Packing for Palmyra - Part 2

You knew this blog entry was coming, right?  The Part 1 that I posted the end of last month should have been a clue.

I finally did a practice pack tonight.  Here is a picture of all the stuff I am trying to take with me.

Almost everything is there except the camera since I am using it to take the photo.  Also missing are several t-shirts that were being washed.  I am little over my weight limit, so I am going to have to eliminate some things.  The problem is most of this stuff doesn't weight a lot individually except for the computer and cameras, both of which I don't want to leave behind.  So getting rid of a few pounds means removing lots of little things.

The box on the bottom left won't be going -- just its contents.  It contains three SPOT tags we will be attaching to gray reef sharks.  SPOT stands for "Smart Position Or Temperature Transmitting" tag.  I had planned to post a nice photo of one, but they were very well sealed in bubble wrap and I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize their safe arrival on Palmyra.  The 3 tags cost over $5,000!  These are fin mounted versions of the tags produced by Wildlife Computers.

Two of the SPOT tags in bubble wrap

Give their value and also the fact that they have lithium batteries, they have to be taken as carry-on.  I am concerned that TSA is going to look at them and think "detonation devices", so I am bringing along the purchase invoice, a printout from the manufacturer's web page, etc.  Between these tags and all the other odd stuff I am bringing, I am expect to have TSA paw through all my carefully packed gear when I go through airport security.