Anything that you bring outside of this recommended list is wasted weight and space, it will fill up your cabin… and you will have to sleep with it!
Please pack one soft sided bags, duffels or backpacks. Everything you have must fit in your cabin, and storage is very limited. Try packing a couple of weeks before you leave to have a good look at what is and is not really necessary. Take a look at it, and try and eliminate everything that you really don t need!
SERIOUSLY ON THIS LIST:
- CLOTHING: ALL THAT YOU WILL NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE AND STYLISH ON YOUR SAILING TRIP
- 2 pairs of shorts or boxers for sailing, sleeping, swimming, hiking.
- 2 t- shirts to use with the above, or bring one, buy one souvenir when you arrive.
- 2 swimsuit
- 2 sarongs for the women comes in handy- boxers or loose lightweight
- 1 short pants for the men
- 1 pair of long comfortable cotton pants,
- 1 long sleeve shirt for evening
- 1 lightweight long sleeve shirt if you are sun shy
- 1 sailing hat that stays on and has a chin string
- 2 pair of sunglasses with neck cord!!!
- few pairs of underwear
- 1 very light spray/wind jacket, (water resistant rain type jacket)
- 1 sweatshirt or similar weight and style piece of clothing for cool evenings and cooler sailing days
- 1 something just a tad more respectable for land use when eating out at night (absolutely informal and not absolutely necessary) IE: cotton trousers, cotton sweater/jumper, or long sleeve shirt, clean T Shirt – what will be comfortable depends on the time of the season you are coming. Where ever we go, the attire is informal. The women may want to bring a skirt or sun dress type of garment (I have one in case the rare urge strikes me to “dress up”).
- SHOSE – None of the walks that we do require anything more than Teva type sandals. Shoes are not required and discouraged on board, but if you feel that you will need shoes on board, please bring a designated pair for boat use only, No street shoes are allowed on board, you may not use the same pair of shoes for shore use that you use on board. Using the same pair of shoes for both land and boat is not allowed because pebbles get lodged in the tread and scratch the boat.
I prefer to go barefoot on board, I grip with my toes. Reef shoes, those enclosed rubber and net type, are good for walking around on the boat and cheap.
White bottomed footwear are better if you will be using these as boat shoes. Get the cheap kind! - TOILETRIES:
- good waterproof sunscreen, #30 to #50, gels are better, or “dry oil” sprays.
- a good moisturizing cream, face oil (plain jojoba or sesame seed oil is great) or hydrating face cream (men too) your skin dries to an uncomfortable state without it. A very small bottle about 100cc (travel sample size) will be plenty.
- The Body Shop “body butter” in cocoa is a good all-over end-of-the-day cream.
- good idea to bring wet wipes for self use
- CUT DOWN ON TOILETRY WEIGHT: bring only what you need of your toiletries, shampoo and rinse in small plastic travel bottles.
- vitamin C (take before you get on the plane and during the flight and drink lots of water to avoid catching bugs on the plane),
- a saline solution nose spray for the flight over. Keep those sinus’ moist to protect from airborne infections so common on flights. This is also a good remedy for snoring!
- do you suffer from irregularity while traveling??? OK, so everybody does, just make provisions for it and bring something to remedy it. I carry herb teas to get you going again, and I find that Metamucil is mild and effective also, for both bothersome bodily conditions. DON’T STAY UNCOMFORTABLE WHILE SAILING! Bring a remedy. Dieter’s Tea is also good for constipation.
- SNORKELLING: Bring a mask and snorkel if you have a good one that you are used to.
- WATER/DRINK CONTAINER: A closed insulated large sports type water bottle – the kind with a straw out of the top, or drink top, for your water or soft drinks, you MUST drink water all the time to keep from becoming dehydrated, remember this! Being in the sun and wind all day is not something that you are accustomed to, you will require much more water than you are accustomed to drinking.
- BEDDING & TOWELS: We have bath towels on board for everyone (as well as your bed linen) but you can bring one extra.
- JEWELLRY: Don’t bring it.
- SEASICKNESS: Ginger tablets, candied ginger, or ginger in any form is good for anyone who thinks they might suffer seasickness. For more serious treatment, seasickness pills, such as Gravol or patches, but they are too strong and you may suffer more from the treatment than the ailment. Most sailors, even first time sailors, manage to overcome the problem of seasickness within the first day or so – your body will adjust in most cases, most people get over the problems quickly. You may not be able to read or go down below the first couple of days while we are underway, but gradually you will become accustomed.
- PASSPORTS: please bring 2 copies of the main page and I will ask you to leave one with me. The others should be spread around in what you bring. Never travel without copies.
- CREDIT CARDS AND MONEY: I recommend bringing two or three cards and pack them in different places in case one is lost, damaged, or stolen.
Make sure that you call your credit card company before you leave to inform them that you are going abroad, AND find out how you use your card abroad (make sure you have your PIN number) and to check to see the TOTAL cost of using an ATM abroad, and what your daily limit is.
ONE MORE TIME: BRING LESS!!!!
Pack a few days or more ahead, and evaluate what you really do and don’t need. It helps to see it all laying on your bed and realize you probably don’t need half of what you thought. You could get by with ONE “T,” shorts, one pair of pants, a swimsuit and one long sleeve top – really, and many bring just about that!