Let's see, you've got your GPS, and you've got your coordinates all picked out. What next? As any experienced geocacher will tell you, the hunt has its own set of challenges, and it seems a basic kit is in order to avoid some of the more common pitfalls a newbie will be thwarted by.

I've created a list of essentials, non-essential-but-helpful, and extras that just make things easier.

1. The "Keep 'Em Off Me!" spray. Seems like ticks, chiggers, mosquitos, and other biting flies are just waiting for an inexperienced geocacher to stumble into their area to become lunch. Or dinner. Or the whole main course. I have been given excellent advice: bring Deet, stupid. There's also Repel Permanone, which contains permathrin. This is more of a clothing treatment, and will last a while (even through washings), but will not repel mosquitos, and is not intended for skin.

2. The gloves. Oh, the joys of poison ivy! Can I even begin to describe it? Nah... I'll just ask you to keep a pair of gloves handy, and for the more daring, you can coat your hands with a product called Tecnu. If it's too late and you've already got the stuff on you, head for the drugstore to get the oil remover they make. Then hope for the best.

3. The stick. Some folks use a collapsible one which just stores away when not in use, others like the big ol' honkin' walking stick. What's it used for? Poking, of course! Who wants to put their hands into a pile of bracken when goodness knows what kind of bug or critter is lurking in there. We won't cover the poison ivy thing again. Many a geocacher has been rewarded with a solid sounding thump when using one of these, thus giving away the location of the cache without  bending, stretching, or putting oneself at extra risk. By the way, the stick makes an excellent way to clear a path in spiderweb country.

4. The refreshments. Geocaching can involve a hike into unknown territory, and it could get hot. It could take a long time. Take drinks and snacks.

5. The swag. Some always keep a few trinkets to trade, or have decided it's more about the purity of the hunt, and don't carry any.

6. The extra writing implement. Bring a few, because you never know if you want to leave one behind in a cache that has none, or it's a pen that has frozen and won't write, or the log is made from a medium that won't accept anything but permanent ink, like Tyvek.

7. The compass. Well, that's always handy if your batteries go dead in your GPS. See #8.

8. The batteries. Bring extra for when your juice goes in the middle of a hunt.

9. Tip: Waypoint where you parked your car. You'll appreciate the beacon back.

10. The Foul Weather Stuff. If you get caught in a sudden downpour, do you have something to put your GPS in so it won't get wet? How about yourself? Do you like umbrellas, ponchos, or garbage bags with a hole in the top? A change of shoes in the car is not a bad idea for wet or muddy geocaching. Long Island can get a little swampy.

11. The cell phone or walkie talkie. For when you just need to communicate with your team without shouting. Stealthy is usually the code word around caches.

12. The First Aid Kit. Bandages, antiseptic, tweezers, Ace bandage, eye wash, and for those who need it, Benadryl or an Epi pen. In other parts of the country, a snakebite kit would likely be helpful.

13. The camera. Don't you want to take pretty pictures? How about pictures that aren't so pretty? Some interesting hunts really need documentation, not to mention we need additions to the gallery. 

14. The Fixes. Some like to bring geocache repair kits. They include things like camo tape,  extra pads, KrazyGlue, paper towels, and magnets, for those caches that just need a little help.

15. The Flashlight. For night caches, as long as you don't use the kind the cops use to break up Lover's Lane Parking Night, you should be fine. 

16. Suggestions. Please make more to make this list even more valuable.