Well, as sometimes happens … things get a little sticky when the time comes round to depart!

The wizardly Jonathan Pond was visiting here with me over the weekend and we went through a checklist of our various electronic issues to make sure that everything was in order with the satellite communications, computers, Iridium phones and all that electronics magic that is sometimes my arch-nemesis.

Well, as you might guess, we ran into some issues – this time with the Iridium phone, its charger and connecting devices. The Iridium is our fall-back communications system. The connection is supported by 66 low-Earth orbiting (LEO) cross-linked satellites, which operate as a fully meshed network … which basically means it works just about everywhere, but at fairly low bandwidth. We’ll use our KVH Tracphone V7ip unit for higher bandwidth communication when we are in satellite range to make that work.

Anyway, we are having the new equipment shipped in today … but this is going to delay the departure until Wednesday morning. Wish it wasn’t so … but these are critical components to the operation.

On the upside though, we were able to get out yesterday to test some sails, as well as the hydro generator and we also get some video footage out on the water. The hydro generator worked well, the sails are looking good and everything else seems to be coming together.

So, stay tuned….we’ll be heading out soon!

– Dave and Bodacious Dream