TC, although my original post was prompted partly because I had read your DNF logs, it made no mention of the cache or the cacher. Most of what I wrote was because I had watched the group attempt to find my Leap Day caches and I specifically mentioned those caches.
I certainly don’t take offence at DNFs logged on my caches, in fact I sent out 2 emails yesterday asking for DNF logs as I knew that the cachers had been searching but had found a nearby letterbox. Neither do I ridicule DNF logs, I was just trying to categorize them.
As I have said before, those of us who take the time and trouble to try to place decent caches for others’ enjoyment really would like to receive thoughtful logs, either Finds or DNFs. The simple TFTC is really annoying as discussed elsewhere, but my original post was about cachers criticising the owner because they have failed to find a cache, and suggesting that maybe they should consider that it is possibly their fault and not the CO. When the large group returned to my Leap Day cache they admitted that the coordinates had been spot on and they couldn’t explain the DNF.
It seems to me that the current trend, at least on Dartmoor, (to a lesser extent elsewhere) to give totally explicit hints and spoilers is making a mockery of the difficulty rating. If you are not prepared to spend 30 minutes looking for a cache, then you should avoid difficulty 2 caches.
LB also makes a very valid point when he says “There is of course a fourth DNF type. The ‘My caching ego wont allow me to log a DNF’ DNF” I have noticed many cachers write a note explaining why they haven’t found a cache, instead of logging a DNF. If you’ve looked then it is either a Find or a DNF, and writing a note isn’t really an option.
