Secrets of packing for a liveaboard?

[LG Diver]

Wow- great tips everyone. Thanks! I especially would never have thought to bring backup seasickness meds or insect repellant. Keep 'em coming. This is exactly what I'm looking for.

-John

 

[sharkattack]

A book is always good too. Don't forget a C-card. Have done that before.

 

[ReefGuy]

A lot of good points above, but they all missed by far the most useful and most overlooked item to pack for a liveaboard... A spair ReefGuy. Reefguys don't snore (much) are good for conversation when things get boring, and are a good redundant air supply underwater.

 

[_Bella_]

A dry bathing suit for every dive of one day.

 

[Darnold9999]

A discovery I made was to bring a spare wetsuit. That way you are always putting on a dry (dryish) wetsuit. Much warmer as you are not starting the dive slightly chilled. Makes a huge difference - surprised me - I was more concerned about which one to wear so brought two thicknesses. Now I travel with three - alternate the 1 mil shortie and the 2/3 shortie - then the full 2/3 for the night dive. Overkill, but I use the wetsuits as shock absorbers for the camera gear.

 

[pterantula]

Those are some good tips, but some are more extravagant than I care to employ. I try to travel as light as humanly possible, eliminating anything that isn't crucial. (My travel test: can I carry it by myself, on foot, for at least 2 miles? Yes, it does happen.)

Tuesday I will take (to Guadalupe):

-2 pairs boardshorts (one for wet, one for dry)
-7mm jumpsuit (putting on a damp wetsuit actually helps me, since the initial dunk is cold anyway and the sun can speedily overheat me)
-hooded vest (an hour in a cage? chilly...)
-hood (for when hooded vest is just too hot)
-2 masks
-sweatpants
-couple of t-shirts
-warm jacket
-bandana (headwraps on boats are essential)
-sandals
-hand sanitizer
-handwipes
-OTC meds: Wal-Dram; anti-diarrheal; anti-constipation; Wal-Borne; GasX
-multi-vitamins
-melatonin (a must)
-my trusty legionnaire's hat

(-and of course, my 50+ lbs. of camera gear, and laptop.)

 

[LG Diver]

A discovery I made was to bring a spare wetsuit. That way you are always putting on a dry (dryish) wetsuit. Much warmer as you are not starting the dive slightly chilled. Makes a huge difference - surprised me - I was more concerned about which one to wear so brought two thicknesses. Now I travel with three - alternate the 1 mil shortie and the 2/3 shortie - then the full 2/3 for the night dive. Overkill, but I use the wetsuits as shock absorbers for the camera gear.

I'll be diving my drysuit, but I'm planning to rent a 7mm farmer john wetsuit to bring along in case I have a catastrophic failure of the drysuit. It would suck to get all the way out there and not be able to dive because the drysuit sprung a leak.

 

[Darnold9999]

Pretty warm water for a dry suit or a 7 mil - water temp last week was 86 air 90 - 100. But everyone feels cold differently.

 

[BabyDuck]

ipod speakers so you can share your great musical taste.

pack of cards for hold'em in case the weather is crap.

i took a jar of pickled ginger (yum! love that stuff!) in case i got seasick. i didn't, so i gave it to the chef & he made a great ginger chicken!

 

[Darnold9999]

Please ignore my previous post - forgot which thread I was in. Thought you were going to Cayman.