sleeping off the ground
Submitted: Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 19:41
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Member - Mik
Hi Guys,
Have been told a long time ago, and seen on many sites that there is a need, when camping up north, to sleep off ground level, but haven't been able to find out why and if this is an absolute must. Can any of you well travelled folk guide me as to why and any recommedations as to how? Mik & I are heading to
cape york in a couple of months and whenever we've been camping previously have only ever thrown the foam matress on the floor of the tent and still managed to get a good nights sleep, but victoria isn't known to have this need.
Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks
Mik's better half (Di)
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 19:43
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 19:43
Why, things on ground can bite you.
How to get off ground,
camp stretchers.
AnswerID:
60792
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:28
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:28
Some say its cooler off the ground Di, I reckon a foam mattress on the floor of the tent is OK too or a double swag, but you'll need somewhere to get chenged if you're anything like SWMBO. I could swag it but WE tent it.
I have also heard that off the ground the sandflies are less annoying, like a rooftop tent or similar, if its just a stretcher at Truckster notes abouve I wouldnt be too worried.
Have a great one.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Mik - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:37
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:37
Bit blonde today, Bonz. What do you mean by SWMBO?
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:44
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:44
Di, to answer for Bonz, not that he ever needs me for that, She Who Must Be Obeyed = SWMBO One can see he does not me to answer with his wisdom words.
Di, I also believe that some like to get above ground level where Americans see things that resemble alligators too. Some of our local Victorians are like that too, requiring elevation.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:05
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:05
Thanx John, you're just too quick for me, although I omitted the crodocodiles up north, i havent been overly worried that they might try and make a canvas tortilla out of me while asleep. SWMBO is my better half, better do this, better do that, better or else!....hahahaha
we shall speak no more of this thread, lest we forget
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:20
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:20
Bonz, just a question, if your off the ground in a roof top tent or similar, aren't you closer to the drop bears?
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:27
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:27
Des, you can't get me with that one, you know as well as I do that the drop bears secret weapon is not their dropping but their rebounding from the ground. Most uncomfortable they are, although you don't get them much around your neck of the woods.
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:36
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:36
We do in fact get a smaller breed here but with people chopping down redgums for firewood, their habitat is gradually diminishing.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:45
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 21:45
Well with the increasing environmental flavour most of the smaller breeds do not drop in the true sense for fear of damaging the earth and merely float to the ground for the experience alone, these must be the bears of which you speak, ca
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 23:52
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 23:52
Ahh Bonz, I see you too are at one with the earth. Our local ones do not travel far from the river and then only by night. It takes some time to gain the experiance to find these miraculous creatures. An experience that I have only recently acquired.
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Follow Up By: Rosco - Bris. - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 13:07
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 13:07
They taste crook and are buggers to skin.
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Follow Up By: Des Lexic - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 21:14
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 21:14
Rosco,
Cook and skin em just like Galah's
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 22:49
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 22:49
Des, they are having to spread from near the rivers this way as they have bred too quickly and have eaten their preferred trees killing the forest. So much for the bears' environmental sensitivities. Really just like a NSW rugby team for their notoriety for shagging obviously too.
Your recipes may be welcomed down here among the indigenious for they own the forest inhabited by said bears....
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Reply By: Magnus 2 - Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:49
Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 20:49
Spent 6 years living in the tropics. It is all about stopping the Gekos from nibbling on your toes at night.
Black socks are also supposed to help.
Don't get bitten!
Magnus
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Mrs Diamond - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 17:58
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 17:58
swmbo reckons if im to drunk to crawl into a camp bed .
i deserve to have the crocks/ect chew at my toes
AnswerID:
60892
Reply By: Davoe - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 18:42
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 18:42
I would imagine the reason would be due to there being alot more nocturnal wandering creepy crawlies in the tropics such as tix etc I think the recomendation applies more to open swags or just a mattress on the ground I would imagine you would have no worries in a closed tent or enclosed type swag you also dont have to worry about drop bears because they were wiped out by the ferocios mulga monkeys
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 19:50
Sunday, May 30, 2004 at 19:50
I lived in FNQ for 20 years and spent many a night under the stars. First I've heard of the need to get off the ground - now if I was in South Africa with lions and tigers then..........................
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Moose - Monday, May 31, 2004 at 13:32
Monday, May 31, 2004 at 13:32
G'day Di and Mik
The foam on the tent floor will be fine. Some people are big sooks who are too scared to camp at ground level in case a big gecko gets them. As long as you don't set the tent up right by the water's edge you don't have to worry too much about crocs. There ain't much else out there that might worry you in a tent.
AnswerID:
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