Hammocks & Lightning

I really have no idea. And I hammock camp (and worry about it!) regularly in lightning storms. "Big" natural lightning rods, well, depends on the size of trees you choose. I always camp in even sized stands. It's easy in Pinon Pine / Juniper forests.

One thing to consider as an advantage. You're probably less vulnerable to ground strikes. Maybe? Eh? And ground strikes are more common than direct hits? Maybe? I'd think that if either tree you tie to gets hit, you are in serious trouble. Camp with partners, keep your distance from each other, and verbally check up on everyone after every close strike.

In very bad storms I've gotten out of my hammock and sat in lightning position on my pad underneath it. I felt safer.

I would imagine the danger is more from your proximity to the main strike, than from electricity running down the rope. There is after all an air gap underneath you, so you are not a direct route to the ground. But being a couple of meters or less from a zapped tree… I'd say that would definitely wake you up. Seriously though, in a big lightning storm you need to get away from trees if possible. If anything, I would imagine sitting under your hammock would be more dangerous than on it (because you're almost closing the circuit).

ps. I'm not much of a lightning expert… in fact, you take the above as pure speculation. There have been a number of previous discussions on BPL though, so maybe try a google search.

Sorry, but I suspect you are completely missing the point here.

When lightening hits a tree it often travels down the wet cambrium layer inside the tree. In doing so it can easily raise the temperature to way, way over boiling point. The steam pressure causes the tree to explode into 6 foot match sticks. Well, 6 foot by 2" square, let's say.

We see these exploded trees sometimes. The bits go quite a distance. Somehow, I don't think silnylon would stop them.

Cheers

Not all trees explode on contact. Many don't. Many on shoot out part of a side. Regardless, the point seems to be, if a strike hits the tree that you are tied to, there will be big problems. Exploding bits? Intense burns? Damage from the air waves? Damage from the electricity isn't the only thing!

Hmm, another opportunity to lecture a little…

*Ahem* Flip-fli-flip-flip.

According to Auerbach's "Wilderness Medicine" book (3rd ed.) pp 261-289…

Human lightning strikes only have a 30% mortality, with a morbidity of around 70%. As long as you don't cardiac arrest immediately your odds are good. Even if you do, this is one instance in which CPR works remarkably well. You still need to get to a hospital quickly, though. Not infrequently lightning "washes" over the surface of your body, and can even blow clothes off without causing major injuries. However if it does pass through instead of washing over it tends to follow major nerves and vessels, and can leave hidden deep tissue injuries that need urgent surgery.

There are few places that are totally safe- people have been struck in their homes, for example, particularly when talking on the phone or near plumbing. This is one form of "splash", where you can be electrocuted without being directly struck. This also happens to people standing near other objects that are struck, like trees, when the current arcs over to them. Occasionally people have been splashed from a fence that was struck some distance away. Groups of animals have been found electrocuted when they sought shelter near a fence in a storm.

Even if you are standing on flat open ground and the stroke misses you, you still aren't safe, due to "step voltage." It is hard to pump that much current into the ground quickly, so it sort of puddles on the surface for a split second, dimishing proportional to the distance from the point of strike. If you are standing with your feet spead and one foot is closer to the strike point than the other, a large potential difference can exist between them. Thus, the current will run up one leg and down the other.

All of this weirdness is very unpredictable.

So, I suspect that Nothing Good can come of being in a hammock attached to a tree that is struck. Certainly you aren't SAFE from conducting the current. I cannot speak intelligently about exploding trees and wood fragmentation. :-)

And Nothing Good can come of being in a tent piched next to that tree either.

I suspect that the mathmatical odds of lightning injury are pretty much the same whether you are in a hammock or not. Pretty low, but it does happen from time to time.

When hammock camping, do not tie up to the tallest trees around or tall trees near an open field.

>>And Nothing Good can come of being in a tent piched next to that tree either.

I'm with you on this one. I would think if you are camping in a forest where the trees are close enough to hang a hammock, then your tent is probably in just as danergous location. Splittering, splash, treen falling down on your tent, tree your hammock is tied to falls down creating a slingshot effect with the hammock and slinging you 50 yards down field, not sure there really is a safe spot in this given situation.

Thanks for the comments all. It seems like getting into low, even cover is your best bet no matter if you're hammocking or ground sleeping, and just hope for the best.

> Splittering, splash, treen falling down on your tent

Has happened here in Oz. A huge gum tree (1+ m diameter) fell over in a storm, flattening one small tent out of a group of several. The occupants died.

cheers