packing for first liveaboard - blackbeard

[pickens_46929]

Stolen from Marci... with edits

second the plug strip. here's my liveaboard list, if any of it seems helpful...ignore the parts about bras... ​

phone, charger, earphones
thumb drive
camera, housing, etc
2-3 bathing suits - if I went again in the summer, I would bring dive trunks not suits
3-4 t-shirts
​

2 pair shorts

sandals - though you really can't wear shoes on the boat
​

cushion or something to sit on

sunscreen
meds
sunglasses with croakie - bring a spare pair
small toilet kit with toothpaste, etc.
drink mug/bottle
lemonade powder or other drink powder is a GREAT idea but there was plenty to drink
​

liquor? again they had plenty on the boat from what I recall (vaguely)

bulldog clips - bring several; you put the towels over the rail which is really just a line and clip them to the line
sudafed, antidiarrheal, seasickness, lotrimin, motrin
kindle and paperback books
moisturizer cream
towel
o2 analyzer if diving nitrox - though they had one there
power strip
mask and spare
dive computers
mask fins and snorkel
sun hat!!!!
reef gloves
dive socks and booties for fins
c card with nitrox endorsement
dvd movies (and small player if you are a movie freak and don't have them on your kindle or other device)
dive log book
wet suit - depends upon your tolerance for temps; I was there in late July and ended up diving in t-shirt and trunks after the first day
duct tape
BCD
regulator set
light, charger, batteries for light
surface marker and spool​

PS. Hi Jameson's Mom!

 

[BabyDuck]

hi pickeeeeeeeeens! you in nc any time soon?

 

[chrpai]

Timely thread for me as I'm going in 2 months. I've been 3 times before but that was 10 years ago. I also understand the concept of packing half what you think and you still only need half of it. But in practice.... it's been awhile.

 

[squidgy]

I take an extra (small ) dive light and hang it in my stateroom next to the bed. It stays there all the time I am there. It makes me feel better to know if something happens at night at least I have a light.

 

[BillMixon]

I have been out at least once a year for over 15 years.
Blackbeards is the best value I can find.

The long list above is awsome.
They will have some of the items on board.You probably will not need:
playing cards- they have cards
drink mug/bottle- they will give you a cup with your name on it
liquor- they have rum, beer, wine and other libation
lemonade powder- they will have a wide selection of things to drink
neosporin- they will have a pretty good medicine cabinet
cave line- you will not penetrate anything you can not see the other side out
dvd movies- they will have DVDs
baby wipes- you will have water to clean in a wash cloth may be better
duct tape- I will bring a little but they will share the boats
plate & harness/pocket/slate/z- knife this will be provided
spool/reel they will have fishing reals ready to go.

*I always bring a second mask, just in case.
A extra underwater flash light is important.
Spare fin and mask straps.
A seat cushion is a wonderful thing.

Buy the transfer pass from the boat back to the airport.

I fly in a day or two early. The Nassau Harbor Club is located where the boat is docked,
It is very reasonable but basic.
The best restaurant for seafood is in walking distance- The Poop Deck.
The book store across the street used to offer a very reasonable hot breakfast.

Two other great items to bring.... night mask and ear plugs....

 

[BabyDuck]

oh, no, the cave line is to tie things together if a bolt snap comes off, for example - not to go in overhead places.

they really provide your bcd? i can't think why i wouldn't bring mine - that's the plate, harness, pocket, slate, z-knife. plus the wing wouldn't be much good without something to attach it to.

but my list is generic, not blackbeard's specific at all. my liveaboard times have been on the spree & the caribbean explorer 2.

 

[BAMA6977]

I know this is long so apoligize up front. This is what I found when I did forum search over a year ago on this subject. Some has already been said on current thread. Hope it is of use to you.

Live Aboard​

Everythingon a boat breaks everything on a boat leaks
don'twant to pack lots of clothing - just a set for sleeping in, and maybe 2 sets ofclothes (for, say, 4-5 days' stay) in between dives if the boat isair-conditioned.
- sunscreen (lots), skin moisturizer (if needed)
- 1 or 2 good books to read
- Q-tips
- extra towel (liveaboards tend to provide one, but you may need more than thatfor drying dive or photographic gear)
- 2 pairs of swim suits (unless you don't mind wearing one that is constantlywet and likely cold)
- safety sausage and air horn
- try to pack essential gear (reg, mask, computers, camera) in your carry on asit can take a while to have delayed luggage delivered to your boat
- battery charger (for camera, lights etc), extra memory card
- universal cable (USB on one end) to download images to the boat's computer oryour laptop
- if there is something you cannot live without, a specific brand of tea orcoffee, or candy, bring it.
- spare parts/repair kit (O-rings, lubes, spare batteries for dive computeretc)
- sandals (for walking around the boat, unless you like barefoot)
- medication (including motion sickness pills)
- cash for tipping the crew


