BUGGER IT! Missed you!
And if you want to privately discuss plot stuff over PM, feel free to. I don't mind.
Well it's up to you whether I put my plot suggestions here or not. It's your story. It depends on how much you want to give away if you choose to do it.
Yes, water routes.
So, potentially, one of the party could have a large water pokemon mostly used for transportation in this area. Kinda like Ash's Lapras in the Orange Islands.