Got Baggage?

I started to pack for our holidays on the weekend, which if you are keeping track, is only 19 more sleeps. I know it may seem too soon, but believe me when you are a scuba diver; you have a lot of crap to round up and sort out, so timing is important to success of the mission.


Don’t ask me how it happened, but for some reason this year and many, many previous years, I have been in charge of packing not only for myself, but J too. For the most part, the arrangement works out well – he hauls everything up from the basement and piles it into the spare room. I just have to sort it all out and make sure we have all the essentials.


The challenging part is getting everything into as few suitcases as possible, while keeping it under the weight restrictions imposed by the airlines. Not an easy task, but it can be done. The key is to take only the essentials and nothing more…

Here are the some of the essentials…

The Suitcase. I prefer the Heys 4WD model – it’s lightweight to begin with, durable and since it’s the 4 wheel drive model, it’s easy to maneuver and spins. In the event you have a long wait in line at some airport (not that that ever happens), you can also sit on it. It’s also unique and is easily identifiable from every other piece of luggage coming off the luggage carousel.

The Clothing. I have this down to a science – at least it’s a science in my mind. Since we spend most of our time underwater, a minimal amount of clothing is required and some of it is actually optional. 3 bathing suits, 3 pairs of shorts, 3 t-shirts, two nice outfits and one pair of sandals is all that I require. In the event that my spaghetti dinner happens to jump on my chest during dinner, I can just buy another outfit. Sometimes shopping is a sacrifice you have to make if you plan on traveling lightly.

The Scuba Gear. It’s the gear that is my life line and the root of packing problems, so I take extra care in making sure I don’t forget anything.

• Fins
• Mask
• Snorkel
• BCD (buoyancy compensation device)
• Regulator & Computer
• Wetsuit
• Boots
• Underwater Flashlights (for the night dives)
• Underwater Camera

The Extras. Books, sunscreen, bug spray, batteries, first aid kit and of course, lots of goodies.

Here’s my list of “goodies” – approximately 7 lbs worth. Don’t judge me. Just keep in mind, scuba diving burns a lot of calories…and I also share with my friends…if they are nice to me…and I feel like it…

• Jelly Bellies – Large bag from Costco. Iguanas love these, but I only give them the crappy tasting ones like popcorn, coffee, black licorice.
• Swedish Berries – Large bag from Costco. I love these.
• Licorice – Red only.
• Hot Rods – Large box from Costco. These faux meat sticks saved my life once while I was lost for 3 days in the jungles of Ecuador (true story…sort of).
• Chocolate Bars – Approximately 20 in total (full size) - Snickers, Mars, Areo, Kit Kat, Smarties. Yes I know Smarties aren’t technically chocolate bars, but they came in a mixed pack and are tasty just the same.
• Mixed Nuts – Large container from Coscto. These go great with a cold beer at the end of the day.

Usually I don’t take any technology with me, but I thought I might bring my laptop this time, but only to share with you some of the daily adventures of the trip (both underwater and topside - with photos of course), but only if you’re interested. Let me know if you want to know what it’s like to be a scuba diving, candy eating, adventurous beach bum for a week…