Sunscreen? Bathing suit? A couple changes of clothing and your toothbrush? Check, check, and double check. Once you've got a list of travel basics made, it's time to turn your attention to your dive gear, and ensure you've made plans for every potential circumstance you might encounter while traveling - either close to home, or overseas.
First, Make a List
The first step you'll need to take is to prepare a list of all the dive gear and accessories you'll need. It's a good idea to begin preparing this list about a month before your scheduled departure date, so the process will be as stress-free as possible. This gives you time to have items serviced or repaired, and it gives you the opportunity to purchase items you may not have.
Second, Inspect Gear
Once you've got a list made, carefully inspect each item you plan to bring with you. You'll find it's much better to replace a worn mask strap now than it is in mid-journey, and it's great to get rid of a regulator mouthpiece that's been nearly bitten in half. Now is a good time to try on wetsuits and ensure they fit the way you like them to, and either purchase a new suit or lose those few pounds that are causing it to fit a little too tightly. As you inspect each item, make a list of items that need to be repaired or replaced. This can serve as a kind of shopping list you can use in the next list.
Third, Go Shopping
The lists you've made will come in handy as you hit your local dive store, ensuring you get the items that you need, and preventing you from making unnecessary purchases. That's not to say that this isn't a good time to try on a new mask style, or pick up a better snorkel than the one you're currently using.
While you're shopping, be sure to add items like spare gauge clips, snorkel keepers and mouthpieces, and other nifty items that might not be on your list. Safety gear, like battery operated signaling beacons, is another category to pay special attention to.
Fourth, Repair and Service Equipment
If your regulator needs to be inspected or cleaned, now is the time to get it done. If you think you might need new bulbs put in dive lights, or batteries changed in dive computers, you can get the repair technician to install these items for you. By handling maintenance now, you'll avoid paying extra charges, plus you'll gain peace of mind, which is invaluable.
Once you've got your equipment in order, make a pretrip dive, either at the local dive center pool, or at a nearby dive site. This lets you test your regulator, ensure you like the way your new mask fits, and ensure you feel comfortable with each and every piece of equipment you plan to take on vacation with you. If it's been a while since you've gone over the basics, now is a good time to practice buddy breathing, work on mask clearing, review buoyancy control techniques, and determine whether you're using the right amount of weight for a new BC or wetsuit. It's also a great time to practice with your underwater camera. If you've been thinking about continuing education, now is a great time to take that nitrox course or other course you've been considering.
By taking the time to check all your equipment and review the basics, you'll enjoy a more pleasurable vacation. Use the lists you made as you pack your equipment, and be sure you've got everything packed well before your departure date. Next time you unpack, you'll be at your destination - and you'll be ready to start enjoying yourself immediately.