This was an adventure for the ages—
outdoor camping, rain, wind, and cold-soaked everything.
The kind of trip that’s miserable in the moment… and legendary forever.
I headed to beautiful St. Croix and camped through a tropical storm.
It was Wednesday, October 4th, 2023…
And it was the very first flight I ever took using my Frontier Airlines All-You-Can-Fly pass—which immediately set the tone by becoming one of the biggest (and possibly craziest) adventures I’ve done.
I’ve traveled with my hammock all over the place. It’s compact, lightweight, and all I need are two trees to be comfortable. This trip was no different. I packed my hammock, a rain fly, and the bare-bones camping essentials and figured I’d let the island handle the rest.
What I didn’t plan on was a tropical storm.
Wind.
Rain.
THUNDER and lightning.
More rain.
Still, there’s something oddly satisfying about riding out nature with a plan for the next night. I hunkered down in the fort and never saw another drop of rain or wind for the rest of the trip.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was unforgettable—and that’s the point.
I had all the base-camp essentials dialed in—running water, a flushable toilet, a beer fridge, and a perfectly chosen setup spot.
This wasn’t roughing it… this was Living Life to the Fullest with a side of regret …
Everything was in place for an amazing few days exploring the island of St. Croix. I had the gear, the location, and the mindset. All that was left was to let the island do what islands do best—surprise you.
There was a tropical storm in the islands that first night—which, for the record, is technically less intense than a full-blown hurricane.
I had convinced myself it meant “a little rain.”
I was buckled in, hammock tight, rain fly secured, feeling smugly prepared…
LMAO. 🌪️
What I actually got was wind, sideways rain, and Mother Nature reminding me who really runs the campground.
If I’d used proper tent pegs that first night, everything would have worked out just fine. Instead, I spent the evening soaked and shivering, with my rain fly snapping like a flag in a hurricane—every gust reminding me that optimism is not a weatherproofing strategy.
But after that brutal first night, everything changed.
Once the storm passed and I fixed my setup, it transformed from the worst night of rest into the absolute best. I slept peacefully, wrapped in my hammock, listening to the forest breathe—leaves rustling, insects humming—while a gentle breeze from my little ceiling fan kept things cool.
From survival mode to pure bliss in one night.
It was about a 30-minute walk to the beach, which was another reason the camping was so inexpensive—just far enough to save on accommodations and justify the next beer. The beach bar had an unreal view too. 😎
Nothing like earning your sunset with a walk, then immediately undoing it with a cold drink and a front-row seat to the horizon.
Lesson learned—and filed under experience beats theory.
Next time, I’ll bring proper tent pegs.
And yes…
I will absolutely be hammock camping in the islands again. 