Boondocking in Florida? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Roll Me Away · RV-Dreams Family Member

Boondocking in Florida?

flyone · RV-Dreams Family Member

IMO water supply---you need to get something you can tote water in and some means to transfer water from it into your tank. What ever you use needs to be able to be sealed up tightly and needs to be sanitary. In other words bleached out throughly. You can transfer water either by gravity--bladder or whatever you will be toting water in needs to be higher than your fresh water tank, or by pump---which also needs to be sanitized, Or leave your site every few days drive to the water supply and fill your tank. A military shower--is a way to conserve water, turn the shower on and wet all body parts--turn shower off and soap all body parts, turn shower back on and rinse all body parts, the times that the shower is on make haste or you defeat the purpose of a military shower. A military shower is a good idea almost anytime you are in your camper---just to conserve water, in general and/or from your fresh water tank as well as not filling up your gray water tank. Of course with full hook ups its not nearly as much of a concern as boondocking. Gray and black water need to be toted away with something designed specificially for that, which you can get at any camp supply store.

flyone

-- Edited by flyone on Monday 28th of March 2011 09:22:49 PM

injunear · RV-Dreams Family Member

flyone,

For drinking water you could get 2.5 to 5 gallon jug from the grocery store and one of those blue totes for refilling your main water tanks.

In the Navy on smaller ships we were aloud 25 gallons of water per day. That was for food prep, drinking, laundry and showers. A Navy shower you down, turn water off, soap up and rinse down.

When water got low we took bird baths every other day. That is the amount of water the sink would hold, about 1.5 gallons.

Wayne

Roll Me Away · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you for the information. I also am reading an ebook about boondocking tips. I think your suggestion is very good, so perhaps I'll buy 3 or 4 gallons of spring water from the store and keep the bottles for refill as I find good water. Of course starting out in state parks and practicing to see just how far my water will go, food, tanks, et cetera, maybe be a good idea too. There are a gazillion state parks in Florida to explore, so maybe that's wimpy, but well, I remember shrieking my way through the mountains of NC and eastern Tennessee while Bill drove and my fingernails are still in the armrest, I'm sure. :) My rig now is much smaller, which is much more manageable and less psychologically daunting. At least it has three roll bars. LOL>
Again, thanks. This is the coolest forum!

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've lived in Florida for the last 16 years in the Jacksonville area and have been to quite a few of the state parks in the state. If you like nature and are looking to enjoy the "real" Florida, you won't be disappointed! Most if not all have at least water and electric hookups and trust me, in the summer months you will need A/C to sleep comfortably. The hottest and most humid months start in about mid-June until mid-September. Even the tenters bring either portable A/C units or big fans so they can sleep at night during the hot months. If you plan to sit outside on your patio you'll need a big fan to blow on you to keep comfortable. Outside of the summer months the temps drop at least down into the 60's at night and you could probably get away without electric.

lb311 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Don't forget to use the "Navy shower" principle for dish washing and teeth brushing too! I boondocked a month in the SW this past winter, and was amazed how much longer I could extend my fresh water supply by simply turning the water off when soaping/scrubbing dishes or brushing my teeth.

Now that I'm home, I find myself still following those conservation methods (but, only for dishes and teeth-- I'm not ready to give up the nice long home showers with decent water pressure just yet!)

Roll Me Away · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jacksonville area is full of lovely places. I am a native Floridian, St. Augustine just 38 miles south of Jax and now on the west coast --came here to get my master's degree and just stayed for a time. Now that Bill has passed away, I'm getting back my wanderlust for camping. However, the camping has probably changed as fast as the rest of the state. I'm looking forward to trying out the state parks, and using the a/c while there.
Mosquitoes! How do you keep the mosquitoes off your dog? I have a standard poodle and a couple of Scotties, and wonder about Deet in the stuff we humans use and if it would help keep mosquitoes off them.
Oh, these little nit picky things!
Mid-summer I hope to be over in some state parks along AIA, Tomoka, Anastasia, and any others I can find. Amazing how much I didn't get to see when a kid there.
Well, back to life and rolling! Thank you ever so much for the information. I've learned so much from other RVers.
Scottiegirl

RVRon · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry ScottyGirl, I didn't realize that you already lived in Florida. I should have checked your profile first! You're right about the state parks around St. Augustine... Anastasia, Tomoka, Faver-Dykes and Gamble Rogers are beautiful. Some are a tight squeeze for our 34' Class A but you'd be OK with your Born Free though.

On the west coast near you, Hillsboro River is a favorite of ours when we attend the Tampa RV show. A little bit to the south is Myakka River SP and Oscar Shearer SP just south of Sarasota in Osprey. I see you're a doggy owner... just south of Osprey in Venice there's a county dog park right on the beach. Off leash... the dogs all have a blast romping around, digging holes, playing fetch in the water... it's great fun for dogs and their humans! Also keep in mind Fort Desoto county park in Clearwater, which also has an off-leash dog park.

As for mosquitoes, I know you shouldn't use Deet on dogs for sure. Some of the other repellants might be OK but you'd have to check the label to be sure. I've read that Pyrethrin insecticide that is in some flea powders is also a good mosquito repellant for dogs. If the skeeters are that thick that they bother the dogs we probably won't be out in them either!