plasticdish bin -for putting under my seat on the dive deck. put mask, gloves, lights, maskdefog, etc in it.
Large alligator clips - for holding towels down for drying. don't evenbother with cloths pins
ear plugs - for sleeping. boats are noisey, people snore, walls arethin.
flashlight for bunk - most cabins are below decks with no natural lightand no emergency lighting system. be prepared.
SMB, spool/reel - I know it was mentioned above, but I wanted to add"learn how to use it before you get there"
Duct Tape - duct tape "fixes everything". great for blisteredfeet if needed.
insulated cup - great for keeping the "cold drinks cold" andthe "hot drinks hot"
blank CD's and/or USB drive - for getting/copying pics taken by others.
zip lock bags - gallon size. in case you gear bag gets stored on the topdeck or bow. keeps stuff in your bag dry if you need it, or any other use.
extra batteries for EVERYTHING - lights, computers, backup lights,camera, strobes, etc.
small power strip or 3 plug adapter - been on several boats that thereweren't enough plugs for everyone to plug their cameras chargers, batterychargers, etc in at the "charging station". most chargers have those"wall bricks" and hard to plug in multiple ones of them. Having amulti-port plug strip is nice. (you'd think that the boats would bust out a fewbucks for something like this...buy some don't).
power voltage adapter - since you're going overseas. you might have todeal with 220v 50hz.
soft side luggage - because boats can't store hard side luggage well inthose tiny cabins.
sweatshirt, etc - I bring this up because it'll be hot during the dayand the AC will keep up, but at night when it cools off, the A/C will"catch up" and it'll be often very chilly in the cabins in themorning after the AC has been running all night to "catch up". Alsothere will be a breeze at night when above decks also.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - DCS can be caused by being dehydrated.
FACTS about boats:

• everything on a boat gets wet
• nothing on a boat every really dries
• everything on a boat smells like a boat; where things break, get wet, and never really dry
• anything that doesn't smell like a boat smells like people who live on a boat
• everything mechanical on a boat is very loud (until it breaks; then it becomes very quiet)
• everything non-mechanical on a boat creaks and/or rattles (until it breaks in; then it gets very quiet; that's usually the day before it breaks)
• everything on a boat is small
• if something is not small, it's not on the boat
• if something is not available on the island/mainland, it's not on the boat
• if something is not on the boat, it's not on the boat
• if you need something specific but didn't bring it, it's not on the boat

• even things that are usually on the boat are often not on the boat
• most things that happen on a boat happen simply "because it's a boat"
• everything GOOD that happens on a live-aboard happens "because it's a boat"
• you're never more than an hour or so from the next dive, the next meal, the next nap, or your first drink - because it's a boat
• you set your gear up once and don't worry about it again - because it's a boat
• you're right over the dive site - because it's a boat
• two hours later you're right over the next dive site - because it's a boat
• it's a twenty foot walk from your last bite of desert after dinner to your night dive - because it's a boat
• it's a ten foot walk from your night dive to a hot shower - because it's a boat
• it's a twenty foot walk from the hot shower to a cold beer - because it's a boat
• it's a twenty foot walk from the cold beer to your bed - because it's a boat
• when you wake up the next morning to the smell of coffee and waffles...you're right over the next great dive site - because it's a boat

To put liveaboard tipping figure of "10% of trip cost"which is a good start. For a week-long trip I budget for $300+ pretty muchregardless of the cost of the charter. The + usually takes the form of a coupleof extra $20's slipped into the hands of a few individuals who's efforts mademy trip particularly enjoyable.
Bring your C-cards)/DAN insurance cards.

Stay hydrated, I bring a small plastic water squirt bottle and keep it out ondeck in the dive bag, it's great for getting a swallow of water whenever Iwant, also use it to rinse off mask defog as I'd highly recommend you NOT usethe communal mask bucket!

Buy some dive socks to wear under booties, you will be doing a LOT of finning(25 - 30 hrs underwater over a week @ 4-5 dives daily) and blisters on thosefeet will really suck!

Don't forget the basic emergency signaling devices (decent sized safetysausage/air horn/strobe)

Bring good fins you really like, or it's gonna be a really LONG week!

I keep and update my 'gear weight list' meaning I weigh my major gear items andput that on my inventory list, it helps me plan what gear/how much gear I canbring and how best to distribute it across however many bags and lbs-per-bagI'm allowed.

A pair of thin reef gloves is a good idea, for holding onto down lines in acurrent.

Don't underestimate your thermal protection needs....you will be underwater aLOT, which drains heat and will drop your core temp over time, err on theconservative side, if you can't decide to go with 3 mm or 5 mm suit, go with 5mm suit, for example...and wear a thin hood or beenie at least as somethinglike 40% of heat loss is from the head/neck areas underwater
Lycra socks with some soft lining I've got the thicker ones in thedive bag just in case.

