Hammock and lightening

[ICanMakeThat]

Not to poke too much fun at a serious subject, the odds are that you'll win the lottery before being hurt by a lightning strike while camping, so don't forget to get a ticket

[Phillipsart]

Not to poke too much fun at a serious subject, the odds are that you'll win the lottery before being hurt by a lightning strike while camping, so don't forget to get a ticket

Where I live, your more likely to be hit by lightning than win the lottery. In the past two days, two have been killed by lightning strikes or the results of a lightning strike on a tree. One poor guy yesterday, pulled over the side of the road to wait out a storm in his vehicle, lightning strike hit a tree beside him, tree came down on top of him while waiting out the storm in vehicle.

[G.L.P.]

this comes up alot here on HF's ....

your just as safe in a hammock as you would be in a tent...
i would say safer in a hammock if lighting strikes the ground and there is standing water at least your above it ... one way to look at it i guess LOL

[Holger]

Guy's don't get me wrong, I love storms and am not scared, a I know a bit about electicety myself, but what do you do in a lightening storm?
I am not really worried about a direct hit, more about ground current, step potential and falling branches.
Stay in the hammock?
Get out and make yourself small with feet together = 'lightening possition' (That's what we did in the storm when the lightning hit the tree right next to us and what probably saved us from the ground current)?
I worked for many years as paramedic, and been at 4 lightning strike victims in that time. Doesn't happen every day, but it does happen.
With this thread I try to find out the best practice for hammocking. Staying in, getting out? (no solid shelter or car close by).
That Backcounty PDF is very useful..thanks.

[gunner76]

Florida is number one in the country for deaths from lightening and NC is # 2.

Florida is also # 1 for number of golf courses and NC # 2 if I remember correctly and where most of the deaths from lightening occur

[obxh2o]

Florida is number one in the country for deaths from lightening and NC is # 2.

Florida is also # 1 for number of golf courses and NC # 2 if I remember correctly and where most of the deaths from lightening occur

Living in #2, North Carolina, I have seen many severe lightning storms.

I count on the "path of least resistance" theory and presume the lightning will go straight down the tree to the ground. If it should decide to come across on lines between my two trees, I figure I'm still safe IF I'm dry (though it could be a sudden drop to the ground). I would never get out of my hammock in a storm unless forced to do so.

[FLRider]

Living in #2, North Carolina, I have seen many severe lightning storms.

I count on the "path of least resistance" theory and presume the lightning will go straight down the tree to the ground. If it should decide to come across on lines between my two trees, I figure I'm still safe IF I'm dry (though it could be a sudden drop to the ground). I would never get out of my hammock in a storm unless forced to do so.

Well, the problem with that is that, if lightning strikes one of the trees you're hanging from, it's even odds that the tree is now on fire and throwing bits of itself at you like a fragmentation grenade. Lightning strikes are violent events, even if the current doesn't directly contact you.

Still, as long as you are hanging in an area that is mostly forested and are hanging from trees that are equal to or less in height than the rest, you're in one of the safest places you can be outdoors during a lightning storm. Whatever you do, don't make yourself the tallest object in view (or, y'know, hang from it...either way...).

[phan-tom]

Whe had a lot of massive thunderstorms here the last weeks. Twice i nearly went before I checked the weather forecast and luckily didn't go.
The rain/ thunderstorm last week was one of the worst I've seen in years.
Now I wonder what do you do in case of a severe thunderstorm. Beeing strung between 2 trees doesn't sound like a very smart idea to me?
I do have to admit that although I love storms and lightning from a solid shelter,house or car, I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to walking in the forest. 15 years ago a tree about 10-12meters away from me got stuck by lightning while bushhiking. It blew me off my feet and I had ringing ears for hours. Learned the hard way how strong mother nature really is.
So what do you do, take the hammok down and sit under the tarp?

Hi Holger, I know what you mean about massive thunderstorms, I actually looked at the weather forecast and then DID go camping last weekend! Down at Jerusalem Creek & I can tell you that I didn't sleep much on friday night, the electrical storm was so bad that it kept me awake from midnight until I got up for coffee on saturday morning... Worst thing was there was another huge thunderstorm on saturday night so even though I had a really good time I was glad to get home and have a good sleep on sunday night.

Some of the lightning strikes were so close that there wasn't a gap between the flash and the bang but I didn't feel worried at any time for some reason and didn't even think that I was at risk from a strike (I only felt that when I was standing out on the beach taking photos with my tripod!! The first bang had me running for cover pretty quick).

I took my 3mx3m Wilderness Equipment tarp so I had a nice spacious and strong roof over my head which stopped most of the rain... It was rigged nice and tight so I felt pretty secure both nights.

It was a good test of my setup anyway and I did end up with some nice weather, I'll do a trip report one of these days when I get time