Aloha e! Chris here.
This morning has three more hours left until I depart on another few thousand nautical mile journey - Marshall Islands to Fiji. Kala mai for being four days late on this Substack. First order of importance was spending time with Keʻili, and my family. A lot of people ask what I pack in my little bag to prepare for being at sea for two weeks. Since I am jam packing as I type this… heres what it looks like, this time around.
Cameras - My love for documenting the world has never been stronger.
My current favorite is a Sony FX3 with a Helios 44 vintage lens. The Fx3 has amazing low light capabilities which makes it so fun to play with during alaula/wana’ao moments. Another wonderful asset is the Olympus Tg7, not as good in low light, yet equipped with an incredible automatic in-camera lens + its waterproof and small enough to live in your pocket! Film is also a must, i'm still deciding between bringing photo style or super 8mm...
Hygiene - Double toothbrush is a must, because imagine if one got lost…
fluoride free toothpaste has got to be as natural as possible, i’ve packed an Ayurvedic one. Taking sea-water and rain squall baths is the norm but every now and then it's good to do a ghetto shower in which I pack some biodegradable body wipes. Also a bar of dr Bronners soap.
Lole - One pair of normal clothes - I prefer the brand Jungmaven.
If clothes are being worn all the time, and our skin is the largest absorbing organ in our body, it feels good to know the fabric is organic, 100% chemical free and antimicrobial. Its also nice to know that if it gets blown off our little bodies at least the bugs can eat it. Here are shirts that has crossed the pacific twice now.
One pair of expedition clothes - When work needs to get done its good to have some heavy duty clothing.
Im glad my friends at Ola canvas believe the same. Some of the only lightweight board shorts that feel they wont rip on anti skid paint.
Foul weather gear - I still haven’t gotten a good pair.
My last second-hand pair disintegrated on the way to Alaska. Ive been using a cheaper brand called Navis marine and its done the job for some time.
Navigation -
Trusting that captain Sienna has her usual setup, I am only carrying two handheld GPS and a personal chart of every navigational star in our sky.
Books - Always good to have a little extra literature at sea
I’ve always brought David Lewis, We The Navigators i’ve read this book twice and still feel like I haven’t comprehended it all. I highly recommend for all my Kanaka and Kamaina friends looking to re-discover ike kupuna. Others include The Little Prince, Dune, Dove the Bible and a fun book called Ocean Anatomy that Keʻili got me. As with all of the last voyages, a photo of Keʻili and i’s early days - serves as a bookmark so that she’s with me when my mind goes on adventures. This girl travels with me everywhere, even when she’s an ocean away.
The rest of the bag is squeezed in with sewing supplies, notebooks, sunglasses, and a few snacks.
Well, my two hours is up and I haven’t slept yet. So farewell travelers. Looking forward to experimenting with the satellite phones to see if Keʻili can share my update while I’m off learning about our great ocean.
A hui hou,
Chris
