Goat Island 2014 Trip Report

[Timberrr]

P.S. I feel compelled to share an observation. Psalm 127 says "Blessed is the one with a full quiver."
The great bounty of love and family spirituality showed that y'all are tremendously blessed and it was a joy to see.

[lilricky]

Had a great time with lots of friends, both new and old. Thanks to Chickenwing who put together an outstanding hang, looking forward to next year. Also want to thank our Goat Island Fairy...err Ferry, Muskrat, who diligently piloted people back and forth, over and over again, across the lake. Thanks to Cali, who gave me my first kayak ride. Also, thanks to Chris for ferrying Gumbo, Timberrr, myself, and all our gear in one trip back to the mainland. Thank you all for making me feel so welcome.

[shef]

A very good friend of mine has a fishing shack in a small cove on Lake Greenwood, just a couple miles from Goat Island. Memorial Day weekend we had a small (kid free) gathering at 'The Shack' to celebrate my big four-oh. Four of us fellas came up late Friday evening. The weather was beautiful, and (being hammock campers) we took full advantage, sleeping our hammocks, under the open skies, but we also took full advantage of the grill, kitchen, and all the rest of the convenient facilities. There was talk on the radio of potential meteor showers, but I didn't spot anything.
After breakfast (pancakes, bacon, eggs) on Saturday, we took the boat out for a cruise (and cigars). We looped around Goat Island, and spotted the hang in progress, admiring the pair of hammock stands bookending a 10x10, and a couple more minimalist setups further inland. As we were discussing where we were going to pull ashore, our wives called, saying that they had arrived, wondering when we'd be back. So, we talked ourselves out of crashing, and headed back. However, we're determined to attend a hang. We look forward to meeting y'all, and seeing some more gear in action.

When the ladies arrived, they opted to bunk down inside. A few more friends arrived, so I fired up the grill to have a late lunch (quail, duck breast, and lamb racks). Saturday night looked like it may rain, so we put our tarps up, but left them in skins. Once we were confident it was going to stay dry, we built a big fire by the lake. After spending so much of my day in the sun, I conked out in a lawn chair for an hour or so before shuffling off to snooze in my hammock. So nice.
Sunday morning I woke late, to the smell of bacon, blueberry pancakes, eggs, and Brazilian pour-over coffee. There was another smell too though, rain. We all buttoned down our tarps just after lunch. As I was loading the grill for dinner (burgers), in rolled a doozie of a storm. Everyone watched from the shelter of the cabin as our hammock shelters got put through the wringer. Once the storm stopped, (and everyone was done eating) we inspected out sleeping quarters, and were all very pleased to find that everything performed extremely well. All the hammocks were dry. Only one stake out of 24 was out of place. The zing-it prussiks on my zing-it tarp ridge line did slide some, so it was a little saggy after the fight. But it was an easy fix, and I remedied future troubles with that by moving the prussic with the 'hook' end of my ridge line and the figure 9 on the other end 'uphill' of the tarp connections, so there would be opposing pressure under strain. Air temp was noticeably cooler Sunday night, and it was still damp, so I had to move from my sleeping bag liner to a fleece blanket (okay, I admit it, I used/modded my son's "Snuggie", and it worked great).
Monday morning's breakfast was French toast, the last of the bacon, eggs, and more great coffee. We took the boat out for another brief ride before putting it back on the trailer, and covering it up. Then, we broke camp, and packed our cars. We were on the road home by noon or one.
I hope I didn't hijack this thread too badly. Since we were on the same lake, at the same time, I kinda felt we were all in this together, even if y'all didn't know it at the time. Next planned trip is a family affair: hike-in (hammock & tent) camping to Lick Log Falls over the July 4th holiday.

[chickenwing]

This was a wonderful trip and I am already looking forward to and planning out for next year. I am so thankful to everyone who pitched in to make this hang so successful. And, because of everyone's generosity, we will be able to put two fire pits on the island this year. Wow! Thanks to you all!

So this is what I remember from the trip...

The food was AWESOME!! The Fellowship was out standing! The weather, for the most part, cooperated. Muskrat did an awesome job shuttling people back and forth and back and forth from the Marina to the Island

Google Photo Storyline from Goat Island
This is kinda kewl. Google put together a storyline for the trip.

