GPS units let families find a way

Audubon Center offers kid-friendly adventures in sport of geocaching

Luke Jarrett began his treasure hunt with great enthusiasm. A GPS unit in hand, he punched in the first set of coordinates and initiated his journey.

His 4-year-old sister, Gabby, tagged along, sniffing a flower she found along the trail of Waimea Valley Audubon Center. She was more intrigued by the foliage than in searching for clues with her 8-year-old brother.

The Jarrett family was among a half-dozen who embarked on a journey last month -- "Lost: Family Edition" -- a treasure hunt using GPS units to find a series of hidden caches, each one offering clues to the next destination.

The sport of geocaching is growing in popularity and has been added to the list of the Audubon Center's programs.

Lost, for a little while It begins with a simple compass -- made with a bowl of water, a magnet, a paper clip and a leaf. But things progress quickly through time and technology in the Waimea Valley Audubon Center's "Lost: Family Edition" treasure hunt. Kids and their parents learn to use GPS units in the lush surroundings of the valley as they take part in geocaching -- a sport that uses the hand-held devices to find one hidden "cache" after another. "We are learning a physics property in a very simple way," said Katie O'Neil, education and outreach coordinator at Waimea Valley Audubon Center. "It's all about getting people outside, to explore nature. We don't want them to be afraid if it. If we can get the kids to feel comfortable and excited about being outside, that's half the battle."

A GPS unit, or Global Positioning System receiver, depends upon satellites to identify sites all over the planet. Most hand-held units have a 10- to 20-meter accuracy rate in directing users to a particular site, as long as skies are clear, explained Katie O'Neil, the center's education and outreach coordinator.

Families created a handle for each member and a name for the team, and used a logbook to record their finds. After they received a first set of coordinates, O'Neil helped them use their GPS units to figure out where to go -- and they were on their way.

When coordinates were tricky, extra clues were available. For example: "Look for the hale, or house, along the road that is covered in pili grass; once you find this look for a gazebo on the other side." An extra hint: "Head up into the gazebo and look around on the ground."

The extra clues allowed families to choose their own level of difficulty.

Participants enjoyed the outdoor experience for varying reasons. Eight-year-old Peter Takahashi was pleased that he learned how to use the GPS unit before his mom.

"Kids are used to computer games. They have an affinity for learning to use these kinds of devices," said his mother, Andrea Takahashi. "What made it most interesting was how easy it was to use and how applicable it was for everyday life."

Mark Jarrett -- Luke and Gabby's father -- enjoyed the quest. "We enjoyed how it was set up as a scavenger hunt. This was the first chance we had to use a GPS."

Their mother, Vilma, enjoyed the family time in peaceful surroundings. "It's so beautiful here, so lush and different."

Becky Mize has brought sons Harry, 2, Christopher, 4, and William, 6, to other Audubon activities. "The programs are well organized. Sometimes the little ones just dig in the dirt, but they learn a lot that way."

Many families were interested in obtaining their own GPS units for further exploration. O'Neil recommends hand-held mapping devices by Garmin that cost $100 or $150.

"In the park we actively use them all the time -- to mark a rare plant or spot in the botanical garden," she said.

Five-year-old Kevin Kamasaki -- whose handle was Zipper -- was on "Team Vikings" with his dad, Jeff. His response to the experience: "It was way funner than I thought it would be."

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For information on programs at the Waimea Falls Audubon Center, call 638-9199.

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