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Returning to Dive Travel – Be Prepared Part 1

By Dan & Betty Orr

Now that we are finally emerging from many of the travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the dream of returning to our favorite or exploring an exciting new dive location is becoming a reality. In our imagination, we see the beautiful hotel, the splendid rooms, exotic foods and exciting underwater scenery that truly takes our breath away. Whether our travel takes us to our dream destination or to our favorite local dive site, the key element to truly enjoying the trip is preparation.

Preparation must begin long before you arrive at your chosen destination and involves a number of components that include the trip as well as the diving. We will focus first on preparing for the trip to your dive location. Whether your travel takes you across town or across the globe, preparation will reduce frustration and inconvenience so that you can truly reap the benefits and rewards of your dive destination.

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” – Bilbo Baggins, Lord of the Rings

Before you begin your journey with that very first step out of your front door, there are several things that you should first consider.

Making Your List(s)

Any successful plan begins with a comprehensive list or, more appropriately, lists. Since your travel involves many facets, it may require more than one list. Besides the essential pre-dive checklist, these lists can include your itinerary, which is in reality, a list of what you are doing, where you are going, when you are doing it, a clothing list, camera equipment (surface and underwater) list and, of course, a diving equipment list. These lists are to make sure that you have not forgotten anything essential that would impact your full enjoyment of your travels and to make sure that you are bringing everything back with you at the end of your trip. When making these lists, it is important that you know about and comply with any laws or regulations regarding what you can and cannot bring into a region or country. Make sure that any medications are in their original bottles/containers and that all prescription medications have the prescription information intact on the bottles. Any medications, prescription or not, that are suspect may be confiscated by the authorities upon entry into a country. There are countries that restrict the amount of camera equipment you may bring in with you. There are popular dive locations in other countries that limit the traveler to no more than two (2) cameras. Many countries around the world are concerned about travelers bringing in invasive species and may require any hiking, camping, fishing and diving equipment to be fully cleaned and debris free upon entry. Carrying dirty or suspect equipment may result in confiscation, a fine or both. It is the traveler’s responsibility to comply with any and all laws and regulations.

When preparing your list(s), you may want to sit down with a pad of paper and go through your itinerary thinking about what you would need each day and for each activity. Be very careful, as you may have a tendency to over pack.

As Caroline Morse Teel wrote in her “10 Cures for the Chronic Overpacker”, “Lay out the clothing and cash you plan to bring on your trip. Now pack just half of the clothes and double the money.”

And, speaking of money, it is always wise to bring extra money for contingencies including emergencies. Many countries may require you to use only new (or newer) bills and will not accept worn or torn currency. Credit cards are a good thing as long as you notify your credit card company that you will be traveling and buying outside the country so that they don’t misinterpret foreign spending and issue a fraud alert freezing your credit card. It may also be wise to carry some local currency to use until you can determine whether you can use your own cash or have your currency converted at the local bank or hotel.

Before leaving the issue of finances, you may want to protect your personal finances by considering insurance. To protect your investment in your “trip of a lifetime,” you may want to consider trip insurance to cover trip cancellation or interruption. Many credit cards have some level of insurance coverage if the trip is purchased using their card. However, this coverage may be limited so it is incumbent upon the traveler to understand what coverage they have and how to access it. Remember, when it comes to trip insurance, purchase it early (probably when you book your trip). To have coverage for trip cancellation due to storms such as hurricanes or typhoons, coverage must be purchased before a storm is named by the weather service. Once a storm is officially named, it is an event in progress and you can no longer purchase coverage for it.

Having insurance coverage for health-related issues when you travel is also essential. You just never know when you are going to experience a medical issue when you travel. The Center for Disease Control states that between 20%-50% of all international travelers, an estimated 10 million persons, develop Traveler’s Diarrhea each year. Although you may have complete coverage in your home country, your healthcare coverage may not extend to a foreign destination. Some trip insurance plans do provide some medical coverage it may be limited. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider to understand the limits of your coverage and be prepared to purchase insurance to make sure you are covered for medical issues while traveling.

Your lists should include documentation regarding necessary vaccinations including those for COVID. It is important to check with the website of the country you are visiting to determine what immunizations are required and whether or not a negative COVID test is required prior to entry.

And, by the way, lists must be dynamic. As you continue your preparation, you may think of things to add to your list(s) or things to modify if your itinerary changes. It is also wise not to discard your lists after a trip. Using past lists, as a starting point for subsequent trips will save you some time and effort so you don’t have to start from “ground zero.” There may be some benefit of having a permanent list of “basic essentials” that must be part of each trip regardless of the destination or duration.

Another consideration is that your travel skills may have also gotten a bit rusty. Your luggage may be heavier than you remember and the distance you have to carry those bags may be, or at least seem, further than before. Along with all you are bringing as you travel, remember to pack a great deal of patience and understanding. As we all emerge from quarantine, everyone is doing their best to return to some semblance of “normal.”