There is no false advertising in the company slogan “Live to Tell about It” when referring to the SPOT Satellite Tracker. Since its inception, the lifesaving device has been used in a number of potentially fatal rescues.

Of all the things known to wreck a long-planned overseas fishing trip, very few can compare to a bad case of Montezuma’s revenge. Although each country has a different name for this very disagreeable disorder, the results are the same, leading to a trip that’s memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Seconds ago you were on a boat with a group of friends trying to get through a storm when in the blink of an eye, a brutal pounding from the sea tossed you into its depths. You’re now in the middle of nature’s chaos as the boat disappears into the dark horizon, yet for some reason, fear has not set in.

We’ve all examined the possibility of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Some of us have even faced that reality, maybe more than once. You and a few friends embark on a fishing trip that takes you hiking through desolate terrain in search of that great fishing spot when all of a sudden, you realize you’re lost.

As the captain of a vessel plowing through a violent storm, your attention is centered on the immediate danger - breaking the next mammoth wave, hoping it doesn’t break you. Everything else becomes hazy as survival instincts take hold.

If you’ve been on an airliner lately, you probably know that since September 2006, the Transportation Security Administration has instituted the 3-1-1 carry-on guidelines for personal care products. This means that the following must be kept in mind for those going through the security checkpoint:

Is it just me, or do you also get paranoid about pickpockets and belongings left in luggage or the hotel room? Here’s a product that really helps. Pacsafe provides a range of bags and products featuring the eXomesh Ultimate “complete lock and leave system.” This provides a lightweight 360-degree stainless steel cage which locks around your gear, and locks to a secure fixture.

Last year I took an Inside Passage cruise through Southeast Alaska. During the trip I shopped on the ship’s stores and at the ports, and pretty much didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.

Imagine my surprise a week later to check my debit card online and see a series of $75 cashed off my debit account at various gas stations in Massachusetts.

I don’t feel secure unless traveling with information about the intended area’s emergency and critical contact details. I’ve found various sources that help, including the U.S. State Department’s web site (www.state.gov) that includes every country in the world.

Like me, you fish and travel – sometimes to places with insects that can sting or bite the living daylights out of you. I found a product that really gets the job done for mosquito itches, and after applying it to a friend stung by a wasp he couldn’t stop talking about how the pain immediately went away.

For a fishing trip to Bequia, the largest Caribbean island in the Grenadines, frequent traveler Mark Cooper stayed with friends in a B&B. With a beautiful secluded location overlooking the harbor, they settled in for a night’s sleep. Figuring their room to be secure on the second floor, they opened the window to let in the cool fresh air ... and fell into a deep sleep.

During a recent stay in Mexico City, my son and I walked along a street en route to our hotel after dinner. Five women crowded around us who appeared to be in their early 20s. Trying to distract us with flirtatious talk and posturing, I felt a hand where most men normally carry their wallets – into a back pants pocket. The same thing happened to my son.

When choosing a fishing lodge – even if remote consider a number of safety and security factors:

Make sure doors and windows contain secure locks, and check them out as soon as you first arrive to your room.

You already know the drill for going to the little office near Baggage Claim to report a lost bag. But you can lessen the chance of being one of the six out of every thousand air travelers with such a problem and getting your lost baggage back sooner by using a baggage ID system.

Just as you do with extended hunting and fishing trips, it’s especially important to take a few precautions before going out of the country. Furnish the itinerary to a friend or family member, including flights, hotels and contact numbers.

You’re casting from a ledge in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country. The ground buckles and down you go. Clutching a broken leg and unable to even crawl, you could be facing a life-threatening catastrophe.

Safe Travels - Summer 2008

Those of us who tuned in for the latest installment of the hit show Lost, or who caught Tom Hanks in Castaway a few years back, have seen Hollywood’s version of what it might be like to find oneself stranded on a deserted island.

Safe Travels - Spring 2008

This issue we're taking a little bit of a different approach in our look at safe travel. Let's play the old "What if..." game. Professionals in the field of international travel provided responses to situations of concern, information that may come in very handy during your future fishing expeditions.