Noticing xxiv - GIFF

Every year for the past six or more years, Geocaching.com has sponsored a Geocaching International Film Festival (GIFF). Today about forty of us gathered to socialize over popcorn and cookies, watch this year's 16 (of 60) finalists, and win some raffle prizes. The films were from all over the world, including Brazil, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Spain, and there was even one by our very own local (Santa Cruz County) cacher ullii (Julie), who joined us with her family—all of whom figured in the film. It was fun to be with celebrities!

The films may eventually show up on vimeo. Here are all the winners from 2015 (which I posted about here), by way of an example of, well, the silliness of the project. Maybe you have to be insane an addict a geocacher to fully appreciate it. Probably.

Oh, further digging gets me the full reel for the last three years (2016, 2017, 2018), on youtube. What the heck, I might as well include them here. I am nothing if not thorough. And I might actually enjoy watching these again, who knows?

But the really exciting news is that today, despite my claim yesterday about "never, ever" winning anything, I got the grand prize at the raffle: an inflatable kayak! Some friends have traded up to a snap-together hardshell kayak and don't need this one anymore. So they donated it to this event. Woot!

It just so happens that there is a series of caches on the Pajaro River that require access by boat! Now we're set!