I am currently trying to upload pictures to this thread and I cannot get them to batch load from just this computer to the forum so I am not going to be able to post the photos here (btw - I hate the new HF site). They are currently being loaded to my website and I will post a link here when they are available.

Oh yeah...

The Yet to be Named Contest will be a standing tradition for Goat Island. The contest will be kept a secret until you get on the island. This year's contest was the Taj Ma Hall contest. You could not prep for the event and you could only use what you brought with you to the island (no trips off island to pick up anything to add to your kit allowed). Timberrr and Gumbo won this hands down with the 4 Hats Hilton. The clincher was when my wife said that she would consider camping in something like that, I knew we had the winner. There were a lot of other very neat rigs but when MY wife would consider camping there is no question.

[Junebugdawn]

I liked the storyline. That was cool. Great pics.

[Muskrat]

Thanks to all that came out to the Goat Island Hang! We had a great time socializing, relaxing, eating, reminiscing old times with old friends and sharing lies with new friends (hey, they'll never know the difference, right? )

Last year we had the Dutch Oven Desert competition which Swampfox won with an impressive performance of two deseert entries and winning with his Apple Cinnamon Roll (help me out here Swampfox!... ) desert. Seeing as Swampfox was previously commited this weekend to a Boy SCout function, we opted for a new competition. One that would give everyone an equal and fair shot at winning. So the "Yet to be Named Competition" quickly developed between ChickenWing and I and I had to be sworn to secrecy not to leave hints that might give the competition away prior to the hang. So, once on the island, the "goat" (no cats on the island...) was out of the bag. Who could display the most elaborate, decadent hang... the Taj Mahal of all setups! Cali arrived first and flat out giggled "I've got the Taj Mahal with me!" A very nice tarp with bug netting providing ample room of the inside that is bug free. I thought to myself... "self, we just might have a winner right here." Others slowy arrived, hearing the challenge, and you could see the eyes roll up and that sense that DaVinci was talking to them in their ear. Lights were hung off the tarp edges, multiple tarps set, a RidgeRunner in a sleek black cover of darkness, and then it happened ... Timberr and Gumbo. The Sheik and his Sheikha with their Medieval Dessert Dwelling sporting two Chrysallis (?) under a tan Easy Up with accomadating "sky lights". A definite hit, and as Chickenwing described it, "my says says she would camp in that. It has to be a winner." Congrats to Timberr & Gumbo for winnig the "Yet To Be Named Challenge"

We had an agenda... the typical island agenda. Hang loose, eat, swim, play some corn hole, eat, swap stories, paddle, float (by the way... nicely done Capt Morgan!). However, despite our intent to relax and be lazy, we did have a single achievement to accomplish this weekend. Through the donations of those that attended and even from some that did not attend, we were hopeful to raise enough money to purchase a fire ring for one of the five campsites on the island. In the past two years, the previous hangs achieved a fire ring each year. This year would be different. Generosity is hard to come by these days but when there is a common goal, one that people can relate to, that goal can be achieved. Random fire rings in primitive camping areas show up in likely locations. The past years have shown that the random fire ring locations are disappearing on the island because designated fire rings are being provided. This year, we wanted to add another fire ring. Turns out, we are adding TWO fire rings . I want to share my THANKS to the all those that donated as well as to the Palmetto State Hangers for their support and contributions that helped us to achieve these two fire rings.

Here are a few pics I have and will post more as my time permits. Thanks again to all that came out. Chickenwing.... mi compadre... Mucho Gracias. Dos cervesa por favor?

[Gumbo]

Speaking of telling lies, I am convinced that the ice cream boat is a myth...just sayin!

Love the storyline. Thank you for getting pictures. I never think to take them.

[swampfox]

Chickenwing and Muskrat... you boys sure know how to throw a hang. Looks like it was an AWESOME weekend.
Swampfox

[Shug]

Shrimps and taters.......Whoooooo Buddies.
Bubba Gump would be proud.
Shug

[grannypat]

Looks like you had a great hang with pictures to prove it.