Tips for a long sea voyage?

[phlegm]

Hello watery friends,

in about a fortnight I'm going to be joining a sailing expedition for three months or so, exploring Papua New Guinea, sailing across the Pacific to the Philippines and checking out the dive spots. Doing my divemaster training on board too!

So, anybody got any ideas about non obvious stuff to bring with me on such a long trip? I've got a kindle loaded up with ebooks already. The ocean crossing will take three weeks so some boat friendly board / card games would be a good idea.

Thanks

 

[Hintermann]

Check out what laundry facilities they have on board. Useful if you are not making regular landfalls. Even if boats do not specifically offer laundry service, talking nicely to certain crew will almost always work.
Make sure that you have a supply of loperamide or similar medication for "stomach bugs"

 

[Wingy]

Deodorant.......

Seriously though, doing ocean crossings is a PITA especially if you are doing it under sail. Without knowing if you are going to be under sail and how big the vessel is its hard to give much detailed advice. I now travel with an Ipad filled with Apps such as Skywalk (great on night watch to spend some time and occupy your mind), Scrabble and Monopoly as well as a few movies and books - just make sure if you get an App it will be available offline. I crew on tall ships now so Im back to 1600s technology so we often can get extremely bored if we are circumnavigating something like Australia so have found some stupid sounding ways to keep ourselves busy. Grab your camera and take a macro shot of something then see if the rest of your crewmates can find where it came from.....we identified every knot on the ship and seeing we have 17km of rigging, thats a lot of knots that kept us busy. Took three days to identify the bolt joining the lever to the pipe in the heads. I hope you have more access to technology and dont have to resort to the identify Bobs Armpit Hair caught on camera game but hey, it is actually often a fun game.

Take a few extra pairs of really cheap sunnies and buy a lanyard to make sure your favourite pair of sunnies stays with you as long as possible. If im going to be at sea for more than a couple of weeks I take something special to munch on for each week. Its hard to get Macadamia nuts at 3am in the Hamlahera Sea but they are a little luxury that dont take up much space. Grab a cheap sketchbook and a few pens and pencils even if you dont draw, you may just find yourself amazed at what you end up doing to occupy time at Sea. If you play an instrument that can be played on a boat - guitar is good, sax is not - if there is room take that and take less clothes. Hence why the deodorant

Have a great trip

Oh!! A deck of cards and a deck of Uno cards!

 

[phlegm]

It's a 36m yacht, and yes I gather the crossing is under sail. She has solar panels all over the deck to generate power.

Instruments are an issue for me ; I play electric bass and trombone, neither of which are very travel friendly. I'm considering getting a ukulele and learning it instead.

Good call on macadamias.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Other than exposure suit, rash guard & swim jammers for diving, all the other clothing really needed since you'll be at sea most of the time in the tropics is a Lava-Lava/Sarong. (Maybe foul weather rain jacket & pants if you're helping to Crew the boat as well).

Along with any needed medications & prophylaxis drugs (anti-malarial for example) & general pain/fever relievers, don't forget to bring a supply of Vitamin C tablets (i.e. Scurvy)--even if you're sure that the yacht will have good provisioning & keeping of perishable fruits and produce for the three month voyage & tour.

Might want to consider purchasing an emergency Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) as well:

Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus 406 PLB EPIRB

Dive Canister for Fasfind Plus PLB

 

[phlegm]

I have never heard the phrase "swim jammers" in my life but I have already packed a lurid sarong so we're on the same page there

 

[Kevrumbo]

I have never heard the phrase "swim jammers" in my life but I have already packed a lurid sarong so we're on the same page there

Speedo male jammer - Metro Swim Shop