T minus 4. Equipment Check

The first problem.

How to transport a very bulky DSLR with a mega zoom, 5 extra lenses, a tripod, binoculars and lots of other crucial stuff in a zodiac containing water and ice slushing around on the floor, even more splashing over the sides, while its snowing and your hands must be free. Oh, and it can't really be a backpack because you might lose balance and topple over the side backwards and with that weight you're gonna die.

Solution.

A huge dry sack. It can sit in all that slushing water and ice and keep the 20 kilos of gear, er ... well, ... dry.

Dry Sack, check. Large camera shoulder bag, check. Camera bag fits inside dry sack, er, try again, er.

Waterproof camera, check. Waterproof gloves, check. You know where this is going and it didn't end well. At least it was only the gloves that leaked. Now I have to hope they'll dry out before the flight.

Plan B for the dry sack, it fits Tricia's camera backpack perfectly. Plan B for my camera bag. Use an obscenely large waist bag in combo with a fishing vest instead. Oh yes!

Camera complains a bit but squeezes into the waist bag, lenses in five of the vest pockets, stressing the velcro a bit, but she'll be right. Nick knacks in the rest of the pockets. No probs.

My waterproof nylon pants are baggy enough to extend over the waist bag. That'll keep the camera dry.

My waterproof nylon jacket snuggles a little reluctantly over everything. As long as I don't do any sudden movements the zips should hold OK. Mirror shows I have really "muscled up", cool.

Tricia checked me out and then checked out the cancellation penalties.