What to take on board, depends on the time of year, destination, and the weather.
Packing space on a boat is always limited. Therefore, “less is more” must be the order of the “luggage day”.
Standard Gear must include:
- A set of Foul Weather Gear
- Sailing Boots (and long socks)
- Boat Shoes (with soft white soles only, as black/dark soles mark the boat. No shoes are allowed below decks unless these are soft white soled.)
- A warm beanie and scarf (regardless of the season, nights at sea can be chilly)
- Your own towel. Urchin provides one towel per guest for use on board. You may wish to bring a swimming towel. (It’s a bucket list experience jumping off the back of the boat mid-ocean for a dip, with sometimes thousands of meters of “nothing” beneath you! Sea state and weather permitting that is. Small roll up travelling towels take up no space and can be purchased at adventure/sporting stores.
- A swimming/bathing costume
- Sunscreen, and hat or cap (the glare off the ocean water can also cause sunburn)
- Sunglasses (for ocean and ice glare)
- Motion sickness / sea sickness tablets (and your own personal medication, including allergy medication if required)
- A medical certificate/letter from your own doctor confirming that you are fit for the expedition you have booked
- Toiletries (in a toiletry bag)
- Clothing should be kept to the minimum (packing space is limited). Include sufficient items for warm and cold weather (depending on season and area). Always include warm layers – top and bottom. (Layering being the key – no bulky jerseys and the like.)
- A water bottle for land excursions.
- A small fold up day backpack for land excursions.
- A soft travel / duffel bag (suitcases, with or without wheels, cannot be stowed and therefore cannot be loaded onto Urchin.
Suggestions
- Camera (preferably with a waterproof bag in which to store it).
- Binoculars (should you wish to use these)
- Should you wish to engage in personal communication, then bring your own satellite phone or Iridium Go (Urchin’s satellite communication devices are only used for emergencies)
- A little waterproof pouch in which to keep your passport and/or your mobile phone
- Urchin does have a washing machine, but it is not operated daily, and only at the Skippers discretion. Clothes are pegged on the guard rails and the wind does the drying!
- There are USB points in each cabin for mobile phone or camera battery charging (12v)
- There are two-point plugs situated in various places on the boat should items require 24v charging)
- Urchin provides pillows, sheets and duvets. One each per guest.
