Seabase Ultimate Packing List Gear and Supplies and Where to Get Them

 

Here is a master list of the essentials you'll need for a Seabase high adventure sailing, snorkeling trip, or any overnighting at sea, on islands, etc.

By Category:

Clothing and personal gear

1. Clothing: quick dry, not cotton, 2 swim suits, 2 long sleeve sunshirts, That's probably about it.
2. Water bottle, 32oz Nalgene and an insulated matching coozy to keep it insulated.
3. Sun hat - This wide-brimmed sun hat gets great reviews - they must have a strap under the chin or one good breeze and it is gone
4. Neck Gaiter (aka, a "Buff") - The point here is to protect your neck from the brutal sun.  Better than sunscreen. And believe me, the water will reflect sun UP to your face, under your hat and burn you. So you use either this or more sun screen on your neck
5. Sailing gloves - protects your hands from cuts, abrasions, sun, bug bites, aggressive fishies...
6. Rain poncho - If it's semi-tropical. Expect afternoon / evening thunderstorms
7. Neoprene water socks - 3mm neoprene with 4-way stretchy nylon laminated, elastic and durable, protects your feet from cuts, scratches, sun and no-seeums. Get the tall version to protect your lower legs and ankles.
8. Towel - Fast Drying Lightweight Microfiber Travel Towels
9. Personal hygiene kit - razor, shaving cream, soap, shampoo,
10. Mini first aid kit with large bandages and tape, aloe vera lotion, hydrocortisone cream
    

Safety, sun and bugs

1. Clothing/gear for Mosquito and No-Seeum / midge protection: 
   The No-Seeums can be fierce, especially at twilight.
   a.  Head: Ultra-Mesh Mosquito Head Net for Midges, No See-ums and Small Insects Head covering (goes over your hat).
   b. Upper body: Fine mesh bug jacket
   c. Legs: Fine mesh bug pants
   d. Mesh mini-tents for sleeping: 1-Person fine mesh sleeping tube tent OR...
        If you need the smallest, this mesh netting to put your sleeping mat inside, this netting which you hook to something ABOVE you, would work.
   
   
   
2. Lotions (no aerosols are allowed, pumps sprays are)
   a. Avon So-Soft lotion - contains repellant for midges/no seeums. people rave about how effective it is against midgets at twilight. 
   b. Sunscreen - It's your personal preference. I've found that the mineral-based lotions like this Banana Boat have really improved and last all day. They are what my dermatologist recommends.  If space is an issue, Avon makes a combo sunscreen-bug repellant lotion.
   b. Deet, good for mosquitos, less so for midges / no-seeums
   

Sleeping gear

1. Sleeping pads:  A foam self-inflating mat is best in my opinion.  Even if it were to leak, you still have foam.
   If you need the smallest foam mattress you can get (rolled up), pick this 1.5 inch thick one.
   Some people like the hard foam Sleeping pad, but they take up more room and are nowhere near as comfortable as foam.
   Others, tight on space, like the inflatable air mattress with a built in foot-pump. Very lightweight and compact BUT if these spring a leak, your out of luck.
2. Pillow, inflatable - curved so you don't roll off of it. Some of the inflatable air mattresses have a pillow built in.
3. Sleeping bag liner to use as the sleeping bag in hot climates. In the semi tropics in the summer months, there is no point in bring an actual sleeping bag.
   

Snorkel and Goggles

You need your own. Fit and comfort are very important.  Go to a local dive shop (NOT a dive bar) and test them out.  Apparently, you must get a separate snorkel / goggle, not the all-in-one bubble face shield type.

Packing gear

1. Waterproof bags for phone, keys, wallet, etc. and this one is a floating IP68 rated for up to 8.3" iPhone's like 17 16 15 14 13 (or smaller sizes) Pro Max Samsung S25 Ultra S24 S23,
2. Dry bags: Floating Waterproof Dry Bag Backpacks; sizes  5L/10L/20L/30L/40L, with Roll Top Sack, Keeps Gear Dry

Electronics

1. Headlamp - waterproof, rechargeable, very bright, multiple settings include red (for nighttime not to wake others)
2. Battery backups to recharge devices:
   This power bank with a built-in solar-panel for recharging Power Bank 10,000mAh, Battery Pack with USB C for Cell Phones even has a flashlight.
   If you have a source of power to recharge your power bank occasionally,  this Portable Power Bank 50,000 mAh, Ultra-High Capacity Battery Pack, 2 USB ports, Charging Power bank  would work great.

REALLY nice to have optional items

1. GoPro (or similar) - GoPro is the big hands-free brand that started it all, but there are reliable and inexpensive options.
2. Waterproof camera - Fuji's and knockoffs work great