Do you pack extra WS?

**Sweeper** · 03-16-2010, 22:16

On a recent trip to Cumberland Island National Seashore, I wondered about the wisdom of packing different length WS..the trees down there are all old Live Oaks that are twisted and contorted due to the winds on the Island.

I set up just about all of my different hammocks over the extended weekend, letting a hiking buddy try them out - he had a cervical fusion in November. Being a fused fellow myself, I felt that it was my duty to bring him to the light.

I was using two 6' sets of Opie's excellent WS, but I found myself stretched to the limit. So - would you just pack one 8' or 10' pair of WS, or would you pack a 6' and a 10' and potentially make adjustments on the fly?

Oh, btw, Cumberland is a really neat place if you've never been!

**TexasRT** · 03-16-2010, 22:27

Don't know about everyone else but my logic is to carry several 2' "extensions of amsteel blue with a dead eye splice on each end. I also tend to make my WS about 8.5' to start with though

**mbiraman** · 03-16-2010, 22:38

Originally Posted by TexasRT

Don't know about everyone else but my logic is to carry several 2' "extensions of amsteel blue with a dead eye splice on each end. I also tend to make my WS about 8.5' to start with though

I like this idea

**nacra533** · 03-16-2010, 22:38

That's almost home for me. Grew up next island north on St. Simons. Did you see the wild horses during the trip, or more importantly catch any shrimp or fish??

**Sweeper** · 03-17-2010, 05:28

Originally Posted by nacra533

That's almost home for me. Grew up next island north on St. Simons. Did you see the wild horses during the trip, or more importantly catch any shrimp or fish??

Plenty of wild horses, and the Seacamp raccoons were out in force! I convinced my fellow campers to bear-hang their cooler in the tree, and the rest of the food was in the supplied raccoon cage. They did not take my advice and hang the Rubbermaid gear box as well, which meant a lot of banging and cursing a couple of nights. They didn't believe me because we have been going doing there in Feb for the last 5 years and this was the first raccoon hits we ever had. Oh well.

We did look for the albino deer that live on the Island, but you have to be in the right place at the right time to catch them. There are also bobcat on the Island, but I've never seen one and I've been going off and on since 1985.

Didn't fish and there were no shrimp, but I did meet a couple of ladies that slogged their way to Raccoon Key and dug a pot of clams for dinner! They said they were very nice.

A couple more obligatory hammock shots - I remembered that I didn't post the main go-to BB! I had to rig a make-shift hammock sock for the foot since I left my foot-pad at home. The coldest night down there was 29 degrees!

**millarky** · 03-16-2010, 23:19

Sun on a stick! Nice last photo!

**Highstrung** · 03-17-2010, 06:03

I have Opie's 10 footers on my HH and I'll never need anything else. Plus they weigh so little that I think the difference is negligible. Better safe than sorry and why not when they're so light?

**gargoyle** · 03-17-2010, 06:54

Add a 10 footer closed eye at both ends. It weighs nothing, and if 10 feet is to long, you just double it to make it 5 feet. Simple and versatile. Need an extra toggle or two, again, no real weight penalty (trail stick). Plus it makes a handy clothesline.

**Dutch** · 03-17-2010, 07:08

I carry a short extra one in my emergency kit. Just in case something happens to one or I have an extra long spread on the trees of the perfect location like an overlook. I haven't used it yet but I may someday. It's light and it is good to carry some rope anyhow.

**opie984** · 03-17-2010, 08:33

I don't worry too much about my whoopies being too short because I carry some pretty long straps. So between the whoopies and the straps I can cover a lot of distance between two trees.
BTW, which campsite was that at cumberland??