Scuba Diving Travel - What You Should Pack

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Coming up with your packing list for your next big dive trip (or maybe even not so big) can be a big challenge. Whenever pulling together scuba diving travel plans, this is far and away the biggest question I get. What should you pack? Do you rent or bring your own gear? The answers to these questions are largely dependent on a few factors not the least of which is your own personal preference. Here's some overall suggestions.

Definitely bring:

* Certification card
* Dive log
* mask
* snorkel
* sunscreen
* swimsuit
* DAN card (this diver's insurance is an absolute MUST...don't leave home without it)
* safety equipment (ie. float, safety sausage, whistle, etc)
* basic mesh bag
* water shoes/flip flops
* seasickness medicine
* Possibly bring (in priority order):
* fins
* wetsuit or dive skin
* dive computer/watch
* regulator
* BC
* weight belts
* dive knife
* gear bag

Don't even think about bring your own tank that is much too much weight and hassle. Besides in this day and age of charging for every bag that is just a waste of a checked bag.

I strongly recommend if you are planning on bringing more of your gear besides the skin diving basics that you invest wisely in a good gear bag or suitcase. Personally, when my husband and I go on our scuba vacations we put all our gear, BCs, wetsuits, fins, etc in one Samsonite suitcase. This is the hard cover suitcase that the old commercial had the huge gorilla jumping on. Yep, that's our dive suitcase. Then we take our regulators, masks, and computers in our carry on bags. Finally, we throw two matching mesh gear back packs on top of all our gear before closing the suitcase. That way when we arrive we not only have our gear safe and sound but we also have the ability to break it up in two smaller bags so we can haul our own stuff. Now we don't always take all our own stuff but we do go through the hassle if we are traveling somewhere close or we know we can store our gear at the shop throughout our vacation, or we are not certain that the rental gear will be plentiful (ie. it's a really remote place where electricity is sketchy let alone reliable dive gear).

Waterproof all your gear---you have invested a lot in your gear---protect it!!!

Wherever you go, just take the extra time up front to make sure you have what you need for a great and fun scuba diving travel adventure. Have fun!

Thanks to Patti Gomes and Enzine Articles

Kathy Dowsett

www.kirkscubagear.com

Related articles

• Curacao's Unique Scuba Diving Experience (latinamcaribbeantravel.suite101.com)
• Meet Boniface, the Amazing Scuba Diving Dog [Animals] (gawker.com)