Wet weather - am I just a wuss?

[Crookedpete]

Have just got back from three nights away camping in SEQ, including Saturday mornings downpour and saturday nights fantastic storm, complete with lightning and hail.

If you are set up well for it, I don't think camping in poor weather is hard with young kids. My 6 year old just told me his favorite thing on the weekend was playing UNO with the adults, when it was raining. I was astounded given all his school mates were there and they spent hours playing together in the creek.

I think we have done 18 nights in the trailer since we bought it 6months ago - a few longer 3 night trips but mostly just Saturday nights away. The only trip i can remember  where it didn't rain, it was very cold (frost on ground).

The only thing that really puts me off is packing up in 'cats and dogs' rain.

Would be interested to hear how others cope with this.

[Petermac]

This was our weekend to head out, but we decided not to.  I had relatives here who left lunchtime Saturday ... and he had stuff to do around the house ... so we didn't end up going.  I kept my eye on the radar though and where we were going to camp did get 3 seperate storms that were "in the red" rain wise ... but I got some yard work done and the car cleaned out so ... it was a win win for me even if I was bored beyond tears by lunch Sunday.  We'll definitely go in a fortnight regardless of the forecast.

I'd rather be packing up wet canvas after a relaxing weekend than wishing I was packing up wet canvas after a relaxing weekend. 

Kit_e
65% - 75% chance of rain simply by opening the CT ... 

Kit_e,

I don't know where to start responding to that post...  I am a religious follower of your blog and am a bit gutted that we're not going to see another report this week - I was keeping my eye out for it 

After opening this discussion up and reading the first few comments I looked out the window and thought "stuff it", so my wife and I bundled the kids in the car, hooked up the camper, and headed off.  We got the tent section of the camper up at 4pm at Fingal before the storm came thundering through.  Back into the car until the worst of it passed, and then completed the setup.

Sunday was a magic day - well worth the late and wet setup on Saturday.

So maybe in the end it's a question of risk and reward - sometimes taking on the elements can pay off big time, and other times it won't.  Maybe the uncertainty makes it all the more enjoyable... 

[Beachman]

So maybe in the end it's a question of risk and reward - sometimes taking on the elements can pay off big time, and other times it won't.  Maybe the uncertainty makes it all the more enjoyable... 

That comment can sometimes be so true, I remember last year we took the Monday off work to have a long weekend camping.

We leave early Saturday morning with fine weather, but around 4am Sunday morning the heavens opened and it rained continually until 8am. In what looked like a short break in the weather everyone camping around us started packing up and heading home. We were about to join them in the packing up, then for some reason decided we are going to ride it out.

About 10am the clouds cleared and turned into the most magical day/night with the whole beach to ourselves.

Mind you another time I decided to stay because I thought the rain was going to miss us. How wrong was I because the canvas on the camper is still stained from the mud, kids were crying because the camper was being blown so much and the sound of the wind was a little scary. Then the next day we had real drama’s getting through a creek due to the water rising and what was a nice firm dirt when I drove in became a muddy sloppy track on the way out.

[4wd26]

I too had to convince the wife that a trip away last weekend was required.
we got to Ballina and set up, weather held off while setting up but bucketed down early morning ans looked set in for the whole of Sat.
lucky the rain disapeared and we had fun at the beach and kayaking the lake.

storms again Sat night, but fin sunday.

Sometimes you just get lucky witht he weather regardless of what might happen- the rain didn't worry us and the weekend escape was one of the best.

will still have to convince the waife again next time we have a booking and the forecast is not the best.....

[noel_w]

Kids are teens now but when that weather hits they know it's time to play one handed poker, fast game and we use M&M's as chips

How do you stop them eating the chips!! LOL  We gave up playing 500 against our 19yo daughter as we could never win. A combination of luck and good playing I assume but has been like that since about 5yo. Scary!! We thought she used to cheat but ended out she wasn't.

Last two times we have been out it has rained & we had wet canvas to come home with. Have to set up the CT in the drive to dry it out while we go to work on Monday, not secure & a bit worrying as it is on a cement drive with no pegs in. Just got to hope there is no strong winds come up. Other wise the CT is waterproof to a degree and the rain doesn't worry us too much.

Our kids used to be scared of thunder too until we came up with the story that God must be having a driving lesson & must be banging into other cars up in heaven. Kids are now teens & still recount that as a good story. Worked too as they weren't scared after that, just remarked that there goes another car!!!!