iN PHOTOS: Geocaching leads to extraordinary adventures

A world of exploration, adventure, travel and new discoveries is all possible through geocaching.

West Kelowna resident Dave Westhouse took an interest in geocaching in 2009, nearly a decade after the worldwide game had been created.

Now, 15 years later, he travels around the world with his wife to find treasures, see magnificent natural wonders of the earth and make friends along the way.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dave Westhouse

“I like the challenge of stretching your mind, and I love the places it takes us. I use it as a travel device,” Westhouse says. “I’ve done things I never thought I’d do.”

Geocaching has changed his life completely, and through his Youtube channel videos, geocache member meetings and passing conversation, Westhouse shares how geocaching can alter life experiences of those who participate.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dave Westhouse

Geocaching, a worldwide treasure hunt active in 191 countries and all seven continents, is a game of hide and seek for objects while using GPS tracking devices as clues.

The goal of the game is to find these hidden objects, ranging from quarters, toy soldiers or even bowling pins, while being discreet and following coordinates to a secret location. Depending on how well hidden the cache is, it can take hours to find the treasure. 

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dave Westhouse

For the love of discovery and sense of adventure, Westhouse geocaches to get out of the house and to discover things he would not have taken the opportunity to see before. He has been to 25 different countries, with each visit based around geocaching locations in the area.

“Its one of the greatest hobbies we’ve found, you can do it while you’re young and old. It’s a great way to get you out, a great way to see the word in a different light through somebody else’s eyes,” Westhouse says.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dave Westhouse

Westhouse even went through a period of geocaching every day for 555 days straight, all while discovering new parts on the Okanagan.

He has even gone as far to travel from Ontario, his home province, to British Columbia in search of a geocache.

Westhouse has found over 20,000 geocaches, although he not only a searcher. Westhouse plays a big part in the game and hides caches too. Over the years, he has hidden over 450 different individual geocaches for other hunters to find.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Dave Westhouse

While he finds the caches, Westhouse  finds himself in situations he never thought he would end up in.

“One time, middle of February, I was up a tree about 30 feet in the air,” Westhouse says. “It was a blizzard, it was 9:30 p.m. at night, it was -25 Celsius and I’m thinking, ‘what the heck am I doing?’” 

Although in some risky situations, Westhouse doesn’t regret any of the adventures he has been on.

The Westhouse’s plan on taking trips to Arizona, Italy and Germany this year while geocaching in each destination.

For those who are interested in starting their own geocaching adventure, more information is available here.