taking a baby to nitinat?

[vanman]

Hi all, i'm jonesing for wind - have a 3 mth old baby at home. I'd like to go up to Nitinat this weekend to camp with the fam for some kiting.

My question - would I be nuts to bring a baby?

And followup question, how is the forecast for sat/sunday.

Thanks!!

[firstonlastoff]

Priceless. 16 years ago we took our 3 month old baby to the Lake. He slept so soundly in the tent for about 14 hours a night, my wife and I kept waking up to check that he was still with us!

This weekend's Windfest might present challenges over and above the norm - it is likely going to be very busy, possible noisy till the wee hours of Sandman time, and the latter could be compounded if the wind isn't good.

If the boss is game, go for it.

[tempy]

Windfest aside, we took both out boys every year from 6-7 momths pregnant, and then 9 months old and so on ....

Go for it!

[more force 4]

Baby, no problem if you camp with other families (teething baby at 3 AM might be bad if not). Its windfest though so it will be super crowded. Keep an eye on them re: cougars, bears, and the long-term campers that might be casting an eye around for something to sacrifice to the wind gods Virtually no mosquitoes or other things to bother baby around right now.

Second question, the forecast looks miserable. I hope the Windfest gets in lots of events today because it isn't good for the weekend and early next week. So after about 90 days with wind and sun, this weekend may be a bust.

[KUS]

ditto

fcast for some rain and cloud finally but that is obviously not so great for wind up there

could be better on Sunday looking at the flow but I would skip it for weather and windfest reasons

[vanman]

Thanks for the replies, baby friendly except for cougars, check.

When you say bust this weekend, like zero wind? or like 'only' 20 kts ?

If i go will my kite fly and drag me around - i'm not looking for much lol.

[more force 4]

Well, Tofino forecast is 'periods of rain' beginning Saturday morning and "rain" Saturday night. There is no more miserable place than a totally windless and pouring with rain Nitinat camp, at least if your are tenting. And I'd say 0 is more likely than 20 knots for the weekend, but maybe as Kuster says, Sunday will pull through. The Nat never ceases to surprise, it blows often when it shouldn't. But, if you are that desperate for a kite, I believe the Gorge is about the same commute distance from the mainland as is Nitinat.

[rvanderbyl]

My son Luke grew up at Nitnat from 3 weeks old on every summer. Don't be like some parents i've met (not many actually) that think a child needs to be a certain age to take camping. Get on with it so the kid just thinks it's normal to go camping all the time! Saw lots of babies at the lake this weekend.

[skipro]

I think Nitinat would be great with kids and I wouldn't shy away from the Nat because of a worry about the baby making noise. When it is windy there is so much noise from the wind itself nobody would be able to hear a crying baby.

I would say though that it might be nicer to be away from the chaos at the beach and camp a bit farther back on the loop. Can be warmer with a sunny csmpsite and quieter with less wind. During the day take the pack and play out to a shady spot near the beach.

I wish my wife was into windsports. She has been to Nitinat but just for the afternoon(cottaging on Lake Cow) but doesn't seem interested to take our kids (1.5 and 4 yrs) there for a weekend. We camp with them regularly though and the only change in routine we find is a later bedtime especially if smores are involved.

See you at the Nat.
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[downwind dave]

ah yes i have encountered the 'baby making' noise. sometimes you need to be careful who you camp near.

[UnusuallyLargeRobin]

We had both our girls up there at about 5- 6 weeks old. It can actually be better than back home in the city. It's very peaceful and a full on nature sensory immersion for them. Like people said, they sleep amazingly well and long. They're little captive bundles that you move around from place to place with you. 17 years on and our kids have grown up there over the summers and still can't wait to go back there. They love it.