Aloha mai,
Keili here.
I feel like I always say this - but it’s a hard month… hahahaha
Coming up is my moms “angel-versary” which I personally think is a pretty cheesy term, but that’s what it is. If anyone would like to celebrate with me on Friday, the 17th on May, I will be with Hana creating a monument near Kaupo beach and I welcome you to send thoughts & prayers her way that day. Also, if anyone has some good photos of her to share, please send those my way!
Reflecting on the last year I am reminded of the sanctity and fragility of life. What a gift we are given everyday to simply breathe. I often don’t give it enough thought, let alone the credit deserved. My biggest wish would be for everyone to treasure life during that day. Be present and appreciate - do some intentional living with me for Illa!
This week I was given the task to research and acquire our EPIRB! It led me down a rabbit hole of safety beacons and so I wanted to share what I have found
Personal Locator Beacons (PLB) seems to be the OG way to send out an SOS beacon.
It also is notably cheaper especially since you don’t have to charge it, you just replace the batteries every 4 years and get it checked every 2 years or so. However, they are sort of just a big red “help me” button. You have no way to specify your message, or confirm that it was received on the other end.
inReach overall is better because it does allow you to send specific messages and have a dialogue with responders if necessary.
Plus, the battery life is pretty long lasting around 24 days with interval tracking turned on. Sadly, it is more expensive because you have to pay a monthly fee.
What is cool is the new iPhone basically acts as a mix between the two! It has great signal for SOS and asks questions so the responders can be prepared for your situation. So, Chris opted to get us both an inReach and get the new iPhone for the boat as a backup!
EPIRB
Been searching for a good EPIRB which will basically be our number one way to reach out if in need of assistance. Most can automatically operate when put in the water, and are easy to use. The one I have found most well reviewed is the ACR GLOBALFIX V6 GPS EPIRB which, similarly to the inReach, has Return Link Service (RLS) so that we would know if our SOS has been received. The signal reaches responders anywhere around the world… even in the middle of the ocean, lucky for us. It also has a great battery life of 10 years and 48 hours of continuous operation.
Mahalo for all manaʻo (thoughts, knowledge) shared on this topic. We want to be as prepared as possible, it helps a lot hearing you stories and lessons learned.
All dis top line equipment ain’t cheap! It is not super comfortable to ask for help, but with the reach this platform allows I figure I would put a link if anyone would like to contribute. We really appreciate everyone who has supported us monetarily but also by reminding us that we aren’t doing this alone. It means the world to have all the people I love and care about in my corner on this big adventure, I am forever grateful.
I almost forgot! On the topic of blatant self promotion…
I took on the responsibility of making cute little shirts for the girls to wear while we do all the badass activities we do. I love big tees ( if you want one of those, here’s the link )… but for my first shirt design I wanted something you can wear to feel comfy AND cayute! If you are interested in getting one or want me to make some more - just respond here or DM us on instagram! Mahalo!!
Thank you all for supporting and reading this far, I hope to talk with you again soon! As always, my writings are dedicated to my mother who always encouraged me to face life excitedly and laugh through it all. Mahalo to all the mothers and wonderful women I am lucky enough to have in my life as role models.