Sea  Bag  List

Temperate  Legs - Mahina  Expeditions

 2007: Legs 1, 6, 7 & 8           2007: All Legs            2008: Legs 1-6        2009: Leg 6

 

Please go through this sheet twice carefully.  Once when you first receive it and the second time three weeks before the expedition.

All of the gear you'll need on our sailing expeditions must fit in two bags: a soft-sided duffel bag no larger than West Marine’s Chattanooga Duffel (6894174) or Henri Lloyd or Gill HeH(max. length 30”, max. girth 60”) and a medium knapsack.  The knapsack is important and doubles as a daypack when you join us on hiking and dinghy trips.

No suitcases, guitars, camera bags that don’t fit in your duffel, bags with wheels, metal framed backpacks, or folding luggage carts please.  Nearly everyone brings more gear than necessary.  Each person will have a small private locker for clothes and toiletries and shared lockers for shoes and foulweather gear.  Folding or rolling up gear and organizing it in Eagle Creek Cubes or zip-loc bags reduces the space it will take in your bags and locker.

You must be able to easily carry your duffel and knapsack by yourself.  Total maximum weight allowance for all of your gear is 40 Ibs for temperate legs.  We will ask you to weigh your bag on the dock and leave ashore anything over the 40lb. allowance. The following list is a guideline; other brands and sources are available.  The gear listed here is available from a combination of these sources:

¨       West Marine: 800-538-0775, www.westmarine.com

¨       Patagonia: 800-638-6464, product numbers are listed (eg. #47720)

¨       InSport: 800-652-5200, www.insport.com

¨       REI Co-Op: 800-426-4840, product numbers are listed (#409-158-0011)

 

Foul Weather Gear

If you don't already own a set of reasonably new offshore foul weather gear, check out West Marine's Equator Lightweight Breathable ($235) or Third Reef ($130) or Musto’s Breathable Coastal Gear ($475).  Hiking or skiing jacket & pants are not appropriate in a saltwater environment. Jackets must have a hood.

Individual PFD's are provided. We request that you bring your own safety harness and non-elastic tether and strongly recommend Sospenders-type inflatable PFD-safety harness. The best tether is a WM 7810682: single, non-elastic snap shackle and Gibb safety hook, $94.99. Please bring a bag to store your harness and tether in.

 

Primary and Middle Layers

£      1 lightweight short-sleeved collared shirt for clearing customs.

£      2 cotton T-shirts

£      2 CoolMax running or cycling T-shirts (InSport or REI)

£      1 midweight Patagonia Capilene long-sleeve top, (available from REI #711340), or similar.

£      Polartec fleece pullover or jacket from West Marine, REI or Patagonia. Please do not bring cotton sweatshirts.

£      2 nylon running shorts that are comfortable, loose-fitting & quick drying. (InSport  is our favorite brand)

£      Patagonia Gi II long pants, #55025 or similar quick-drying nylon pants. Please do not bring jeans or cotton sweat pants as they are bulky and difficult to dry

£      Fleece pants

£      Polartec Orca Hat from Orca Outdoor Co. (WM 1789890S-$30)

£      Neoprene fishing/hunting gloves. Sailing gloves have proven unsuitable once wet.

 

Footwear

£      1 pair of NEW, never worn on the street, white or neutral soled boat shoes for boat use only. Not to be worn ashore. IMPORTANT! Athletic-style deck shoes provide better support than many traditional boat shoes.

£       Comfortable, sturdy, non-leather, lightweight, fast drying shoes for shore use.

£      Thongs or sandals(non-leather) to wear in showers ashore

£      SealSkinz MVT waterproof, breathable socks from REI (620085) which, when worn with boat shoes are a much lighter and more comfortable option than sea boots, except in Norway and Spitsbergen.

£      Rubber deck boots for sailing and hiking ashore in northern Norway and Spitsbergen, Legs 1-3 – 2007.

 

Miscellaneous Gear

£      Mid weight sleeping bag. Consider WM’s Arrowhead Bag (5389796) Please no down bags or clothes.

£      1 large flat sheet (not a sleeping sack) and two pillowcases (pillows are provided). 

£      2 small MSR PackTowl towels (REI #686888) or small hand towels, maximum size: 16” x 30”. (Please do not bring large bath towels that take forever to dry and are bulky to stow) and washcloth

£      Swimsuit (running shorts work well for guys)

£      Underwear  (suggest 3 sports bras for women)

£      Sun cap with tie down. West Marine and Patagonia have many suitable styles.

£      Sleepwear (T-shirt and shorts)

£      Waterproof watch with light.

£      Alarm clock.  Watch alarms are rarely loud enough to wake you when it’s time for you to stand watch.

£      Small waterproof flashlight with red lens, spare batteries & bulb.West Marine’s Pelican Mitylite (388488-$17.99)

£      Waterproof sun and lip screen

£      Polarized Sailing sunglasses with keeper strap.

£      Passport. Please ensure that we have received a fax of your latest passport at least two months before joining.

£      A PIN number for you Visa or Mastercard so that you’ll be able to get cash advances in the local currency upon arrival at your destination airport. This is easier than traveler’s checks, which we don’t recommend.

¨       110 volt power is available through an inverter for shavers and recharging camcorder batteries.

 

Seasickness: Many of us are queasy, if not seasick for the first 24-48 hours of any ocean passage. If you eliminate coffee and colas and increase you water intake to two liters daily for two weeks before joining the expedition you greatly reduce your chances of seasickness and dehydration.

 

Antibiotics:  As with any expedition-type adventure in an isolated area we ask that you consult your doctor and obtain a broad-spectrum oral antibiotic for treating skin, throat, eye or ear infections before joining us.

 

Optional:  Camera, walkman, journal, journal, 3 books, running shoes (if you’re a runner). We have loaner masks, snorkels and fins aboard.

 

Airline Connections: Michael Henrichs at Doug Fox Travel, 1-877-429-5787, email: michael.henrichs@ustravel.com  For travel and trip cancellation insurance, contact www.csatravelprotection.com.

 

Expedition Timing:  Each leg begins and ends promptly at 12 noon on the day stated in the brochure.  Our arrival in the port of destination is generally one day early to allow time for customs clearance and provide you time to reconfirm airline tickets, pack up, and help clean the boat.  It is unfortunately not possible to join the boat earlier than 12 noon, or stay later as the time between passages is needed for maintenance and provisioning.

 

Arrival: Please arrive at least 24 hours (48 hours if you are coming from a high-stress environment) before the start of your passage, spending the night(s) in a hotel, so that you'll have a chance to get over jet lag and be well rested and acclimatized when you come aboard.  THIS IS NOT AN OPTION.  This extra day(s) reduces the chance of holding up the start of the passage because of late flights or baggage. 

 

Departure: Do not schedule your return flight before 2pm on the last day of the expedition.  Many people plan a night or more ashore at our destination, before flying home.  Roberta can recommend hotels within your budget.

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL TO BRING WITH YOU: a positive attitude and an eagerness to learn not only about sailing and navigation, but to learn from fascinating people of different cultures, and from your fellow expedition members. You are about to take part in an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience!