I'm wondering if anyone has experience with making emergency calls for water rescue. I am kayaking in safe ocean waters around San Luis Obispo,CA, and have no fear of capsizing, but it is still a possibility. I have acquired an Ultra watch for emergency phoning from the water (upright in my PFD!) but don't know how well this works in cold, maybe choppy ocean water It's a little hard to read the GPS coordinates on the Wayfair watch face but most likely not a problem. I assume I would be able communicate any predicament well and clearly to help the coast guard or harbor master find me but this remains in known unknown territory for me.
For the present I paddle within strong cellular coverage areas. I am looking to purchase an iPhone 15 this fall. I wonder if there is a truly waterproof case usable for contacting rescuers via the Apple satellite service from more remote coastal areas - in the water.
Or, might it be safer to use a beacon or Garmin inReach Messenger (with or without connecting to the iPhone) or inReach Mini for messaging?
My wife and daughter are OK with the watch solution but are aware of the limits of cellular coverage. I encountered a blue whale on one of my outings. He eyeballed me to within about hundred feet before diving. They fear that the Jonah biblical story "ain't necessarily so".
Thank you for viewing this posting and any answers or wet rescue experiences you can relate.
For the present I paddle within strong cellular coverage areas. I am looking to purchase an iPhone 15 this fall. I wonder if there is a truly waterproof case usable for contacting rescuers via the Apple satellite service from more remote coastal areas - in the water.
Or, might it be safer to use a beacon or Garmin inReach Messenger (with or without connecting to the iPhone) or inReach Mini for messaging?
My wife and daughter are OK with the watch solution but are aware of the limits of cellular coverage. I encountered a blue whale on one of my outings. He eyeballed me to within about hundred feet before diving. They fear that the Jonah biblical story "ain't necessarily so".
Thank you for viewing this posting and any answers or wet rescue experiences you can relate.
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