When I purchased my ACR ResQLink several years ago, I registered it, added my emergency contacts, and told my family about it. After that, it simply became part of my gear whenever I went boating. Like many people, I never truly expected I would need it. There were even times when I forgot to bring it because I never imagined I would find myself in a life-threatening emergency.

I am an avid angler, fishing guide, and fly-fishing instructor who operates fly-fishing schools. Most of my time is spent on the Chesapeake Bay, where I always believed that if I ever faced a true emergency, my ResQLink would be the fastest and most reliable way to call for help.

As my guiding and teaching expanded, I began traveling internationally to fish some of the world’s most remote destinations, including Argentina, the Bahamas, Belize, Christmas Island, and most recently, Greenland. No matter where I traveled, my ACR ResQLink traveled with me. It became an essential part of my gear, giving me confidence that I had a reliable way to call for help if the unexpected ever happened.

During our trip to Greenland, our guide left three of us on a river flat while taking one angler several miles upstream by boat. Not long after, we began to feel the river flat shifting beneath our feet. We were standing on glacial silt, which behaves much like quicksand.

I was able to move quickly enough to free myself, but my friend became trapped. The mud created a powerful vacuum that made escape virtually impossible. We immediately realized the seriousness of the situation and knew we needed outside help as quickly as possible.

I activated my ACR ResQLink and immediately went to get help.

Within minutes, rescue authorities had received my distress signal and began coordinating a response. My emergency contact was also notified and worked alongside the authorities as they organized the rescue effort. Knowing that my signal had been received provided reassurance during an incredibly stressful situation.

Greenland is one of the most remote and unforgiving environments in the world. According to the U.S. State Department, rescue operations in Greenland can take several days to reach the site of an emergency. Despite those extraordinary challenges, the ResQLink allowed rescuers to locate our position and begin the response immediately.

The authorities were able to locate us and ultimately free my friend from the mud after about 18 hours.

The ResQLink did exactly what it was designed to do.

Unfortunately, this story does not have the ending we all hoped for. My friend ultimately did not make it.

That experience forever changed the way I think about personal safety and emergency preparedness. It reinforced that emergencies can happen without warning, even to experienced outdoorsmen in places we have carefully planned to explore.

Today, I never travel without my ACR ResQLink. Whether I am guiding clients on the Chesapeake Bay or fishing in the most remote places on earth, it is always with me. I do not leave the dock without it, and I do not board a plane for a fishing trip without packing it.

I hope I never have to activate it again. But I know firsthand that when everything goes wrong, having a ResQLink can make all the difference. It is a piece of equipment I will never leave behind, and one that has become an essential part of every adventure I take.