Friday, March 29, 2024
Scuba DivingTen Tips - Packing that other Bag

Ten Tips – Packing that other Bag

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Packing for the Summer Dive Liveaboard Holiday, The Dive Bag is packed and ready to go, perhaps it is time to turn the attention to the personal bag. Scuba Divers by Darwin’s Theory of Evolution are creatures that like to carry all but the kitchen sink when they travel. But consider the ideas below and just perhaps your dive holiday might just be a little more functional if not easier.

Tip #1

You are going to wear all that?

Make a pile of the clothes you want to take, separate a set to travel in. Now the easy part cut the remaining pile in half. The reason is that on a dive vacation you will be spending your time in shorts and T shirts and the odds are once you are comfortable and on vacation there is the common diver tendency to just chill out and wear the same comfortable old T shirt. However remember to include a sweatshirt or similar in case it gets cool at night.

Tip #2

Lots of Plastic Bags.

From shopping bags to Food Seal bags of odd sizes – from wet clothes to protection of passport and wallets the humble plastic bag is a great holiday save all. Do not pack boxes of them just a few odd sizes will get you through any trauma

Tip #3

Pack 3 books.

You will be amazed at the amount of down time you will have once at sea, a sad fact is that you cannot spend all your time underwater and there is a need to offgas, killing that time is often frustrating if you have nothing to do. And some quiet time to chill out with a book is a great way to relieve Nitrogen. Take one book and you will either read it in the first two days or you will not read a page of any book during the holiday. Think of taking a general good fiction book, throw in a dive classic like a Cousteau or Hans Hass and round it off with a good reference marine life book and the travel library is complete.

Tip #4

Photocopy of the C-Card and Dive Insurance Papers.

A simple idea that makes common sense along with a copy of your passport and credit cards (put them in one of those plastic bags, in the bottom of your bag).

Tip #5

Music tames the savage diver.

Every dive charter now has a CD player and the chance to slip in your tunes can help break the monotony of repetition of on board life. Even better is to burn a few music CD’s and take along these, if you lose them or give them away it has cost next to nothing and your originals are still safe at home.

Tip #6

If it has some sentimental value leave it at home.

From jewellery to heirlooms they have no place on a dive boat and nothing can be more frustrating than to waste countless hours searching for something lost on a dive boat, when you could be diving. Save the angst do not bring them.

Tip #7

Those old flip flops.

From hot decks to showers and the odd day on a dock they are invaluable and at the end they can be left behind, the best shoes you will pack for life on the boat.

Tip #8

Half a dozen clothes pegs.

From rinsing and hanging personal clothes to drying the odd bit of dive gear, holding together curtains in the cabin for that extra hour of sleep and if you lose them are you not going to lose any sleep.

Tip #9

Personal Computers & Salt Water.

It does not take a brain surgeon to realise that a damp salt water environ and lap top computers are not a good mix. Unless you require a laptop for involved deep/Tec planning then the need for the laptop is very minimal. If all your dive logs are on computer driven then perhaps take this chance to revive the dive tables and logbook.

Tip #10

A couple of Magazines.

Whilst I enjoy a book, sometimes a good dive magazine just to thumb thru in the cabin areas or sundeck is a good timeout, bring along a couple of local dive publications and you will surprised how much more fun it is to read about diving when you are on a dive holiday Enjoy your trip and hopefully these ideas will make it a little more comfortable and stress free.

Malcolm James
Malcolm James
Malcolm is the former Scuba Editor of DeeperBlue.com. He is a cameraman with Fox News.

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