camping

I’ve never been camping before. I have a vague memory of owning an old hand-me-down tent as a child. But I know I never l slept outdoors with it. We were never a camping family, growing up. But mostly it’s because I’m scared. Once when visiting friends I opted to sleep in my car instead of under the stars. It was one of the most uncomfortable (and stuffy) night’s sleep I’ve ever had. At least I avoided any bugs or (gasp!) wild animals.

I guess I just needed the right camping buddy. Susie has been camping loads of times (and in much more primitive settings). And she’s a lot tougher than I am. I knew she’d take care of me (see the above reference to bugs and wild animals). And I always feel more comfortable having the dogs with us.

Susie had a week off from work so we took my birthday and the two days afterward and had ourselves a little camping trip at our favorite place, Lake Jocassee.

I needn’t have worried. Camping was great fun. Sure, the first night was a little rough for both of us; getting used to the sounds and all. But by the second night, slept quite soundly.

The tent we bought is spacious, easy to put up and lets in plenty of light and breeze. Susie’s parent’s bought me an AeroBed air mattress for my birthday and that thing is crazy comfortable. Certainly aided our good night’s sleep.

Of course we did more than just sleep! There were breakfasts and dinners cooked out on the grill. And not boring basics either, real meals like spaghetti and meatballs, pancakes and delicious hamburgers. If camping can be like this every time, I’m in.

The water at Jocassee is unbelievably clear. And we spent most of our days in and around the water. The campsite had a great view of the lake with easy access to the shoreline. The lake levels are incredible this year. We’ve finally moved out of the drought conditions, and I think that’s made a world of difference for the lake. The water level was the highest we’d ever seen. In fact, the only way we could get to our favorite cove was by canoe; the area was no longer accessible by foot because of the level of water.

The canoe scared me the most. There’s something unsettling about a small watercraft on a big open body of water. Even with a lifevest and moderate swimming abilities, I’m still filled with a level of anxiety about being on the water. So I didn’t quite get my money’s worth out of the rental. But I think Susie made up the difference, going for a long trip and investigating parts of the lake we never see; like the dam.

My new camera weathered the trip and I was able to capture some great photographs and even some video. Best of all, at no point during our stay were we locked out of the car.

I’d call this first camping trip a huge success and foresee many more trips to Devils Fork State Park on Lake Jocassee. Maybe even a trip to Myrtle Beach…