The concept of traveling to and from death is not an uncommon one in folklore and myth, and on this job I encountered one such possibility, in the Ferryman. Those that transport the souls of the dead to their final destination do in fact exist, using vehicles such as galleons or wooden barges. The ferryman even charged me a quarter to cross (note in margin: Carry change). Looking into stories containing these would be a worthwhile pursuit. If I were to commandeer or otherwise learn how to create and pilot a craft such as this, I may be able to study death more personally.
Traveling beyond death will also likely be very dangerous, (note: study the underworld, hades, ect) and I may need to prepare for such. Once I've done so, the research gleaned from the place would be vital.
Additionally being stranded at sea was nearly fatal, if not for the janitor, we would have died. Unacceptable, updating the list of items for bag.
Coinpurse
Waterproof Duffel
Waterproof Satphone
Passports
zip-lock bags
pants with zipper pockets