The ClusterDuck Protocol (CDP) was where my mesh networking journey truly began. The story behind Project OWL (Organisation, Whereabouts, and Logistics)—students building emergency communication networks after Hurricane Maria—resonated deeply, highlighting a technology designed not for hobbyists or industry, but for saving lives when infrastructure fails. While I found its concepts “much better thought through” from the outset, the project’s slow pace and patchy hardware support meant my personal involvement never truly moved beyond some initial tinkering.