Hammock Camping at Munson Island

[69RoadRunner]

We're doing Sea Base this year. In 2017, we did one of the large sailboats. This year we're doing the Out Island Adventure.

In 2017, it rained every single night. Sleeping on deck wasn't possible and sleeping down below was hot and stinky.

I plan on taking my hammock and tarp to Munson. It's a Warbonnet Eldorado with a bug net. I also have a Warbonnet Thunderfly tarp. I used this setup (with underquilt) at Northern Tier last summer

Obviously the underquilt and top quilt aren't needed at Sea Base. The tarp is. If anyone has taken a hammock to Munson, what stakes did you use for the tarp? There are several different types designed for sand. Some are for really loose sand right at the beach. I suspect the sand in the sleeping area will be more compact. I have full size MSR Groundhogs, but not sure if they are adequate for Munson. Are there large rocks to anchor stakes?

My setup at Northern Tier:

[denibug72]

Your ability to hammock camp will be highly dependent on the campsite you are assigned, which you won't know until you arrive on base.  Munson is broken up into two campsite areas - Front Porch & Back Porch.  When we were there in 2018, we were assigned a site in the Front Porch that had a few trees in it - enough that 3 of us could barely hammock (1 w/tarp, 2 w/o tarps).  Many of the campsites on that part of the island didn't have much for trees or living shrubs - not a lot of rebound from the hurricane at that point.  From what I saw on the island tour of the Back Porch side of the island, you'd probably have a better shot at hammocking there, but not 100% sure.

My setup was a Dutchware Chameleon hammock, with an ultralight Xenon Hex tarp for a rain fly - same setup I use for my boundary waters trips.  I picked up some knock offs of MSR Cyclone stakes for the trip, and they worked fairly well in the sand.

[69RoadRunner]

1 hour ago, denibug72 said:

Your ability to hammock camp will be highly dependent on the campsite you are assigned, which you won't know until you arrive on base.  Munson is broken up into two campsite areas - Front Porch & Back Porch.  When we were there in 2018, we were assigned a site in the Front Porch that had a few trees in it - enough that 3 of us could barely hammock (1 w/tarp, 2 w/o tarps).  Many of the campsites on that part of the island didn't have much for trees or living shrubs - not a lot of rebound from the hurricane at that point.  From what I saw on the island tour of the Back Porch side of the island, you'd probably have a better shot at hammocking there, but not 100% sure.

My setup was a Dutchware Chameleon hammock, with an ultralight Xenon Hex tarp for a rain fly - same setup I use for my boundary waters trips.  I picked up some knock offs of MSR Cyclone stakes for the trip, and they worked fairly well in the sand.

Thanks! I'll likely be the only one in our crews using a hammock, although it's possible someone will bring one for lounging. At Northern Tier, it was my first real camping with a hammock. I was going to use last Spring to use it, but of course everything shut down. So, for NT, I took an inflatable sleeping pad in case I had to join the other adult in his tent. Fortunately, it all worked out.

So, I'll go prepared with a sleeping pad in case hammocking won't work.

[RememberSchiff]

On 1/14/2021 at 5:27 PM, 69RoadRunner said:

So, I'll go prepared with a sleeping pad in case hammocking won't work.

Yes, be prepared.

 

[fred8033]

Never would have guess you could use a hammock on Munson island.     

Edited May 23, 2021 by fred8033