Vision trip - packing suggestions?

[alaity47]

Hi gang,

My buddy and I are doing the Thanksgiving-weekend 3-day trip on the Vision out of Santa Barbara. It's our first liveaboard trip, and I thought I'd see if any of you had packing advice - for liveaboards in general, and the Vision in particular!

It's bunk-style living, so I assume we won't have very much room for bags. Any advice welcome!

 

[Frank O]

I've never been on the Vision, though I've done a few overnighters in the past couple of years on local dive boats.

My suggestions would be --

-- Pack simple clothes that you can layer. For me this is jeans, t-shirt, wool long-sleeved shirt, and heavy coat. It gets cold out on those boats at night. When it's really cold, a knit cap and wool gloves come in handy. On the other end of the scale, this time of year daytime temps aren't as high as in summer, but it could still be warm. I also bring a hat to wear on deck during the day for sun protection.

-- I always seem to end up with wet socks, and dislike driving home with gushy feet, so I make a point of bringing a second pair. It also wouldn't hurt to have a couple of towels, since one inevitably will get pretty wet.

-- Something I've found real handy on boats is to carry a small penlight in my pocket (I actually have a waterproof two-AA penlight that doubles as a tiny dive light). You never know when you need to rummage around in your bag on your bunk, and a small light is really useful.

Apart from that, you can bring books or a walkman to while away the inter-island transit hours, though I never seem to buckle down and read much. Have a great time!

 

[Mo2vation]

Even on a three day trip, I'm still a one-take Jake. Roller dive bag, cylinder, small overnighter. All carried in one trip. During the days, I'm in my suit, at nights its shorts or sweats. Some stuff to remember:


#1 - a big insulated mug. Most big boats have a soda gun, and expect you to use those limp styro cups. Put your name on it and use it for 3 days. Get real. Bring a big ol' insulated mug, fill it with ice and let the diet pepsi flow, baby.

#2 - fully stocked dry box. I have my mini box for 2 dayers and Catalina trips, and a bigger version for the multi's - difference being hoses, drysuit repair kit, spare second stage and some other stuff. Saved my trips a time or two...but it saves someone elses on every trip I've been on.

#3 - SUNSCREEN - can't pull chicks with lobster face. OK... I can't even say that without slapping myself. Don't get burned.

#4 - Homeward duds. Frank is on the money... a soggy drive home is below average. Big 2 gallon ziplock with spare shorts and spare tee. The rest of the clothes I'll roll through, as well.

#5 - MY PILLOW. Call me a sissy, but there is no pillow like my own. So I always bring it on these trips.

#6 - Always bring a penlight. I always bring a travel alarm, too. Bonine can knock me out, and I never miss a dive.

#7 - Water. I bring 2 liters for each day. Pound it between dives. Diet Pepsi rules, but my body needs water.

OPTIONAL

* Cash - there is usually a poker game one night. If not, I'll get one going. I need enough to get in the game so I can take everyone elses casheesh

* Leaf - nothing beats a fine handrolled under the stars on the top deck. My fav time of the trip.

* Drysuit hanger - most big boats have a place to hang your suit inside out between dives / overnight. HINT: throw a deckhand a fiver and ask him to hang your suit below deck in the engine room. Its warm, dry and in the AM you'll have the only dry suit in the place

* Big clamp - I bring one of those giant clothes pin-looking metal carpenters clamps. Great for clamping my drysuit undies or towel to the rail as we move from site to site. While other peoples towels blow into the ocean (and they will) your's will stay put until you need it.


I'm completely jealous of your trip. If you need a stow-away, I'm there! Enjoy.

K

 

[ChrisM]

I'll echo the above ('cept the leaf) and add the most important non-dive piece of equipment I have, a sleepsheet. Simply two sheets sewn together with one side half open (like a sleeping bag with no zipper). You can also buy them at places like A 16 and REI.

While the Truth boats' blanket's seemed pretty clean, like the pillow, it's nice to sleep in your own sheets.

Chris

 

[alaity47]

Good suggestions all... I'm writing these down.

I'm waffling between excited and nervous at this point. I love diving, but despise camping, and I'm a little afraid this will fall too close to the camping line! <grin> I'm assuming I'll be too wiped out by the end of the day to really notice, though.

Nothing to do now but hope the weather cooperates, I guess!

 

[Frank O]

alaity47 once bubbled...
I'm waffling between excited and nervous at this point. I love diving, but despise camping, and I'm a little afraid this will fall too close to the camping line!

Sounds like conversations we have around our house. I like to camp, but my wife likes the chocolate mint on the pillow. ;-) When we stay over in Two Harbors on Catalina, so far we've always been at the Banning House, although I'm making in-roads on pitching the idea of a tent-cabin at the campgrounds on one of these visits.

She's done fine bunking down for two overnight trips to the outer islands this year (Santa Barbara Island on the Sundiver and on the Peace). But she had her fill of dive charters after the four-hour run back home. There'll be no newspaper tucked by your bunk in the morning, and the household staff doesn't turn down your bedding when you're out for dinner. But if you go with the flow you just might enjoy it. (And, after all, you should be too busy diving to pay too much attention to the amenities ...)

 

[alaity47]

Frank O once bubbled...
(And, after all, you should be too busy diving to pay too much attention to the amenities ...)

Heh..that's exactly what I'm hoping for!

I'm just so excited about the prospect of getting in so many more dives in such a short time. And finally doing a night dive! (I did my low-vis dives for NAUI advanced during daylight, but crappy conditions)

Also, it's a great excuse not to make the drive to Phoenix to spend Thanksgiving with the in-laws.

 

[Mo2vation]

During the day, its bedlam on the deck - divers in, divers out, boat rockin, gear all over, wetness. You scramble into the galley to chow between dives, often still in your gear, etc.

At night they usually find a quiet place to hook up. Thats the time I love. On a boat, in the ocean, a zillion stars above, a warm bed below deck. I usually am so fired up from the day that I'm up pretty late. Its the most peaceful time I get - on the trip and off the trip, is my time on the upper deck. Runnin it with new friends, a tiny glass of port and you just talk story.

My last Multi was September.... I'm dying to get back out again. Its been all day boats since.

be sure to tell us all about it when you get back!

K

 

[saf_25]

We did the Conception in August, which I believe is the same company, and you're in for a treat. Especially now that the vis has cleared up, it should be a really nice trip. I'll echo the comment about night being peaceful - I know the boat we were on had a DVD player that we used in the evenings, so if there's anything you want to watch, bring that along. Also, we got the "flying fish and seal show" every night - they shine a big spotlight off the side of the boat as a reference for the night divers, which in turn attracts the flying fish to come charging out of the water. These end up crashing up against the boat and getting knocked unconcious, and the easy prey attracts seals, so we had a good show that lasted a couple of hours both nights watching the hunt.

My sugestions are:
a drysuit (the water up there can get pretty cold)
ear plugs - although I was so tired, I really wasn't bothered by the noise of the other people around me, these can be nice to have to make sure you'll sleep through the night.
A couple of towels - once things get wet, they never really get dry again

Granted, these boats are not quite as luxurious as a hotel, and you are sleeping with other people nearby, but they are 20 steps up from the day dive boats around here. They're much more spacious - I wish that I were going again soon!

 

[alaity47]

Yep, Conception's the same company. I think Vision is a teensy smidge larger, but they're pretty much the same boat as far as I can tell from the website!

About how many divers were on your trip? I'm curious what their typical boat-load is like.