short distance commications for groups and couples

my wife and i like kayaking together. Sometimes I'll fish while she meanders down a river, and the separation distance can get a bit much. We decided we need to have some form of dynamic communication other than pre-trip agreements, in case something happens. Cell phones would be fine, but not all places we go have reception.
Anyone know of a good walkie-talkie type setup that would work well for partner to partner comms? Experiences? I'm out-of-date on this technology for outdoor activities.

This is my favorite one.

Kayaking? Whatever you use needs to work after a dunking.

Take no electronics you value...

If you are within sight of each other and the river/lake is void of constant boat traffic (noise), a whistle works great. So does a small air horn.

You can purchase FRS/GMRS radios that are waterproof just about everywhere now, including Walmart. That will get you about 2 miles of range.

A marine hand-held radio would be the next step...I carry them in my sailboats...because that would be where rescue authorities will be listening, assuming your lake/river has
them.

My prefered option would be for you and your wife to get your amateur radio licenses (35 question test)and learn to use the huge array of tiny/powerful/waterproof hand-held radios available. With those, you can work through local repeaters and extend your range by many miles. I carry mine backpacking where cell coverage is nil.

All that said, I ALWAYS carry my cell phone if I know there is coverage. It stays in a nice waterproof cover (about $15) and works great.

I'm thinking a cheap pair of FRS walkies. Cel phones are usually useless in the bush. Got plenty of cash? Satphones work almost anywhere in North America, but expect to spend about $1K apiece for good ones, plus airtime. You can rent them for about $60-70 a week.

I said "if" there is coverage, Tom. The benefit to me is...my clients think I'm at the office. Wonderful things, cell phones and call forwarding!

I agree about that one. However, too many people assume there is cel service everywhere. Last time I was in Yosemite, no cel service out of the Valley until you got on the main roads out of the park. I'm waiting for a cheap Iridium sat phone to hit the market.

Tell me about it. Last week, I was in Big Bend NatPk. I wanted to ride my enduro bike up a 30 mile 4wd road, solo. My friend agreed to be "support crew" and both of our phones showed at least 3 bars of service. I texted him a dozen times as I progressed, all good, ride going well. The agreement was that if I didn't show up in camp at sundown, to start a search. Me, thinking all was well, kept riding, extending the ride to over 100 miles. I then get a text saying "ET phone home, it's been over 3 hours!" I hightailed it back to camp just in time.
He didn't get my texts until the next day!!!

I had ham radio with me but still couldn't get a phone call through.

I know we've had this discussion before, but as a reminder, do not count on your cel phone for rescue. Happens around here all the time, usually resulting in a helo rescue in the local mountains of unprepared hikers - no water, no food, no extra clothes, no bivy gear, no flashlight, no map or compass, nothing except a cel phone which went dead before SAR could pinpoint their location. They found a pair recently who wandered off trail, got separated from each other and wound up spending 4 or 5 days outside. By the time they were found, they were both beat up, badly dehydrated and neither one of them had shoes. I still can't figure that one out.