Expect that the boat will be exposed to sun and rain and prepare accordingly. Bring your own food, drinks, and other items for a full day on the water. Bear in mind that the boat probably will not have a head (toilet). You may enter the water to relieve yourself with the consent of the boat captain.
Send a clear photo of your completed log to info@nyopenwater.org. If you have the CamScanner app, that works great – better than a photo. Keep the log until you get a confirmation of receipt.
Mandatory Itelms
- Printouts of observer log (NYOW can supply if necessary)
- At least 2 timekeeping devices that record hours, minutes, and seconds. If using a phone, make sure it is fully charged and that you bring a means to recharge. We recommend that you sync your devices to time.gov for consistency with other watches and cell phones on the water.
- Extra pens
- Clipboard
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm with SPF
- Durable shoes
- Sunglasses, preferably polarized ones that wrap all around your eyes
- WATER
- Food: Be ready for a whole day on the water, so bring something like a PB & J in addition to snacks including a “reward snack” that will make your brain say “yay!” but not melt in the sun. (No bananas — or at least ask the boat captain first.)
Optional Items
- Whistle
- Marine radio: The Icom M25 is on the more costly side, but is highly endorsed by our head kayaker and is the one that we use. If you are going to be observing several times over the years, this one is a solid investment.
- UV blocking shirt
- Long, UV blocking pants
- Sun hat
- Rain gear
- Towel or baby wipes
- Seasickness medication
- Tylenol or ibuprofen
- Eye wash