packing for a liveaboard - question for the girls! +

[MagnaRyder2]

I can't help you with packing -- wrong gender.
But I'll be on the boat with you.
I'm coming in from Virginia and will arrive at 11:10.
Kurt and Susan, from near Atlanta will get in just before noon.
.. so that's 4 of us. Where are the rest?

 

[bennedc]

Just got back from Blackbeards. I took too many clothes! I would say to narrow it down to 3 swim suits, 2 towels, 3 pairs of shorts, 3 t-shirts. Baby shampoo works great after a dive to rinse clothes in. We took clamps and hung up booties, suits, towels, etc. and lost nothing. Sunglasses, floppy hat, flipflops, sunscreen too.

 

[darrylsc]

Why'd you need to take towels? I'm assuming Cayman Aggressor will provide "as many as needed"...no?

 

[mike_s]

darrylsc,

depends on the boat. I think on Blackbeards you take your own towels. Some boats provide them. It just all depends on the boat. Also some people like the bigger "beach towels" which is better to bring your own. women especially like bigger towels so they can wrap them around them, especially if it's windy or cool out.

the ultimate getaway for example you have to take your own towel, sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. (You pretty much have to take your own toliet paper for this boat).

 

[bennedc]

Why'd you need to take towels? I'm assuming Cayman Aggressor will provide "as many as needed"...no?

I don't know about the Aggressor, but on Blackbeard's you take your own towels. They provide other linens for you. I took 3 (1 beach and 2 bath) and only used one of my bath towels. I used the beach towel topside for after dives and the bath towel after my "shower" at the end of the day. 3 were too many...as one of my bath towels never got used on the trip.

 

[Damselfish]

definitely no need to take your own towels on an Aggressor. There will probably be warm ones from the dryer when you surface from a dive. Heck, probably chocolates on your pillow at night too.

 

[Desert_Diver]

Bring some clothes pins or clips so you can secure yor wet items to dry in the sun.

I just did a week on the Nekton Pilot in the NW Bahamas. The advice to bring clothes pins is well intentioned, but you might want to consider woodworking clamps for heavier items (They look like metal clothes pins with plastic covered tips- Home Depot or Lowes). We had a storm one night. A lot of the gloves/booties were blown around the sun deck where they were left to dry. Wetsuits were on those heavy duty wet suit hangers but even they were blowing and the crew secured them in groups of five or so with weight belts.

I am the wrong gender to advise on clothing but if in doubt on a specific item of apparel, don't bother to take it. I WOULD advise a "bucket hat" or broad brimmed hat to keep the tops of your ears and nose from burning. The guests on our boat dressed in dive bum chic- ie, bathing suits and dive t shirts. I was bare foot most of the time.

By the way, this was my first live aboard. There is no other way to dive. And I was very favorably impressed with the crew.

Art

 

[Damselfish]

a sort of related tip - on the liveaboard (any dive trip for that matter) you will develop your own personal list of what you needed, what you didn't, and what would have been nice to have. I suggest writing these things down so you can remember them when you're packing for your next trip. It really helps fine tune your packing over time.

 

[DiveGal01]

I like to pack a couple of saronges to throw around my bod between dives. Less is best. A couple of bathing suits, a couple of shorts, a couple of T-shirts.
You'll love the live-aboard! It's the best way to dive.

 

[bennedc]

but you might want to consider woodworking clamps for heavier items (They look like metal clothes pins with plastic covered tips- Home Depot or Lowes). We had a storm one night. A lot of the gloves/booties were blown around the sun deck where they were left to dry. Wetsuits were on those heavy duty wet suit hangers but even they were blowing and the crew secured them in groups of five or so with weight belts.



Art

Check out www.justclamps.com for $1.00 each! We took 10 1-inch clamps and 4 2-inch clamps to hang booties. Worked great.