Current at 11/6/2011 (Online waypoint URL) You have already found this cache! Master Index    Nearest Caches Frogs and Toads II by OHMIC (1.5/1.5) N50� 10.267  W97� 07.881 (WGS84) UTM  14U   E 633441  N 5559328 Use waypoint: GC2X4NR Size: Small    Hidden on 5/28/2011 In Manitoba, Canada Difficulty:     Terrain:                   Sandwich-sized Lock n Lock. Frogs and toads belong to a group called amphibians. They are ecological indicators, and in recent decades there has been a dramatic decline in amphibian populations around the globe. Many species are now threatened or extinct. Scientists do not agree on the cause, but it is widely believed to be a direct result of the amount of water pollution emitted from industrial factories and other similar sources. You can participate in a frog survey daily at Oak Hammock Marsh to help us monitor the population status. The frog survey is done to give us an idea of where each species occurs, when their breeding seasons start and end and may even indicate possible numbers. The survey is done at 4 pm daily during the breeding season of the frogs: as soon as the frogs start singing (mid-April) to when the frogs stop singing (mid-July). Seven of the twelve Manitoban species can be found at Oak Hammock Marsh. They are: Boreal Chorus Frog Wood Frog Northern Spring Peeper Gray Treefrog Leopard Frog American Toad Canadian Toad

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8/1/2011 by Kabuthunk
This guy... I really hadn't expected to go after this guy. After the DNF at the nearby Waterbugs, I calmed down and relaxed over a nice cup of warm tea while the absorbing the sounds of nature. I decided to slowly saunter my way back to the car and prepare to go home, since darker clouds were coming up in the sky. I was about to just take the regular path, but then thought I'd take a bit more scenic route, and walk along that dock type path that goes through the reeds.

About halfway down, I decided to take a look at my GPS. I was pretty sure I had found any of the caches in the immediate vicinity, but wanted to double-check. Sure enough, looks like I had left this cache the first time I was at Oak Hammock marsh. Well, no time like the present. I momentarily debated whether to leave it for round three, but thought 'eh, let's see if I can make today's caching trip at least a bit different ending than the last one'. That in mind, I slowly sauntered on, pulling the bike in one hand, drinking my tea in the other. Once the GPS beeped at me that I was approaching the coordinates, I set my bike to the side and put down my tea (which thankfully has a travel mug type lid to keep the bugs out.

There was a few places I figured would be the most likely cache hiding spots, so I tried on one side first of all, in a spot where there seemed to be less reeds... nothing. Checked the other... nothing as well. Taking another few steps up, I checked side one again. This time however, I didn't have the luck to be in a spot with few reeds. At first I felt something kinda... tacky against my arm.

Looking at my arm, I see that the shaft of one of the reeds is rubbing against it. The reed itself appears to be almost glistening with a fine coat of some kind of sticky substance. And then I realize my other arm is also getting this sticky treatment. Both of my arms. And as I move slightly, I feel my hair peeling away from the reeds, and feel them rub up against my face as I withdraw.

Ohhh, there's going to be some definite showering needed tonight.

Feeling some kind of 'movement' on my arms for lack of a better description, I look down at them to see them almost entirely coated in those tiny little green bug things. No clue what they are, but they're like... everywhere. Probably some larval form of grasshopper or something. In either case, I ran my (sticky) hands over my (sticky) arms, and managed to wipe away most of these bugs which were once firmly stuck to my skin. I didn't feel anything on my face or neck (or hopefully hair, but the shower later took care of that regardless I suppose), so I figured this was about as clean as I was getting for now. I hadn't spotted anything when checking in there, so I checked side two... still nothing. Taking a few steps BACK from where I stopped my bike, I check side one again (getting stickier still), and then going to two... well crap, would you look at that... there's the cache in easy viewing. I have no clue how I missed this the first few times I looked on that side, but there it was, staring back at me. I could have COMPLETELY avoided cramming the top half of my body into the reeds had I spotted it sooner. Oh well... such is the nature of geocaching .

Tossing in my last regular-size chainmail ball, I closed it up and returned it from whence it came. Glad that I had ended the day in a bit more successful manner than last time, I picked up my tea and bike, and continued on to the car. I also learned a lesson driving home. When your arm is covered in a sticky substance, avoid resting it on the armrest in the car . Man, that awful 'tearing' sound of my arm pulling off the vinyl just sounds... not good.

Thanks for the cache and awesome adventure today. I may be a bit sticky, but at least I ended off the day with a successful find .

Took: Lots of sticky substance from the reeds, and probably some of those little green bug things.
Left: Logbook entry and chainmail ball