Backpacking Tips for the Seashore

[blacklab2020]

Going on a long hiking trip on the atlantic coastline and wanted to know if anyone had any experience with salt water affecting their gear.

Other than cleaning everything thoroughly afterwards, should I take any additional precautions?

What about distilling/purifying seawater, know of any methods that dont require carrying more white gas than water?

Thanks,
Justin

 

[DougPaul]

IIRC, salt water can be hard on some aluminum alloys (wash in fresh water soon afterward). Titanium should be ok. Fabrics should be ok, but they might need to have the salt washed out of them.

Doug

 

[jbreen]

I lived about 150 yards from the ocean for most of my life and can attest that salt air will attack aluminum. After the hike I would clean the tent and poles of any salt residue. Your boots/sandals will be nicely cleaned though by the sand!

Other expectations: breezes shift from the landward to seaward as night comes and the ground cools. This causes moisture to form on everything soon after the sun goes down so you may want to set-up later than earlier if you're sleeping under the stars. Mornings will probably be damp.

As for water, I don't know of any desalinators for hiking though I know they make them for sailboats and as part of life raft kits, but those are well over a grand. You may need to find other (commercial) sources of water.

On the esoteric side, check the tides and moon phase. There are tides called spring tides and neap tides that cause higher than normal high tides; sometimes as much at 12 feet higher. This will have something for your destination.

Have fun! Spot an osprey, avoid the plovers.

 

[blacklab2020]

JBREEN:

Awesome Avatar!

Thanks for the advice, will definately keep an eye open for osprey and peregrines and other raptors... but this time of year I would imagine they will be much further north than MD, VA area.

~J

 

[pilgrim]

jbreen told you just about everything you need to know.

Learn to walk in sand. Toe-heel, not heel-toe.

Have fun! Spot an osprey, avoid the plovers.

And terns. They will get in your face.

 

[WBB]

Blacklab:

You mentioned VA and MD, could you be going to Assateague? If so watch out for ticks and sand fleas. Also some type of sand picket may be need if you are planning to use a tent or tarp. We took alumu pie plates, run a short piece of cord thru a hole in the middle and then tied this to the stack and tied the other to lash points on the tent and buried the whole thing about 1 foot down. The winds pick up and just the weight of your gear will not hold the tent down.

 

[Sara]

Blacklab:

You mentioned VA and MD, could you be going to Assateague? If so watch out for ticks and sand fleas.

The ticks at Assateague are NO joke! ADacKr and I just spent a week backcountry camping and hiking there this past April. Each of us ended up with at least 5 ticks embedded and brushed numerous others from our clothing. Vile creatures!!