Loaded down Yak

Here's a shot of my kayak loaded down. The kayak has over 100lbs just in food and water, plus fishing gear, solar panels, surfboard, miscellaneous gear, and 3 (8) Amp Hour batteries.

Loaded down with over 300lbs of gear inside and out.

Change of Plans

This is the first update I've been able to make. As you can see, I've changed course somewhat. This was due to high surf and an extremely heavy kayak. After several reductions in equipment and supplies, I was still very heavy. Much too heavy to deal with surf. Unfortunately, the Sea of Cortez side has some extreme heat and its own challenges. Currently catching lots of grouper in Punta Buffeo.

Small Grouper. Early on, was catching one every cast...

T- minus 10 hours

Well, the prep work is all done, now I'm just configuring my packing for the umpteenth time. Launching tomorrow morning around 5:00am from Shelter Island. Wish me luck...

Launch Date: Saturday July 17, 2010 5am

Due to some electronics problems, I've delayed my launch a day. I will be launching from Shelter Island at 5am on Saturday. I'd like to launch earlier, but it may not be practical. Check back here for the latest info on launch times and click the Current Location link (in the header) to see where I am at any particular time during my expedition.

Final Countdown

I just returned from my trip to Mammoth with the kids. Testing is complete on nearly all systems, with the exception of a couple of late arrival components. I'm trying to launch Friday at 5am, though I may push it to Saturday if I don't get everything done at a reasonable hour.

Trout Fitter in Mammoth

As part of my prep, I took the kids camping to field test all my gear. All worked great, though I need another component for my solar panel to charge the Canon cameras. Thanks to overnight shipping, I should have that tonight.

While in Mammoth I stopped at TroutFitter fly shop (http://www.thetroutfitter.com). Cog MacNeil was great with some additional gear ideas for my trip. He's also a fly guide (cog@flyfishingwithcog.com). Look him up if you need some gear while in Mammoth.

Check-in/OK message from Dave's SPOT SPOT Messenger

Dave's SPOT
Latitude:37.62975
Longitude:-119.08487
GPS location Date/Time:07/10/2010 20:32:49 PDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=37.62975,-119.08487&ll=37.62975,-119.08487&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:Daily Check-In Msg. Here's where I am.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

SPOT test from devil's Postpile

I'm at Devil's Postpile with the kids. Going send a SPOT Messenger OK message to see how well it poststo this blog.

SPOT Messenger has arrived

I've activated my SPOT Messenger, so I'll be testing that this week. I'll be using it to post my current position throughout Baja. I've signed up for the Tracking feature, but I don't think I'll let it track me 24/7 as this would require a lot of battery power and rechargeable batteries are not recommended. I'll post a link to the tracking page once that gets set up.

Stone Brewing Company hooks me up!

Had another meeting yesterday with Stone Brewing Co. Chris hooked me up with lots of great cycling gear that will come in handy during my long paddle. The special materials are designed to wick away moisture, so it should help me stay dry and comfy. He also threw in a case of Ruination, so I'll have to be sure I pack a few bottles for the first night on the water...Thanks Chris!