I'm prepping for my first Everglades Challenge and looking for ideas on carrying safety equipment and a ditch kit. I am paddling a kayak for the challenge.
Usually on any paddle I carry the following in my PFD. Hiking compass, small sunscreen stick, small amount of duct tape and electrical tape for blisters, Storm whistle, Greatland Laser, amall aquapac dry pouch containing signal mirror and tiny on water 1st aid kit, a couple of GU gels and a knife. I have a Kokatat MsFit PFD and have the Kokatat water bladder pocket attachment with a 50 oz Camelbak.
For the Challenge I plan on keeping all that equipment plus the plb and spot, but my idea was to use the water bladder pocket for the hypothermia kit and some emergency food/ditch kit, vacuum sealed and in a small drybag and use a 100 oz Camel back behind my seat instead . I just bought some flares and plan on carrying 2 x skyblazers and a smoke flare. How do folks carry the flares ? I wanted to keep them dry and handy. If I vacuum seal them, how do I open them while swimming, with wet hands in choppy water at night ? If I keep them in the water bladder pack, how do I reach them in the same situation ? Dry bags on the back deck will let water in eventually. One of my thoughts is a Pelican case on the back deck containing a ditch kit plus flares. The smoke flare is 9 1/4 " long and will fit in a Pelican1150 case. Maybe attach it to my PFD with a tether.
Thanks for any input anyone can give