Hi friends! Please read entire post and share with your friends who solo adventure!
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There is magic in solo adventure. Peace, presence and free flowing introspection. I have solved nearly all of my life problems on a long solo walk or jog about in the wild. Peace lives on these solo journeys, for me. Sometimes we want to be in solitude and other times we just cant find a buddy to join us, but either way, solo adventure is a big part of life for many of us. As you read in my recent post, last week I had a close call with violence while camping in the Hampton campground in Manning Park and although it was a terrifying experience, I also see it as a gift. This close call is a chance to prevent something worse from happening to us and others in the future and an opportunity to learn and share. I am a very safety conscious adventurer and as a rule I go above and beyond managing risk and putting 'safety first!'. But I was caught off guard by the sense of security I felt camping in a well established Provincial Park. I got a serious reminder to keep personal safety at the top of the list in all scenarios. I want to share the solo camping safety tips that I usually take and a few more that I have since added to my toolbox. Please feel free to add any that I have missed or that you use as we can all learn from each other. These apply for all solo adventurers but also small groups in certain situations as we were targeted even in a pair. There are risks in all walks of life and we can only do our best to manage them. Put your safety first and then you can relax and have fun!
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•Carry personal protective equipment with you: Bear spray, knife, whistle and communication in an easy to reach spot. Carry an inReach or other satellite communication device where there is no cell coverage. Keep your car key/panic alarm on your person when near your car and others are in the area. Carry a personal alarm (screamer) on your person when away from your car.
•Camp in areas with other campers wherever possible. Get to know your neighbours. Sleep in your car if you are even remotely uncomfortable. Do not ever wear earplugs while sleeping when camping.
•Contact the campground in advance to find out if there is an onsite attendant, security or others camping in the facility. Do not assume.
•Never assist a stranger in the night or in a secluded area (a call for help, broken down vehicle, hitchhiker etc). Protect yourself first, go for help and send it back.
•Make a scene/noise if you are even remotely concerned about your safety- to alert others that may be in the area. Panic alarm on your car key, screaming, whistle, loud crazy voice, bright light etc. Resist the urge to freeze!
I also believe learning self defence is an important and very empowering tool to add to your toolbox if you don't already know how to fight.
Always let someone know your plans and update them if you change them, and set up a regular check in (once a day if possible) if you can.
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Remember...
Believe in the goodness of humans, live free, run wild, do not live in fear...but always put your safety first. Hugs and happy trails, friends!
