Surf Travel Packing Tips
3 commentsYou've booked your ticked and you are ready to go - but what are you going to take and how are you going to ensure that when you arrive the only break that you find will be the one that you will spend your trip surfing. We'll be assuming that you are taking a full on trip and not strapping your board to your bike and cycling to your local beach.
The old favorite of "Tickets, Money & Passport - the rest is garnish" does not quite hold true for your average surf trip. Here is the list of essentials if you do not want to be caught short.
- At least one Surfboard, the more the better. You might need a spare if you break one. You might need a different board for different conditions. The more the merrier! (just don't ask for help carrying them all)
- Surf Wax. Enough for your trip and some extra to share with your mate who has forgotten their wax.
- Ding repair. Don't spoil your trip with a ding that you cannot repair. A small ding repair kit is inexpensive and does not take up much room. If you'll be travelling by air it is important to note that some of the chemicals contained in your ding repair kit may well be prohibited and should not be taken on the aircraft, even in checked-in luggage. If you're unsure whether an item is allowed then either check with the airline prior to travel or buy a kit once you've arrived. (Thanks to Roger Smith for pointing this out - see comment below)
- Spare fins and board leash. Easy to replace - hard to find in the middle of nowhere.
- The correct surfwear for the trip. Do you need a wetsuit where you are going? Are you surfing a coral reef and may need booties? Have a think about what you will need to make the best of your trip.
- Sunscreen. Maximise your time in the water without a trip to the emergency room for third degree burns!
- Visa? Do you need a visa for the country you are visiting. Some countries will give you a visa upon arrival for a certain amount of time. Others will pop you back on the plane home straight away if you do not have the right visa - FIND OUT BEFORE YOU GO!
- Don't forget your surf medical kit
- Oh yeah - Tickets, Money & Passport!
This guide really depends on where you are going. If you will be staying somewhere where surf shops are abundant then you have nothing to worry about in terms of equipment. Take your board and you are away. Anything else can be bought while you are there.
Next you need to pack up safely. There is nothing worse than arriving at your surfing destination to find that the single surfboard you packed has magically (with the aid of a nice baggage handler) changed into two smaller surfboards. Next it's how to pack your surfboard for traveling.
Don't forget that if you need some additional info feel free to post a question on the Surfing Travel Information forum.
Thanks for the good tips , you should give it a try and come Morocco.
Don't take catalyst as part of a "ding repair kit" on an aircraft. I am not a chemist but to the best of my knowledge, organic peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide or methyl ethyl ketone peroxide are used as catalyst for polyester resin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_ethyl_ketone_peroxide
This compound is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND IS FORBIDDEN ON AIRCRAFT. See for example https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/liquids-and-restrictions Look under chemical items.
Carrying such an item onto an aircraft can result in arrest and imprisonment, and if it gets on the flight it can bring the aircraft down.
Take a tube of the stuff that doesn't need catalyst.
Please tell your mates. I don't want to be in a plane that goes down.
what is the water temp this time of year