Bring some new release DVDs for the crew (and yourself) to watch. Splurge andgo to Best Buy/Target the Tuesday before you leave to get the newest releases.
Bring some spare parts (batteries, O-rings and the like),
I would suggest 3 bathing suits and no more than 1/2 the clothesyou think you'll need.

Take lycra socks to protect your feet. Even if you wear hard soled boots orbooties. Your feet will be raw by the 2nd or 3rd day. Something like this:
Xs Scuba lycra Socks reviews and discounts, XS Scuba

EVERYTHING will be damp by the end of the trip. If you want really dry clothing,towels, books or anything else, bring a dry bag to put them in.

Don't forget an adequate supply of any prescription medications you take. Thatseems to be something people forget on trips.

Pay for the trip with a credit card. Then, if the company suddenly ups and goesbankrupt, after you've paid in full for your trip, you might get yourmoney back from the credit card company.
Get trip insurance, and consider gear insurance depending on howexpensive your gear is. Carry your bathing suit, reg, dive computer, andcamera(s) as carry on. Check the rest of the gear in your luggage.

On the boat - just apply all the kindergarten lessons - share, play, havesnacks, stick with your buddy, take naps, laugh, have a good time. Can't letthe small things bother you - and don't be an A-hole and ruin it for othersaround you. When diving with groups of people, be aware - there will be peoplewith more experience, and less experience, better equipment, worse equipment.Be a nice/fun kindergartner - share, be nice, helpful.

Having worked a few jobs that rely on service and tips, plan to tip. Don't be"that guy". Take extra money for T-Shirts. I love my scuba T-Shirts.Take money for shore excursions - hit the LDS and buy more T-Shirts!!!

Stuff breaks, and they aren't always able to have it fixed. Get over it.

Night dives are cool - invest in a nice (expensive) underwater light/torch.

My schedules have been like this:

7:00am Wake Up, Continental Breakfast
8:00am Dive
9:00am Real Breakfast
10:15am Dive
11:00am Nap
12:00pm Lunch
1:00pm Dive
2:00pm Nap
3:30pm Dive
4:30pm Relax / Nap
6:00pm Dinner
7:00 Night Dive
8:00pm Hang out / drink a couple beers / read a book / watch a movie. Go tobed.

You don't need to bring much. A couple swim suits, a couple beach towels, something to sleep in, and toiletries. Maybea book or two and an iPad / iPhone with movies loaded.

Dramamine as often as bottle recommends.


​

Ears,get that funny tickle or itch in your ears after day three, and your seven daytropical livaboard experience can turn into a nightmare.
1. So, I bought an ear dryer from a swimming store and dry my ears once/ twicea day.
2. ear drop recipe, 3 parts rubbing alcohol, 1 part vinager and 2 partsdistilled water, put in a one ounce plastic bottle with a top that lets youplace a few drops in your ears every other day.
3. drop in a drop of mineral oil/ ear every morning. Not sure about that one.

Regarding rolling dive travel bags: I bought a large Eagle Creek to pack all ofmy dive gear, including wetsuit, BCD,absolutely everything. Packed it weighs in at 42 pounds, but going home (whengear tends to be heavier) it tops out at about 48 pounds. I bought the smallestEagle Creek rolling bag for my clothes, and packed with limited clothing and acouple books, it weighs in at 24 pounds. My small rolling carryon, with myregulator, Canon Elph & u/w housing, etc. weighs in at 18 pounds.

If there are 5 dives a day, I use three bathing suits: one for the first twodives, the second for the two afternoon dives, and the third is for the nightdive (yes, a dry suit for the night dive).

If you have ear issues, here is my trick: use the blow dryer in your cabin, onlow, with your spare hand cupped around the air nozzle as a spacer, and dryyour ears out with that once or twice a day.

 

[H2O Gal]

On the boat - just apply all the kindergarten lessons - share, play, have snacks, stick with your buddy, take naps, laugh, have a good time. Can't let the small things bother you - and don't be an A-hole and ruin it for others around you. When diving with groups of people, be aware - there will be people with more experience, and less experience, better equipment, worse equipment.Be a nice/fun kindergartner - share, be nice, helpful.

I think this is the best advice I've ever heard for any time you have to live with a group of people, and not just on liveaboards!

 

[DiverJohnATL]

Another awesome thread about liveaboards!!! I'm headed to Blackbeards myself August 3rd aboard the Pirates Lady, my first time!! When are you going Scotty?? Already began getting stuff organized and ready.

 

[RJP]

How to pack clothing for your first liveaboard:

- Pack what you think you need into your suitcase.
- Take out 50% of what you packed.
- Look into your suitcase.
- Take out 50% of what's left.
- Look into your suitcase.
- You still have twice as much clothing as you need.

:d