What sort of treasure hunt has six million members worldwide, is played across the globe, and employs both the internet and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to let participants hide, seek and report their finds from any place at any time?
The answer is geocaching, a high-tech form of treasure hunt wherein players hide a "cache" - often a small container filled with a logbook and other small items - in a relatively obscure location, and post its geographical coordinates online at www.geocaching.com. Worldwide members can then use GPS-enabled devices to access the locations and background information behind each cache, and can decide to "hunt" for them at their own convenience.
Many local geocachers are members of the Geocachers of Eastern Ontario group, including Hawkesbury-area resident Ian Mitchell, who met with The Review for a geocaching hunt around Vankleek Hill this spring. See below for a soundslide on the experience.