That will be the subtitle to the Sequel to “SoloMan”.
Last night I posted my first track position to this incredible versatile rescue/tracker beacon. You can learn more about this at their web site http://www.inreachdelorme.com/product-info/inreachse.php This solves the dilemma I had in trying to stay in touch with my family and friends, at sea, since I lost the SailMail capability I had on “Fleetwood”‘s predecessor. This saved me the expense of the $500 annual subcription and the purchase of a Pactor modem, which can run close to $3,000. The new boat came with a SSB radio and ecellent tuner and backstay anenna but the radio has a bad reputation. But I can use it for SOS calls and to listen to the weather reports. The SailMail allowed to update my blogs. But this is not as critical because from here onward I shall not cross any oceans and most of my passages will be under a week’s length. I will blog from shore when Wi-Fi is available. You will be able to check my position at the URL I have now permanently posted under the top right picture of me leaving the Golden Gate in 2005.
Shortly after I sufered my shipwreck on November 16, 2013, Richard Spindler of “Latitude 38” put out a call for my assistance and he promised to donate the EPIRB for the replacement equipment. He suggested then to check this alternative out. In my case as a solo sailor it performs all the functions as a rescue beacon that an EPIRB provides plus all the other functions, including two way texting, weather forcasting, etc. I chose the subscription for the different services the host provides that I can interrupt while I am ashore. I will keep the service going when I do my planned backpacking trip from Catagena to Southern Chile next summer.
This is the picture I took last night, under a waxing moon from the companion way, how the track shows up on my laptop by going to the above link. You have a choice to see it as well from Google Earth. The subscrition I chose costs ten cents a minute for the texting and pinging. So, please, do not text or ping me on this link. If you have an urgent message contact my daugther Lisa. Many of you will remember her from the time she forwarded my SailMails from 2005 until I was able to blog from the boat. Her e-mail address is stil the hotmail one.
