I have certainly gotten a lot of suggestions about what kinds of equipment I should bring on this trip. They have been very helpful. I’ve gone over all you have written and have made my final choices. Here are some of the gadgets I’ll be carrying to Alaska:

A digital camera that can also make digital movies. The one I chose also has a great zoom lens for taking photographs of wildlife.

A tripod to keep the camera still

My palm organizer which can sound recorder. It will also be a backup camera in case my good one fails.

A card reader. This device plugs into a regular computer and can read the memory cards (think of them as tiny floppy disks) from both my palm and my camera. It will help me move photos to the internet.

Lots of CD’s for storing photographs, sound and video that I take along the way.

A battery charger for my camera and for my palm.

Extra batteries just in case.

Binoculars and a smaller spotting scope I can carry with me at all times.

Some things I will not be able to do:

I don’t expect to be able to use my cell phone when I am out in the open sea. Generally, cell phone service is limited to populated areas. To get an internet connection, our ship must have an antenna capable of communicating directly with a satellite orbiting way out in space. Cell phones communicate with antenna’s on the ground, right near by. There will not be many opportunities to use the cell phone to call. My family and I will communicate by email.

I won’t be carrying equipment for my own entertainment. I’ll have to rely on a good book and whatever the ship has around (though my Palm plays a fairly good game of chess). There will not be room for video games or MP3’s. All the equipment I carry will help me to record and communicate what happens on the ship.

How long do you think the flight will be? What will the time change be? Let me know, I leave for Kodiak on Thursday.