We are currently anchored for a few days in the most sublime, secluded, deep V shaped cove on the uninhabited island of Nisos Kira Panayia in the Northern Sporades of Greece.
As I sit here typing this, the only sounds I hear are of thousands of cicadas rubbing their legs together in the song of a hot Greek summer, with the occasional bleat of goats who roam the hillsides around us.
We’re only around 4 nautical miles from the northern tip of Alonissos but it feels so remote and untouched by man that we could be on the moon.
With the advantages of such splendid solitude come the challenges of connectivity i.e. there is absolutely no cellphone signal here. This would not normally pose a particular issue but from here we will be sailing north to the Sinthonia Peninsula of the Khalkadhiki, which lies around 40nm north of us. It’s July – Meltemi season – and you don’t undertake a northerly passage without picking your weather window carefully.
PROBLEM: I need to access data so that I can check the weather forecast over the next days to see when it will be best to make the crossing.
SOLUTION: One DJI Phantom 4 pro drone, one spare cellphone set with hotspot set to on (or a portable wifi router), masking tape.
I taped the cellphone to the drone. Then, I flew it high enough above Lady Roslyn so that the phone could pick up signal from Alonissos but not so high that the wifi signal couldn't reach us onboard (about 95m directly above us).
I love gadgets – what man doesn’t - and I love solving problems. This little hack put a big smile on my face today.
