Many people make a last-minute decision to go scuba diving, but the chances are things might go wrong if you get ready in a hasty manner. So, it is better to plan your scuba trip in advance and look forward to a hassle-free trip. Here are a few tips to help you out.
Do Social Research
Join online interest groups, and seek out the opinions of others to help you evaluate and decide on the details of your dive trip. Ask your dive buddies for advice and tips, or check the fastest-growing online community for divers, not just general travel information websites. Divers who have been there before you usually offer first-hand experiences for dive sites and operators. On Planet Deepblu you can view photos, ratings, and comments from other divers on dive spots, the best time of the year to visit, iconic marine life, topside activities, and more.
Inspect your dive gear
Regulators, BCDs, dive computers, masks, fins, snorkels… go through all your dive gear and make sure it’s in good condition. Any local pool or open-water dive site will do. Of course, you can choose to leave the heavy equipment at home and rent dive gear instead. Just confirm that your operator has all of the items that fit your needs. Consider a refresher course if it’s been awhile since your last dive.
Other Essential Items
It’s suggested to assemble a first-aid kit and a save-a-dive kit. Whether you’re a rookie or experienced diver, at some point you’ll encounter equipment problems, and a properly outfitted save-a-dive kit will keep you diving through.
Don’t forget to bring along your proof of certification and logbooks, as most operators will want to check them. They can be used to show your dive experiences. Now there’s a more efficient way to spare the old, soggy, ink-and-paper logs and do it in an easier and smarter way: with the best recommended diving app.
If you want to take underwater photos, you’ll have to double check your batteries, chargers, and foreign adaptors.
Copy key documents
Ensure you have all the necessary paperwork done well in advance. Make copies of important documents, which includes passports, visas, driver’s licenses, credit cards, itineraries, insurance, prescriptions, and anything you might need in case of an emergency. Pack those separately from the originals and save one copy to the Cloud.
Pack Smart
Take photos of the items in each bag. This is a good way to back up a claim to the airline or insurance company in case of loss. Keep an extra set of clothes as well as a swimsuit or board shorts in your carry-on bag, just in case your checked in baggage gets delayed or lost, then at least you can go diving.
Consider packing things that you can give away at the end of your trip, such as old clothing or sneakers, to make space for souvenirs on the return trip. To keep more weight down, load travel-guide books onto a Kindle rather than packing the paperback versions, or consider laundry instead of packing an outfit for each day through the trip.
Stash extra cash
Make sure to stash some cash in a few different places. If you lose your wallet, or your credit card stops working, you’ll be glad you did.
Elena Wu, Senior Editor
