How We Offered Tracking

One of the more fun things with cruising this time is the sheer number of options available for people to follow along on the adventure. When we first set off, in the Time Before Internet (TBI), you could let friends and family know when you arrived somewhere with a phone call (remember ATT International Calling Cards?) or a fax. You might be able to patch through with a ham connection, or somehow get an urgent message through via the SSB, but not a lot beyond that. Kind of like the Pony Express in many ways. “I saw so and so three weeks ago in that anchorage . . .”

Then with the kids we had a blog. Slightly better connectivity, but still a bit off a hit or miss.

This time around? We’ve got a blog. The podcast. And our super cool (IMO anyway) InReach.

*My friend Carolyn grabbed a screenshot of the tracker when we left Beaufort*

The Garmin InReach is a very basic satellite communicator. It doesn’t offer any voice capability, but it does allow for text messages. And, importantly for those who want to follow along vicariously or at least to see where you are and how you’re sailing? This tracking.

There are a lot of other reasons to have this device (or something like it - Zoleo is one we’ve been asked about a lot with FastSeas). We like that it’s self-contained and can be easily grabbed as part of a ditch kit; there’s no external antenna required or hard wiring needed. You can receive messages of up to 160 characters at a time, meaning you can have weather forecasts or routing advice sent to you far from any cell service. The cost isn’t impossible, at least compared to some other options. Last summer we opted for the unlimited messages option, a $65/,month subscription. This time around, since we have other options for accessing weather, we chose the more limited 40 messages a month, for $35.

But as a way to have friends or family or complete strangers (if you wish to share the link with them) follow along? It’s a pretty cool option. We loved having people text us on the regular, letting us know they knew where we were. Even in the middle of the ocean.

Yes, there are caveats. The system sometimes stops sending reports, even if you’re moving steadily along. It’s got an occasional bizarre glitch in speed and especially elevation, which can be disconcerting to the astute follower; at one point we were reportedly 26 feet BELOW sea level. Umm, no we weren’t. But carry on anyway.

We’re fans of the InReach. It’s part of our emergency kit. It’s one of multiple ways we can access weather information and routing when offshore. But most especially? It lets people follow us, and that makes us feel a little bit more connected in a lifestyle that’s pretty off-grid.