I have been wanting to do the Everglades Challenge for several years now - ever since I found out about it, actually.

This year, it has all come together. First off, I found a reliable partner - I'll cover than in another essay.

Next, things just seemed to fit in. One was having made a friend of the owner of the finest small boat building chandlery in America, Chuck of Duckworks. He provided me with this SPOT personal satellite tracking unit. It's easy to use, but it takes practice, so I practiced while taking the dogs for a walk.