded area behind Tesco. By attending this event you will earn ‘CITO 2023 Season 1’ souvenir.
When: Saturday 18th March 2023 Where: Caernarfon Time: 11am-1pm
Do you remember when our litter picking efforts made the headlines? Well, maybe not headlines but page 9 of the North Wales Chronicle. Let’s hope the weather will be better on Saturday.
Geocaching HQ Latest Blog
Do you follow Geocaching HQ blog? It poses us with an interesting question.
The following is taken from their latest blog:
‘Geocaching groups and organizations enable players to make wonderful and sometimes lifelong connections with like-minded people. They help beginners learn the game, host awesome Events, do important work with land managers around the world, and much more!
The list is a work in progress. We expect to expand it to other countries and add groups and organizations that are active in their communities and are contributing to geocaching in positive ways. Reach out to us with the group you’d like to see included.‘
The question is do you think we should be on the list/map? Please let us know through the comments or 9 Usual Suspect Geocaching account.
Another quiet week in the world of geocaching, just one new traditional cache and a CITO event to report since our last post.
GCA5NGT Great wall of pentrefelin by ClareSion14 Traditional D1.5/T2
CITO Event
GCA5MYF CITO 2023 Season 1, Let’s Make Spaces for Wildlife by 9 Usual Suspects
We have a wide variety of activities planned, from making bat/bird boxes, insect/beetle buckets, bee-friendly seed bombs and learning to recognise the diverse wildlife that surrounds us while out geocaching.
We will be suppling all materials and tools, the Cache Bar will be open with drinks available on a self service basis and it wouldn’t be a 9 US event without cake!
To help us with planning the day please remember to log a ‘will attend’ stating the number of adults and children that will be attending.
Event Reminder
GCA5C5J CITO 2023 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3
Our task for the day will be to pick up as much litter as possible starting from our base on the old bridge, around the park then following the River Seiont towards Lon Eifion plus the wooded area behind Tesco. By attending this event you will earn ‘CITO 2023 Season 1’ souvenir.
When: Saturday 18th March 2023 Where: Caernarfon Time: 11am-1pm
This a rough guide of our events for 2023. Please note dates, times and venues may change and will be confirmed on event publication.
March
18th Saturday GCA5C5J CITO 2023 Season 1, Litter picking around the park at Caernarfon 11am-1pm 29th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 55, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
April
7th Friday (Good Friday) CITO 2023 Season 1 A different kind of CITO, we will be making Bird/Bat Boxes, Insect Houses and taking a look at the nature that surrounds us while out geocaching. Pete & Ann’s 2-4pm 26th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 56, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed 29th SaturdayMega EventGC9MAXX London Calling 2023 11am-4pm
May
28th Sunday GCA5EAK 9 Usual Suspects Re-visit Ynys Enlli 12-4pm 31st Wednesday Nosh & Natter 57, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
June
11th Sunday Coed y Brenin 10.30-11am followed by, what may be an ambitious, walk to find the 11 caches placed on the forest trails. 28th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 58, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
July
6th Thursday Ballast Island an evening event 6.15pm-6.45pm to be confirmed 26th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 59, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed 29th SaturdayMega EventGCA2BBR Piratemania 15 Pirates Royalists & Roundheads 10am-10pm
August
5th Saturday Mega EventGC9V5J3 Milton Keynes UK Mega 2023 10am-4pm 19th Saturday International Geocaching Day, 2-6pm Pete & Ann’s 30th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 60, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
September
2nd Saturday An event at the site of the wreck SS Denham. This event is governed by a very low tide being between 8-8.30am giving plenty of time to walk out to the wreck. While at the wreck site we will be discovering GC9P8M2 RIP SS Denham Virtual D5/T5. 16th Saturday CITO 2023 Season 2 details to be confirmed 27th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 61, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
October
7th Saturday International Earthcache Day, suggested location Black Rock Sands but this depends on tides. 25th Wednesday Nosh & Natter 62, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
November
19th Sunday GIFF 2-4pm venue to be confirmed 29th Wednesday Christmas Nosh & Natter 63, 7-9pm venue to be confirmed
December
31st Sunday Goodbye 2023 times venue to be confirmed
Dates still to be arranged.
An update on Porthmadog’s PanIQ Rooms, Christmas Chaos closes on 5th March once the ‘The Clairvoyant’s Curse’ is back up and running we will arrange an afternoon event in the Australia while the non-competitive teams try to escape the Clairvoyant’s Curse.
One new traditional cache an a CITO event have been published since our last post.
GCA5C3D Maiden Hide by Ironknights1908 Traditional D2.5/T3
CITO Event
GCA5C5J CITO 2023 Season 1 by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T3 Our task for the day will be to pick up as much litter as possible starting from the the bridge, around the park then following the River Seiont towards Lon Eifion plus the wooded area behind Tesco. By attending this event you will earn ‘CITO 2023 Season 1’ souvenir.
Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island Trip Update
GCA5EAK 9 Usual Suspects Re-Visit Ynys Enlli by 9 Usual Suspects D1/T4
Well this trip proved to be far more popular than expected, we have booked all the places on the 11.30am boat.
Important Information
As trips are dependent on good weather please be aware that our crossing may be subject to cancellation at very short notice. Sailings are confirmed around 6.30pm on the evening prior to departure. Bearing this in mind payment is made on the day in cash, therefore no deposits are needed.
Fares: Adult £45.00 Child £25.00
The parking is in the National Trust car park, (N 52° 47.941 W 004° 43.915, Sat Nav LL53 8DA, Grid Ref SH163255), from here there is a 10 minute walk to Porth Meudwy along a rough fisherman’s track. There is no parking at point of departure.
You are advised to wear waterproofs for the crossing. Life jackets are mandatory and will be issued before departure.
There is a café at Tŷ Pellaf farm, run by the Roberts family, which serves a limited variety of drinks, ice cream, snacks and homemade cakes. It is advisable to bring your own supplies as the café can sometimes run low!
Dogs are not permitted to visit the island.
The Bardsey Island Trust does not permit the flying of private drones anywhere on the island.
