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From the Desk of the Chairman

Hello from a very annoying DNF on an island in Lake Naverone, KZN! May the 8th be with you! … is what one would say when they intend to send something on the 4th of May but wake up a day late.

Let’s begin with a hearty congratulations to QwikChek on the occasion of his 500th hide! Well done and thanks for making so many contributions to the game. Being just one shy of 600 hides, I’m looking forward to congratulating the nation’s most prolific hider, PieterM next month.

Thank you to a certain somebody for heeding the call to send in an article and doing it with such aplomb. See the stories of Stellenbosch down below.

On a separate note, we’re about a year away from submissions opening for GIFF 2027 (assuming the pattern continues) and I have an idea I want to do with GoSA; A national video where cachers from all over the country submit a trackable number so that we have 99 of them that we hide in various creative ways in the video. So start getting your brains working on which trackable number you’d like to send and how you may like it hidden.

Keep your stories coming!

Geocaching Explosion in Stellenbosch!

by IceOfPhoenix88

When I first arrived at Stellenbosch University in January 2024, I had only just started the hobby. I was enthusiastic about what the famous Stellenbosch might have to offer, seeing as there are almost 30 000 students, just a few of them had to be geocachers! Well... there was a mystery cache that was impossibly difficult (at the time!), a disabled multicache, the remains of a series down the Mill Stream, as well as a few scattered around the outskirts of the town, all placed years ago. I placed a two caches, hoping to encourage the hobby in the area, but no luck (apart from international tourists visiting for the wines and history). There was a new cache… that was archived after a few weeks. My only options were to head to the mountains, which, as an inexperienced first year, were about as daunting as a degree!

However, a few factors have played into a complete explosion of brand new and amazing hides in

Stellenbosch within just the past six months! We have a bunch of new faces who have really made a huge impact. Late last year, I met up with ForAnnie45 (terunkie put us in contact), who was returning to the game. She has since placed 7 clever geocaches around Stellenbosch. She and NardiK2020, who had never done geocaching before, have found an absolutely mind-boggling number of caches (for newcomers) since November, around 150! The two of them have started a small team that organises geocaching trips around the area. I have now climbed mountains (literally) that I never thought I would, all thanks to geocaching!

Another gamechanger has been owlfly, originally from the Eastern Cape, who has placed three geocaches, including an Earthcache, in Stellenbosch, but this one specifically needs a huge mention: Fun With Pickles (GCBK9JT). If you are in the area, this mystery cache is an absolute must. I cannot recommend it enough. It was so refreshing to see owlfly’s creativity! You will need an internet connection to solve this field puzzle.

Recently, there was also a CITO (GCBJ36W) by Riisearch to clean up the Eersterivier, bringing more

people from Stellenbosch and outside Stellenbosch together!​

​

In addition to all the others in the town, here are some must-do Stellies geocaches:

1. The Botanical Gardens Rock! (GC5E47K) - A fantastic Multicache in the University’s botanica gardens. There is a small entry fee (R10 at time of writing), but it is well worth the visit. This is a cache with heavy trackable traffic! The online logs are littered with dozens of pictures of beautiful plants.​​

2. The Mill Stream 4/7: The Junction (GC5JAHX) – (claustrophobia warning) A Traditional from a series going down the stream that once ran the mills in the town. Best attempted in summer! You will get wet. Unfortunately, there is only other cache left in the series (The Mill Stream 6/7: The Mill (2) – GC5JAJ2).

3. Character (GC965YC) - for those who don’t mind a short hike, this geocache will quickly give you panoramic views from Cape Point to Durbanville Hills to Paarl and beyond, and, of course, Stellenbosch, all laid out before you like Google Maps. The more adventurous can continue past Tweede Kruis up the mountain for three more geocaches, or into Jonkershoek Nature Reserve for dozens!

4. Karingdal Hangbrug (GC891PM) - a virtual at a suspension bridge over the Eersterivier. Don’t forget to grab ForAnnie45’s caches nearby!

​We are so excited by all the exciting activity in the area and are hoping to meet more amazing geocachers and see some more innovative hides in this beautiful and historic town! Keep them coming!

Pictures:

1. The CITO in early 2026.
2. The waterlily pond, one of the features, in addition to greenhouses and a bonsai display at the botanical gardens.
3. GZ of Mill Stream 4/7. Yes. You do have to go in there…
4. The other surviving cache of the Mill Series, 6/7, which has one of my favourite pictures on the whole internet in its logs.
5. Part of the sweeping panorama of the Cape Winelands at Character’s GZ, with the Cape Peninsula in the distance.
6. Me on the suspension bridge (with appropriate maroon merchandise!)

(All images from the respective geocache's log page, except Picture 6, taken by me.)

SA Geocaching Stats

By Adventure_T and Danie Viljoen

Because sometimes, for some, it is about the numbers…

847 Cachers found a total of 3,995 caches during March.

33 Cachers placed 84 new caches during March.

The number of Cachers who found at least 1 SA cache in the previous 12 months is 6,734.

The number of Cachers who placed at least 1 SA cache in the previous 12 months is 185.

The total number of SA caches found in the previous 12 months: 50,536 (138 per day).

The total number of active South African caches at the end of March is 13,870.

The total number of active South African caches at the end of March is 13,870.

March 2026’s Top Dogs and Doggets:

Events to Attend

Souvenirs to Grab

Some inspiration to go out caching, here’s what’s on offer souvenir-wise

• Blue Switch Day Hider: 1 - 31 May
• Blue Switch Day: 1 - 3 MaySome events we know that are coming but still don’t know what to do for them…
  • June Solstice: June 20-22
  • International Geocaching Day: August 14-16
  • International Geocaching Day Hider: August 1-30
  • September Equinox: September 19-22
  • Cache In Trash Out®, Season 2: September 1-November 30
  • World Postcard Day: September 27-October 3
  • International EarthCache Day: October 9-11
  • Adventure Day: November 25-29
  • December Solstice: December 19-21
  • Farewell 2026: December 24-31

New Caches Published in April

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