Tag Archive
Dive Travel Tips for 2010
It never ceases to amaze me what level of useless stuff people will bring on a dive vacation. You're going to be on a boat or a resort for a week or two where the uniform of the day is shorts, bathing suits, and tee shirts. Keep it simple. One pair of running shoes, sneakers, or sandals will pretty much make it in the footwear department. Once aboard a vessel, you probably won't wear them anyway unless you go ashore to explore or walk about a local town or village. A sweatshirt or pullover for a cool evening and maybe a pair of jeans can pretty well round out your wardrobe. A good rule of thumb is if you can't completely pack your clothes in a light soft-sided duffel bag that will fit in an overhead compartment on an airplane, then you're probably bringing too much. For those prone to seasickness, I recommend consulting your regular family doctor for his advice on over-the-counter and prescription medications. Triptone, Bonine, Marazine, etc. seem to work fine for most folks and the Scopolamine transderm patches have about an 80% success rate among adults. Yes, Scopolamine was one ingredient in the notorious World War II "truth serums". This may be a consideration for some divers... given the potential for spoiling some perfectly good sea stories over dinner. Govern yourselves accordingly. Only kidding, folks. International travel is notorious for luggage "problems". A non-descript plain dive bag with TSA-approved lockable zippers is preferable to one in neon pink with dive flags sewn on each end that fairly screams "steal me" to some Third World baggage handler. Likewise, plain appearance camera cases are less likely to end up in the "Halliburton" twilight zone. A carry-on soft camera bag is a smart idea for your most valuable components. Extras can... More »
The Weighty Matter of Flying with Dive Gear
A friend was a board director of British Airways. I asked him if he could give me a letter to show at the airport check-in, telling his staff to look after me and to waive excess-baggage charges. He said it was more than his job was worth to do that, and that I'd do better to make friends with someone who worked at the airline's check-in desk. That encapsulates the problem of travelling with dive and underwater photography equipment. It's a totally hit-and-miss system unless you are prepared to pay up. You take your chances and hope the check-in staff will be lenient. I recently traveled to the Maldives and copped a painful $400 excess charge at Heathrow - - that's after the first 20 pounds above the limit had been waived. On the return leg, the check-in woman responded to my announcement that it was diving equipment by charging me nothing - - but it could as easily have been $800 extra, and there would have been nothing I could do about it. Traveling via the U.S. used to be simple. They let you check in a maximum of two pieces, neither of which could be more than 70 pounds. A massive total of 140 pounds usually takes care of my requirements. Now the airlines have reduced that to two bags, neither of which can weigh more than 50 pounds. One bag weighing 55 pounds and the other 46 pounds will see you repacking your bags on the airport floor. I've had to do just that, on my way to Houston with Continental Airlines! I approach the check-in staff with my Gold Card within reach. I wear my most charming smile. I ask if they are having a tough day. I never lose my cool. I smile resignedly if and when they tell... More »
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