[at-l] Re: Q on lightning & hammocks......

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 06:00 AM 6/22/2005 -0400, Black Wolfe wrote:
>After Sunday's T-storm, I was thinking along those lines my self.  One
>strike was so close to the porch, that I heard the click, saw the flash and
>felt the boom, all within a fraction of a second.  AWESOME!
>
>That said, I don't see a hammock as a likely path to ground for a lightning
>strike.  I'm thinking one is more likely to get dumped on the ground when
>the tree bark over heats and melts or shatters the tree hugger or strap.
>
>My usual philosophy applies, After doing all that I can to minimize the
>risk, the rest is in God's hands.

A few years ago I had lightening strike one of the maples in my yard. Flash 
and boom were simultaneous. The lightening followed a path down the trunk 
where moisture from a dead limb had rotted the wood below and out one of 
the roots plowing the ground for 6-8.

Would the lightening have followed a strap or rope to a hammock? Nylon is 
an insulator, OTOH if the strap was wet (likely in a thunder/lightening 
storm) the moisture could offset any insulation the strap/rope might 
provide. I don't think any research has been done on this.

Odds of being hit are 1 in 10 million. I agree with Black Wolfe although 
yesterday I was guilty of not minimizing the risk. I took a little day hike 
of 15.1 miles through Avalanche Pass to lake Colden over Cold Brook Pass to 
Indian Pass Trail and out. It turned out to be a bit beyond my conditioning 
level but I was unprepared to spend a night in the forecast 35* 
temperatures so I was forced to come out even though I was exhausted and 
seeing spots after about 12 miles.

It was a good day despite the exhaustion and still seeing a few spots this 
AM. I'll do a trip report later after I download and look at the photos.

Tired Saunterer