InReach SE

photograph by the author

The InReach has input controls built into the device, but a Bluetooth link can connect it to mobile devices, like phones and tablets, to make data entry and messaging much easier.

Last spring, I planned a summer sail-and-oar trip up the Inside Passage of the British Columbia coast, a journey that would take about six or seven weeks. I knew I would be out of mobile-phone range for much of that time. While a satellite communicator was not exactly a requirement my wife set for me before embarking on the trip, it made the trip a much easier sell, because she would be able to track my progress and we could keep in touch.Hand-held satellite messengers have been in existence since the release of the SPOT in 2007, and while they are relatively common now, not all are created equal. The one I chose is a Delorme InReach SE. The device is about 6″ x 2 1/2″ x 1″, about the size of a mobile phone but twice as thick. It comes with an AC power adapter and micro USB cable for charging, a clip, and a lanyard. It has a 1 3/8″x 1 1/8″ color screen, power and reset buttons, a four-way rocker button, and an SOS button with a lockout slider. On the back are reminders about what the buttons on the front do. The unit has a rating of IPX7, which means it’s waterproof to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.