So you have been out on your first geocaching adventure and found your first geocaches. Your back home (or maybe in the car or even still at the cache if you are really loaded with technology) and your wondering what to do next. After you have decided on the correct log type, you are ready to log the cache. Lets assume it will be a found it log, you have signed the physical log inside the cache and there were no issues with the container that you want to report to the owner.

Of course the many apps that are available for phones these days allow you to log the geocaches through the app, but for simplicities sake, we are talking about logging your new find using the geocaching.com website.

At the top right corner of every geocache listing on the geocaching.com website is a button titled “Log geocache”.  Select this button to go to the log screen for this geocache.

The first option on this screen is to select what type of log you would like to write.  The default for most listings is a “Found It” log, but you can change this by selecting the drop down menu where you can choose a “Didn’t find it” log, or a “Write note” log.  But again, for simplicity, lets say you found the geocache.

The second option on this screen, just to the right of the log type drop down menu is the ability to select the date.  It can be important to make sure this date is correct and you can change it by selecting the drop down menu again and selecting the actual date that you found the geocache.  Often people may not log their finds for many days after they actually found the geocache.

Next is where you get to write about your experiences.  Tell a story, make it something that people will want to read.  This log is the only thing that you get to give back to the person who placed the geocache, so try an make it worth their while.  Try to avoid spoilers or any hints as to where the geocache is actually hidden as this can ruin the fun for others in the future.

Below the actual log you can then add photos, again try to avoid any spoiler pics that may give away the geocaches actual position.

Below this and off to the right there is an option to report a problem, if there is one with this geocache.  If you are reporting that the log book is full, or that the container is damaged, then firstly make sure this is definitely true.  Reporting this information means that the person who owns the geocache has to go out of their way to get out and maintain the geocache.  Put details about why you are reporting this problem in your log too. If there is another problem not listed, make sure you select “other” and again put the details of the problem in your log.  Only under extreme circumstances should you select “Cache should be archived”, doing this sends alerts to the local community reviewer and to the Cache Owner.  If this is your first geocache, then I would strongly suggest that you don’t select the “Cache should be archived” option.