How can I get over fear camping alone?

[Deepseeker]

The post from Goldierocks is 12 months` old , BigL . He hasn`t been here since April 10th this year. Hope he is ok .

Yes, I miss Goldierocks too. I hope he is ok.
Not just his professional and freely given knowledge, but his commitment to education. As a trained Geologist he could easily have kept his knowledge to himself, but he chose to patiently provide advice and scientific data, photos, and links that helped people (including myself) get their head around some very heavy stuff.

Many a time I saw him turn the other cheek to some stupid comment or socially inept attempt at interacting with him, and continue on with an obvious commitment to educating the less fortunate.

I did read a post on here somewhere that said he had thrown in the towel in disgust that a thread or argument regarding Covid-19 was shut down (I don't know if that had come from knowing him or whether it was via PM or email through the forum by another member).

We can only hope that he is ok and that he comes back to the forum.

-D.S

 

[Nightjar]

After reading through this am now convinced many watch too much TV/media drama, and really should stay at home and continue that past time. :lol: layful:
Have spent months alone in our great outback and have never once feared about attack from the unknown. Nothing but friendly people all willing for a chat or help if needed.
Even the animals are friendly, the drop bears get a little upset if you don't have any eucalyptus on hand and the black panthers enjoy a bit of warmth around the campfire. Will try and find the spectacular photos of their bright yellow eyes in the firelight.
Best til last.
Crawl out of the swag and stagger out of the tent for an early morning pee to find these fellas hanging off your temporary clothes line. Helps evacuating the bladder. :lol:

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[silver]

You'll be OK VGH........ I am the thing in the D A R K :skull:

 

[JD3]

A neighbor of mine was travelling alone going through central Oz and to Darwin. Cant recall the exact place he was but he stopped for lunch, it was ks from any towns, he walked about 200 meters from his camper to look at the scenery then out of the scrub comes a pack of about a dozen feral dogs. They were attacking him all the way back to his camper, he just managed to get into it, just, bound and tied up his wounds, said blood was everywhere then drove how ever far it was to the nearest town, couple of hour drive. The doctors said he would not have made it if he had taken much longer to get there as he needed blood and hundreds of stitches. Was a nice bloke too. Came out from England and wanted to fulfill his dream of travelling and camping all around Australia, he got just a couple of months into it and that was it. Sold his camper and stayed put. When he told us what happened it was a terrifying attack and like some scene out of a movie. He was only a little bloke too and was lucky to survive.

 

[Swinging & digging]

Thats a very scary event JD3.
It seems Wild Dog population is increasing so these things are more likely to occur.

 

[JD3]

Thats a very scary event JD3.
It seems Wild Dog population is increasing so these things are more likely to occur.

Yeah. That happened in the mid to late 90's and they reckon they are in larger numbers now. Thankfully we dont hear of many attacks like that though. Was some, think it may have been a Landline story I watched last year about them being really bad in places and a very ignored problem. Guess animal activists would be all up in arms about the idea of eradicating them so we have to keep it hush hush so as not to offend them. Though one wonders how many of them own cats that they let free roam?

 

[Pete E]

Many years ago we were on holiday in South Africa and was staying with a friend of a friend who had shares in a large private game park that bounded up to the Kruger National Park.. .

The farm house we stayed in was on the banks of a river, and it wasn't considered safe to go out alone at night because of the crocs and the hippos.

Also staying were two young Australian lads of about 18 who as far as I could tell were drinking their way around the world or something..

Not sure where in Oz they were from but they were city boys and the South African bush was a totally alien world to them, which half amazed them and half scared them senseless

Bearingn in mind it's pitch dark by about 5pm, they elected to stay the night in a wild life hide over looking a waterhole to watch the animals with an NV scope...They were dropped off just before dark and given strict instructions not to leave the hide under any circumstances untill they were picked...

Apparently about half an hour into the evening the batteries in the NV scope died and they were stuck in the hide with just the moon light and what seemed like half of Africa in front of them!

It seems that the grass thatch the hide was made of was home to associated small critters which they could hear rustling about which they were convinced were leopards or lions trying to sneak up on them
I don't recall now if they stayed the whole night or had to be "rescued" a few hours in but talking to them at breakfast the next morning, they were still buzzing with the excitement...

I guess they would be in their late 40's now, maybe early 50's now, but I bet they still remember that night!

 

[just starting]

When my mate`s son was about 10 or 11 he and a neighbour`s son decided to be brave and camp out in a tent in the forest behind my mate`s place. We went out during the night and made some noises nearby the tent and they packed themselves. Went back home in a quick hurry.

 

[PrivateB]

Well Done you gave it a go :Y: I camp regularly on my own and always take something that will protect me should it come to that. State forests always have somewhere to camp and normally you will find other like minded people camping or hiking. You should at least tell someone where you are planning to stay and when you should be back. Don't want to end up in a situation like the guy in 127hours :|

 

[DrDuck]

I've never had an issue camping alone, but it pays to be mindful of the risks that you might face in isolated areas. It's more a matter of potential injuries than foul play.

I don't think I'd be backpacking in wild country any more like I used to back in the 1970's, mainly because I am now over 60.

I should really get a PLB one day I suppose, but these days I'm usually around a goldfield with a few like minded mates, so the risks are not high.