Solo Nighter Early March - A few pics, camera gear overview.

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Braidsta

Forager
Jul 29, 2013
151
1
39
Essex
500px.com
I shot a few more of my latest solo nighter. I know people are more into regular, “untouched” photographs so I won’t stick them in the thread – my style is my own and best left on my gallery. I’m not a photographer. These pics are hidden from my main gallery, I like to keep my time in the woods away from others, but Bushcrafters can probably feel me on this. Not many know about my escapes to the woods.

Here’s the link to them, I hope they’re enjoyed -
http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=1068447

I left home around 6 and got to my area around 7. As I got closer to my intended spot, I heard laughing and screaming – right where my hammock was going were three blokes drinking beer while their kids ran riot. I love seeing kids enjoying the woods, no issues at all but I knew it’d mean a later start than I’d planned. An hour later I’m sitting in a bush having a smoke and they pass me on their way out. It sounds odd I didn’t pick another area to setup in, if you came to these woods you’d understand why I couldn’t – most of it to do with people wrecking the place. The Entwives all left bruva.
I got in and pulled my tarp and hammock out – I keep these in the very top compartment so I can get to them right away. As I started setting up I realised my light was going .
I’ve not setup in the dark before. I’m a big boy and I’ve been in these woods since before mum said I could, so it feels strange admitting the mild panic I felt. Panic? Not sure if that’s the word. I felt pressure though – I started to scramble a bit, zips got fiddly, empty stuff sacks disappeared and reappeared as I tried to keep order. One thing I’m proud of is getting my tautline hitches right on the tarp – sorted the ridgeline and 4 corners and got the basha tight. I’ve known this knot for 2 camping trips now, kept getting it wrong but with a bit of slow breathing and determination I got them sorted. I’m quite proud of this as my whole life I’d just get the line fastened to the anchor and wrap, loop and knot the line until I’d cowboyed a “line that was tight” – the sort you normally have to cut through at hometime!
At this point, I remembered my headtorch – the red light done well and I was able to easily sort my sleeping system and bring some order in general using short bursts. I sat in my hammock feeling chuffed, relieved and glad I always carry a mugflask of tea for this point!
I’d gone out with the intention of avoiding a campfire – in recent months I’ve started to think over my destruction to the environment. I still love fires but if I’m only there for the night on my own, I figure it best I use a stove. My stove is one of those big, square jobs and it takes up a lot of my bergen – I’m going to buy a smaller one you screw on to gas bottles asap! It really is a lot easier for me to boil and cook this way. I’d opted for this stove as I’m wary of the size of gas canisters, and this one takes spray-can sized ones – carrying it around though, it seems the bigger can / smaller stove option would work a lot better for me. Am I alone in fearing an exploding gas canister strapped tight to my back? Serious question – I’ve always been suspicious of them yet no one else seems to consider something could go wrong, and everyone’s used them for decades.
A couple cups of tea, my sandwiches and a smoke and I got restless. I decided sod it, I’d have a small fire in the morning! I collected a fair amount of dead wood from the floor, didn’t need my saw and only took what I could break over my knee with ease – this was a very relaxed fire prep!
My first night in a hammock! One-side-reflective rollmat zipped inside my DD Camping Hammock, my 3 season bag and a small travel pillow (synthetic fill). Bed at around 11pm, I woke up around 6:45, slowly becoming AWARE that I had a couple of cold spots - but they hadn’t woke me up. I slept better that night than any night I have ever had in a tent. Actually, better than any I’d had sleeping on mate’s living room floors.
I got washed up and got the stove on for a tea, had a lovely 2 cups as I smoked and tried to ID trees with my Collins guide. The sycamore I recently learned I’d been tying up to for my afternoon chillouts is actually a rowan.
Or ash ;)
With the morning ahead of me I did a quick video of the fire lighting and sent it to my prettier half, so she would be suitably impressed. Once lit and going I cooked up some awful tinned soup for breakfast. I continued to feed small logs into it throughout the day for firegazing, but no more cooking . My knife was already sharp and my tree research grew tiresome, so I decided to shoot another, better video – on my camera setup. I’ll link that below too. I did a quick one of my setup, more in depth than a previous attempt but realised afterwards that I’d shot the whole thing in portrait again, so I’ll try again next time. I’ve no aspirations to be a Youtube hero, to be honest the vids I enjoy most are taken by people (no doubt members here) who are just showing their setup and having a ramble, so maybe someone will enjoy watching mine, or at least see how things look when setup.
I had 1.5l water with me – I ALWAYS take 4l, this time though because of the size of the stove I’d arranged with my brother to bring me more in the morning, all week we’d planned smoking bacon for sandwiches, letting him test out the hammock and generally having a good time, maybe some spoon carving. He never showed up. I had enough water to cover me, and being 20 mins away from home, I’m in no trouble. But I do like my tea, so this did cast a small shadow on an otherwise wicked day. This could have easily gone wrong though elsewhere, and I’m never relying on anyone else when it comes to camp supplies. I wonder if this “waiting for my brother” is faux pas, a real breach of bushcraft etiquette? Don’t get me wrong – a proper outing I’d ensure I’m covered, but godjam this was HIS idea!
Throughout the time I was there I got on with my picture-taking. I’m getting used to my camping and bushcraft-type activities as a subject to shoot and get a lot of enjoyment combining two of my interests.
I chilled until around 5pm, had my final half-cup of tea and packed out. I do my best with leave-no-trace – a woodsman would suss me no doubt, but little kids and their gattered dads would not. Round my way it’s easy to find the stone circles full of beer cans and bacon wrappers, I don’t want to let on there’s space for another one!
To conclude, I had a great time. It’s not every nighter I come away so pleased with myself, but seeing my basha in the morning, just confirming in daylight that it was setup right with all the knots tight and doing their job, man I felt good!
I’m not sure how it relates or what inspired it on this pleasantly warm nighter, but my next bit of kit will be a Bison Bush Shirt. Don’t need it through summer but I can’t take my eyes off it!
Well, I hope everyone’s either out in the woods or planning on being!
Here’s a link to the camera gear video, my second attempt at a video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUAfoctF20

Have a good one
Brady
 

weekender

Full Member
Feb 26, 2006
1,814
19
54
Cambridge
Great that I'm just starting to get used to my camera a D40x nikon haven't ventured out with it yet in to the woods but will soon I'm sure. Love the pic towards the bridge and the night time fire picture must learn how to do that it's on my list of photographs to achieve.


Sent from somewhere?
 

Braidsta

Forager
Jul 29, 2013
151
1
39
Essex
500px.com
Thanks so much for the comments, I well appreciate it!

Weekender, the fire shots are good fun and as easy as setting your camera on the floor and trying out a few shutter speeds. Thanks for the comments too - that bridge shot is now on canvas on my little woman's wall :D

Cor, sitting here now chained to my desk and seeing the responses had cheered my day! I've a few outings in mind so I'll report on these as and when. I'm also drawing up a detailed plan for a full gear overview, so I'll be sure to share it out.

Thanks again all and have a goodun!

Brady
 

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