Camping Report: Weather and Site Placement

WEATHER

We've been extremely lucky, on the whole, with camping weather over the years. By "we', I mean my family in particular, because we seem to have a particular talent for coming a day or so later than others and just missing the bad weather. There was that one rainy night when Eve and I got there - weather was perfect the rest of that trip. There was one year that lived in infamy where it was at least thirty degrees at all times, including midnight. I didn't even realize it until I took my shower that night, then got in the tent and realized it had not cooled off in the least. This year it looked like it was going to be hot during the days but quite cool - even cold - at night. And then guess what? IT WAS THIRTY DEGREES EVERY NIGHT AGAIN, WTF WEATHER?

The difference this time was that after the last time this happened I came home and thought "battery-operated fans. They must be a thing." They are indeed a thing, and I now own multiples of them. My favourite looked like this, although I think this might be a knockoff because it doesn't say 'Opolar' in the center circle. I keep them in my bathroom so that by the time I've dried my hair I don't need to get back in the shower. I use one when I'm at my computer. I use one when I'm watching tv on the couch because after we redid the family room we didn't really want to put an ugly stand fan back in. I carry one to work because schools tend to be too warm for me. They've been a game-changer. Even when it wasn't crazy hot at camp I would use one for the first half hour I was in the tent to cool me down so I could fall asleep. This year they probably saved my life, or sanity, or something. I aimed one at my front and one at my back. I couldn't put my CPAP mask on right when I got in the tent because it was so hot I felt like I was suffocating, so I would lie there for a while and when I finally felt myself start to doze off I would put the mask on then. 

When we first started going we had no beach shelters, and we would be those people huddling in the meager shade from the trees at the back of the beach. We would have to run to the water over sand that was so hot it would burn your feet. Now we build a tent city, so we have shade. When it's really hot the shelter can be stifling, though, so it's a trade-off. This year the sand was burning hot again, and at some point the beach bocce game was moved into the shallow water as a feet-preserving measure. At least a seagull didn't steal the placer ball this time.

SITE PLACEMENT

The high demand for campsites means you generally take whatever you can get for your preferred dates. We usually try to book for a week just after the August long week-end, then cancel a day or two at the front if necessary, and leave whenever the weather chases us out. We usually try for a site in the same general area, because Eve is directionally-challenged (she gets that from me) and she could get to the beach and comfort station unaided when she was younger. The placement of everyone's campsite in relation to each other varies from year to year. Sometimes we're close to someone, sometimes everyone is close, sometimes we are far-flung. It doesn't matter for the beach, it can be a bit tedious for dinner and campfire because you have to haul your dishes and everything. Once I paid another kid five bucks to walk Eve back to our campsite so Eve didn't get lost and I didn't have to go. 

This year, our campsite (at the corner of Arrow and Gnarly Stump) was close to four other sites. A couple of groups that came later were a bit further out, but it was really nice being able to wander between sites easily. One family always had a big-ass trailer that belonged to the grandfather - full-sized beds, kitchen, ice maker, fridge, air conditioner, espresso maker etc. We would all mock them mercilessly, and then slink over sheepishly to cool off when the heat was unbearable. This year the grandfather sold the trailer, so we thought they would be down in the (still pretty cushy) trenches with us. They retaliated by getting a giant, three-roomed tent with full-sized double-height air mattresses. And an air conditioner. 

Speaking of the double-height air mattress, I had considered getting one to help with my getting-off-the-ground problem, but I was worried I would be too heavy and it would deflate. Now that I know two people slept on one of them and they held up, I will consider it if we end up going again. Every year now someone says "is this going to be your last time?" and who the hell knows anymore. The kids are all grown and they all still want to come. Several of them have jobs and they get time off. Covid didn't even force us to skip - we did miss last year because we went to Thunder Bay for Matt's mom's memorial. Collette's son Ben wants us to keep going until all the kids have kids and we need to book half the park (I am definitely going to need a higher air mattress. And an air conditioner).