To Premium or not!!

When I first started geocaching I used an older Magellan that I had to manually enter every set of coordinates.  Then I graduated to a Magellan Explorist and I discovered the ability to send directly to my GPSr.
And then GSAK happened..the ability to send pocket queries to my GPSr ...Ah wait I can only get pocket queries if  I am a Premium Member?  Well I am hooked and no matter where I am I look for caches and plan outings and holidays around caching so Premium I  became.  I love being a premium member for what it offers

Geocaching.com offers a pay user system that has benefits: Pocket Queries,     Premium Geocaches, Bookmark lists, Trip Planning, Instant Notifications, Favorites, Select of your Map Provider, Filter geocaches, Statistics, Paperless geocaching, Access to the Geocaching Live API, Access to all Groundspeak websites, & Audit Logs

There are some that think the instant notifications are cheating at getting the FTF's..Well I used to get FTF's long before I became premium.. if I happened to be online when it was published.  Of course there were not as many cachers or caches then.

The paperless geocaching nowadays is a must for me.  I remember all the paper I wasted printing and carrying around.  I still do that when I am traveling but I only print virtuals and earthcaches for the notes and answers etc..

Bookmark lists are awesome for challenge caches, favorites, must dos, etc..

The ability to flip back and forth between map types can be very handy when you are looking for an access road, logging road, or trail.

I absolutely love the ability to trip plan. I always check out my route/road(s) first and then plan my queries for caching along routes.  That and the ability to filter makes my caching trip more versatile.  I can choose the type, size, etc that I want to find along the way.

Now the one thing about premium membership that I rarely use is PREMIUM CACHES and AUDIT LOGS.   At this time I have absolutely NO Premium caches hid and therefore the Audit Log is useless as they go hand in hand.. I have no cache that is really worth making Premium as I want EVERYONE to find my caches not just premium members.  There is a lot of talk that Premium caches are safer.. I say balderdash...The majority of premium caches I find are are usually just micros in the woods...and some of them so hard to find even an experienced cacher has difficulties.. the chance of them being found by a non cacher is slim to none...In my opinion the only reason they are premium caches are to be able to audit their logs.. Premium cache owners can see who, when, and how many times a cacher opened their cache page.  What is that for? 

My area has a profusion of premium caches.  I feel so sorry for a new cacher that does not have premium..  One, he is unable to see or find those caches, and, two, how the hell is he supposed to hide any?  In my opinion it is a pretty good way to discourage a newbie as every time he goes to hide a cache he can't because there is a hidden premium cache there..Good way to discourage a large amount of finds on your cache as well if only say 50% of cachers even know it's there...

Caribbean Bound -St Croix US Virgin Islands - 11

Saturday morning we arrived at the port of Frederiksted.  At every port we have been in so far the dock was not as long as this one and we always disembarked from the bow.  This dock was much longer and our ship chose to dock at the very end and we disembarked from the stern.  Made for a good walk just to get ashore..

The morning for us consisted of just relaxing.  I took a walk around the port and the market for a couple of hours.




 There was a nice seawalk that we made use of before turning into the town and the market

Interesting Police Vehicles

 I have managed to resist most of the wares at the ports.  It is tempting....

 Just before noon a group of us gathered for an excursion across St. Croix to Christiansted.  Cars drive on the left hand side of the road, but nearly all the automobiles on the island have left side steering columns.  For me who was just getting used to being on the wrong side of the road this was another anomaly that I found distracting.

 We were soon headed out to the attraction for the day.  Word was Buck Island Reef National Monument was some of the best snorkeling.. Not having much experience with snorkeling in the Caribbean we must agree.  The trip out took approximately an hour there and an hour back with about an hour at the reef. 

 There are buoys for the snorkel tours to tie up to  After a brief set of instructions the first group was into the water.

 I cannot describe the feeling when I first looked down.  Everything I  had ever seen on TV and was nothing like actually being there.  The colors, the diversity, etc.  I just wanted to reach out and touch all the fish but they wouldn't hold still.  Paul had his GO-Pro so was taking advantage of the grotto and getting some good underwater footage.  

 All to soon it was time to head back.. By the time we got back to Fredrickstad the tour operators were hustling.  We arrived back at the ship after all the ramps but one had been put away.  Today we held up the ship and our cruise mates jeered us on.  We are now headed back to San Juan and home...

We will be back.......

Caribbean Bound - St Maarten-St Martin - 10

Once again we wake up to a beautiful morning as we approach St. Martin/St. Maarten.  We have gotten used to the turbulent seas and rainy nights because we know the days are warm and sunny.

 

 St. Martin/St. Maarten is shared by France and the Netherlands.  the port of call is on the Dutch side and the streets are a mecca of shops.

Today we ventured out with most of the geocaching group in two buses to cross over and get a tour as well as geocaches in both countries.  Landscape was common to the caribbean and our tour/bus driver was entertaining.

The smallest bridge border crossing...lol

hurricane shelter

He made mention of how we could tell we were in France because the roads were better.

Because we were in a smaller bus than the rest of the group our driver took us to a lookout as well as meandering into some side streets before arriving in Marigot to join the rest of the group.  We got our picture taken at  It's About Time! before heading up the hill with a small group of cachers to find Fort St. Louis Cache. 

Only a few of us made the trek up the hill and on the way down we got caught in a torrential downpour.  We tried to get down before it started but were forced to take shelter under a tree.  The road was quite slippery on the way back with water and loose gravel and of course I just had to take out another knee in a pair of pants but saving the camera was my first thought. 

Prooperty anyone?

We got back to Philipsburg were we had the driver drop us off.  Cachiing, meeting other cachers, having some laughs, lunch. Free beer to come into a shop just to look?
And yes some shopping.  All of this before walking back to the ship and then hanging over the railing at 5 to watch the stragglers running to get aboard.  Becoming a daily show!