Planning a Scuba Diving Trip

Most of the time, the planning of the trip is the stressful part. It’s the same when planning a scuba diving experience. You’d want to make the most out of your trip so you give a lot of time for planning. This includes choosing where you’ll go, the best time for you to execute your plan, and yes for scuba divers, on how you can fit everything in your bag without it being overweight at the airport baggage counter. You’d want to have a trip wherein everything can meet your expectations.

First off is one of the hardest steps: choosing where you’ll be going on a scuba diving trip. There are a lot of beautiful scuba diving destinations so it would be hard if you want to go to every single one. If you have been diving for quite a while, then you could tick off the destinations that you’ve already been to before. If there’s a specific kind of diving that you are going for, then choose an appropriate destination to achieve it. For example, if you want to dive through a wreck, then you may want to check out the North Carolina coast or the Chuuk Lagoon according to deeperblue.com. Divers also hunt for specific sea creatures so that can also affect your decision. Of course, you will be going to a dive spot where that species is most rampant. The French Polynesia area is for instance a hot spot for sharks. You also have to consider the people you are traveling with. If it’s a family trip and not everyone will dive, you might want to go to a spot that is friendly to children. You also want to avoid advanced diving spots if you are with beginner scuba divers. And of course, you have to check if you can afford a destination. Plus, requirements for visas vary so you have to check if it’s also possible to complete everything before your desired date. Moreover, if you want to go shore-based diving, then you would need to have accommodations at a dive resort. This, as expert scuba divers would say, is a great option if you are traveling with your family. But if you decide to stay in a regular hotel, just research if there’s a dive center nearby. The second is to time your scuba diving in accordance with a diving holiday calendar. There are many diving holidays where you can make the most out of your money so choose wisely according to what you need. And aside from the budget, there are sea creatures that appear only on certain days so you’d want to set a diving schedule when these creatures will surface. Marine species are migratory so you have to consider that as well if you want to see these species. Aside from taking into account diving holidays, you need to check the conditions of the time that you are going to scuba dive. You need to know the water temperature by then and how visible the waters will be at your chosen date. Land weather should also be considered because your diving trip can be interrupted by strong storms and heavy rainfall. You also have to take care of logistics. You must research flights ahead if you are traveling to a different country and especially if it’s remote. The more remote your destination is, the harder it is to get to. You are already lucky if there are two airlines going to your dream remote destination but that just means, seats are very limited. You need to book your flight tickets way ahead. If you are not going somewhere remote, you need to check the luggage allowances and the charges you’ll incur if your bag weighs much heavier than what you paid for. Diving gear can be quite plentiful and heavy! And since scuba diving is an extreme sport, make sure you have travel insurance. The place you’ll go to might not have a good hospital or you might incur high costs for private healthcare. When you have travel insurance, any accident can be covered. Plus, you can also get your expensive equipment under insurance if any gets damaged or lost on your trip. You also need to research the required vaccinations for your destination of choice. As mentioned above, you also need to check if your destination will require a visa and other travel documents for you to enter the country. All of these have to be arranged way ahead of your diving trip. Lastly, make sure you pack everything you need. A scuba diving trip will require you to pack a lot more than a usual touristy trip so get a pen and paper to write everything down. Forgetting anything on your list can cause a major hassle on your part. Again, check airline weight requirements and weigh your bag in advance. Compute if you can afford the overweight fees or if it’ll be much better to just rent equipment when you arrive at your destination (just make sure you have somewhere to rent your gear!). You can also invest in a lightweight BCD and reg set that is designed for scuba diving overseas. You would also be packing light essentials so don’t forget about those too! A spare mask will come in handy as well as fin straps and extra camera batteries if you are filming. Don’t forget your o-rings too! Pack sun protection and a first aid kit. Wrap your suitcase or use a TSA-approved lock. For every scuba diving trip you take, you’d want to be able to use your existing gear. To prolong the life of your gear, store them properly in your garage at home. You might want to consider having overhead storage racks installed to maximize the storage capacity of your garage. Plus, since you don’t go scuba diving regularly, you can keep it in an overhead rack that is not required to be accessible on a normal day. FlexiMounts has many overhead storage racks options to choose from.