[Laurel Brewster]

We use a Garmin InReach Mini2.  It allows you to send and receive text messages, both custom and standardized, as well as check weather/wind forecasts, track your route, mark waypoints etc.   You can work directly on the unit itself, or use the Garmin app on your phone for ease of typing if you prefer.  It is expensive to purchase ~$440 sale price on amazon) and there is a monthly fee (~$20 for the base plan) but it’s money well spent for your safety in my opinion!  You can suspend your monthly plan at no charge if you don’t paddle during the winter months, or you can buy a discounted annual plan.   If you want a less expensive option, consider an older version Spot or InReach.  They don’t have as many options for communication but you can at least send a message for help, or with some models a pre-scripted message such as “I am OK but will be late” or things like that.  Having used both Spot and InReach I prefer the InReach, but its strictly personal preference as I think both options are good.