Gear is starting to pile up

Roy (A.K.A- Shatzki) is back from a week in the USA. As I mentioned before, we took advantage of Roy's flight to order some of the gear for the expedition by the internet to his address at the states. I also mentioned my doubts about the arrival of the gear on time. So, I was only partly wrong. The system is reliable, but Roy did spend about 2 days shopping for the stuff that was absent… the reason was usually the approval needed from the bank in Israel. After waiting for 30 minutes on hold in an international call to the bank, he decided it'll be easier to go shopping.
Bottom line, Roy brought:
Thermal pants ("Gatkes", as they are known in Israel)
Thermal shirts
Flees jackets
Mosquito head nets

wool socks (non of us wear them in Israel)
ACR life jacket strobes (a strong emergency lamp)


And now to the more interesting stuff (the big boys' toys):
Each one got a "suunto- Vector" watch.
http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/product_short.jsp?JSESSIONID=IwvYQbmD0OtzPob8vH9k8LKl1TXmT9lsxX2EtSmD4bS2w1pFv2gE!-2115131320!168075286!7005!8005!722314813!168075285!7005!8005&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673939673&bmUID=1219538712967

Basically, it's a wrist watch with a few extras. While being away, we will need to be fully aware to every change in the weather. We will be supported by Karel http://www.kayakweather.blogspot.com/
But will need to learn to "feel" changes as it occurs. So the Vector has a built in barometer, to indicate every drop of atmospheric pressure that could mean a deteriorating weather.
Another feature the watch has is the compass. An extra compass is always handy.












Why extra? We will need the kayak compasses
http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/product_long.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673941582&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723697223381&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442490188&bmUID=1219541172733
(also by Suunto)- Kayak compass is much easier to track then the wrist watch compass.

Another nice gadget is the MSR water treatment system:
http://www.msrgear.com/watertreatment/fastandlight.asp
The MSR HyperFlow Microfilter is smaller then the average bicycle pump, so even though I believe we won't be using it, (in some areas of southern Patagonia the rain don't stop) we prefer having it with us then having to use chemical water treatment.













One last thing…
Each of us is going to use an I-COM M34 VHF.
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/marine/handhelds/m34/default.aspx
it's a floatable, water resistant VHF transceiver. We will attach the device to our life vests, for emergency, for weather reports, and for sending our position to the Chilean Armada.
We are still short of gear that didn't arrive by mail and we will get it later on.
Meanwhile, there is still a lot of work on the physical preperations aspect… more of that next. time.
Yosale