Exactly three months from now, Casey and I will get in our kayaks at San Juan County Park and start paddling for Alaska. For those of you who were at my father’s “Celebration of Life,” You heard me talk about when my dad got on my motorcycle two summers ago and said he was headed for Alaska. I know we will get further than he did (he took the ferry to Vancouver and then headed back), and I also know that he lives on in me and my adventurous spirit. I know this trip will make him proud. If he is able to watch over me, I know he will be experiencing the entire trip with Casey.
For those of you who don't know, my dad, Eric, passed away from Pancreatic Cancer October 27th, 2018. He fought the horrible disease for almost a year. During the last week of his life, he overheard me talking about the Inside Passage and how I wasn’t sure if it was the right time to leave the comforts of communication for three months. He said “Oh, you're doing it this spring. It is going to be amazing, and such an adventure.” Ever since that moment, I knew not only would Casey and I be okay on the trip, but my mom and brother would be as well.
Casey and I will not be completely disconnected from communication though, as there are main ports and towns where there will be WiFi and phone service. We also received a Garmin inReach Explorer for Christmas from my mom (Thanks Momma <3). This little device will be able to track us, send an unlimited amount of texts, shows GPS location, and provides a safety net (SOS calling) if anything goes awry. This along with the rest of our safety gear will be a very important part of our trip.
And that brings me to GEAR! Holy crap we have already spent so much in outfitting ourselves for this trip. This week we bought things from Exped, Kokatat, and NRS. But what is more fun is this list of everything we need for the trip! Here it is:
Paddling Gear
- Kayaks
- 4 Paddles (two spares)
- PFDs
- Spray Skirts
- Deck bag
- Bilge pumps
- Sponge
- Booties
- Cockpit covers
- Paddle Floats
- Chart Case
- Deck compass
- Binoculars
- Case for inReach
- Case for cameras
- Dry suit repair kit
- Sunglasses
- Deck watch
- Strobe Light
- Tent
- Sleeping pads
- Sleeping bags
- Headlamps
- Mesh duffel
- Camp chairs
- Towels
- P-cord
- Daypack
- Bear bags (Check out UrSack)
- Bear Spray
- Bear bangers
- Mothballs
- Dragonfly stove
- Pocket rocket stove
- White gas
- Fuel canister
- Nesting pots
- Mugs
- Pot grip
- Pans
- Spatula
- Nalgene Bowls
- Silverware
- Soap/Sponge
- Knifes
- Water purifier/filter
- Lighters
- Garbage bags
- Rags
- Dromedaries
- Tent
- Personal (clothing, mostly)
- Sleeping bags
- Garbage
- VHF Radios
- Garmin inReach
- Cellphones
- Chargers
- Mirrorless Camera
- Underwater camera
- GoPro
- Dry top and bibs
- Base layers
- Socks
- Fleece tops
- Fleece pants
- Capilene underwear
- Paddling gloves
- Sunhat
- Rain hat
- Micro puffy
- Beanie
- Balaclava
- Shoes
- Socks
- Pants
- Shorts
- T-shirt
- Fleece top
- Jacket
- Rain jacket
- Swim suit
- Underwear
- Gloves
- Mosquito net
- Sunscreen
- Wipes
- Toothbrush/paste
- Contacts/contact solution
- Toilet paper and lighter
- Floss
- Deodorant
- Soap
- Aquaphor
- Chapstick
Books
- Inside Passage by Robert Miller
- Point to Point by Dennis Dwyer
- Charts
- Books for personal reading
First Aid Kit
- Antihistamine
- Ibuprofen
- Acetaminophen
- Imodium
- Nauzene
- Cold Meds
- Throat coat tea
- Dramamine
- Benadryl Itch stopping cream
- Miconazole Nitrate 2% Antofungal Cream
- Hydrogen Peroxide Gel
- Neosporin
- Band-Aids
- Gauze
- Q-tips
- Moleskin
- Tweezers
- Pin
- Space blankets
- Silica gel packets (to absorb moisture)
That’s all! Writing it all down is pretty intimidating. This last week alone we spent about $1,500 each on our drysuits, NRS gear, and the return ferry trip back from Alaska. Our current hurdle to figure out is how we are going to acquire the charts (nautical maps) for the trip. No matter if we buy them printed or buy a program and print them ourselves, it adds up to around $1,000. Haven’t figured out a way to avoid that cost, so if you have any tips or tricks, let us know! Or if you have a spare grand laying around...
Well that’s all the writing I have for today. Casey is currently writing a post that is also about preparing for our trip, so look out for that one next! He is a much better writer than I am, so I’m sure you will start craving posts from him and ignoring the ones from me (haha).
And please consider donating to our GoFundme! If you need a reason other than supporting a rad trip, Casey’s birthday is tomorrow (January 19th) and mine is the next day (January 20th).
Have a great day and get after it!
Brooke
Hi Brooke! Exciting upcoming journey! Anyway, I saw your post regarding being in need of nautical maps. It is a long shot but I reached out to a high school classmate of mine who was an officer in the Coast Guard and the US Navy. He is currently still an officer in the Coast Guard reserve. I told him about your journey and your need of maps. I asked if maybe he had a connection in either of those organizations who could possibly aquire some nautical maps. When I hear back from him I will let you know either way. Like I said, it is a long shot but it doesn't hurt to ask. Annndddd....who better to possibly have those maps than the Coast Guard or US Navy! Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteOk. I heard back from my friend. Here is a copy of his reply:
ReplyDeleteI don’t have contacts for that; however, advise them to use a GPS device. More importantly, have them contact the Coast Guard station in Alaska to advise them of their trip. This is a precautionary step. When they make contact, tell them to request maps. Perhaps the CG up there will have them. Best wishes.
Hi ladies, I also use the Garmin InReach. I used your gear list to double check ours. Thanks. Great List! I did wonder why you have a case for your InReach? Is it waterproof? Where will you keep your InReach? I plan to keep mine attached by carabiner to my pfd and at hand always. This is replacing my SPOT which was always on my person in case I had an emergency.
ReplyDelete