Don is right...a goodie bag as we call them is certainly something you'll want. In terms of gear...let me recap what you need vs. what you may want for the trip.
Gear Needed: 1.
Standard Scuba Gear (suggest
non-split fins in case you need to swim against any current...often slight but sometimes noticeable!)
2.
Dive computer....really needed to do multi-level dives for which this is. (We hope to have some Cochran Research Computers to use and we can help you get a computer if you do not have one. But PLEASE use one!)
3.
Safety sausage....a BIG one preferably....the small Caribbean styled ones are ok but not very effective should you be quite a distance from the boat in open water.
4.
Other above water signaling device....dive alert, whistle or mirror...(use a Dandy Don trick and glue to old cds together...yes finally a use for all those AOL cdis you get...back to back so that you have a 2 sided shiney signaling device. Stick in BC and forget about it...until one day when you might need it!)
5.
Boat bag vs. your big travel dive bag or boxes. This will store your immediate gear on the boat in the limited space under your dive tanks.
6.
Dry bag..which in this case does not have to be an actual dry bag as it does not get wet in the salon....this keeps your towel and personal stuff together.
7.
Gloves...you really NEED gloves for diving NC. Not because the water is cold but becuase you need to protect your hands should you need to touch the wreck. For example...even if you never touch anything when diving...should there be a current on the wreck...by simply pulling yourself along with only a finger hold you can prevent yourself from getting tired trying to swim against the current and you can also save precious air by not trying to swim against the surface. By maintaining a finger hold only...you are not hurting the 'reef' that is growing on the wreck!
Desired Gear: 1.
Goodie bag as Don suggested. (A number of different kinds....I'll be happy to post an overview of relative merits of different styles...I know...I have them all!)
2.
Dive Knife or scissors. It is rare that you will become entangled on anything however should you these are handy. It is also possible you will want to defend yourself...also rarely needed unless of course you are one of the 'angels'!!! LOL!!! Also can be used as a tool for digging or finding stuff...note this can be hard on knives...I know!!!
3.
Tools...occassionally you'll see someone go in the water with a small crowbar or hammer. Keep in mind several things...these divers usually 'carry them for weight' rather then really use them. Occassionally they may try to pry something loose and the crowbar is really used like a chistle...(see dive knife above!). Also keep in mind that hurricanes do more damage in one storm then divers do in 40 years of diving including those with hammars and small crowbars/wonderbars. (If you want these...go to Walmart and buy them for a few bucks. When they rust beyond use, throw away and start over!)
4.
Lights...no we aren't doing a night dive but lights come in handy when you want to peer into the wreck or look under a ledge! Just be prepared that you'll usually see a big 'ole fish staring back at you!
5.
Toys...things like underwater navigation systems, dive scooters etc are fun and have all been used in NC. All have inherent issues/problems so pm me if you have specific questions about using toys on the trip.
6.
Doubles...from time to time I get people wanting to know if they can dive 'doubles'. Yes you can but you'll only be allowed 1 set of doubles on the boat or the equivelent of 2 main bottles per diver. You can of course have a pony or stage bottle.
7.
Pony or Stage bottle....many divers want to know if they need a pony or stage bottle. My answer is no if you dive with a buddy we all should and if you dive within the limits of your diving skills. For those that typically dive with a 'bail out' bottle as they are sometimes called...then they are within your skill and normal diving experience and you may wish to bring yours here as well. As in most diving...the redundancy is nice but not manditory. (Check with the airlines if you have any questions about traveling with them....OR check with Dandy Don as he travels with his all the time on airplanes.)
8.
Spearguns...although some classify as a toy...I opted to put them into their own category. Spearfishing is allowed in NC. If you desire to spearfish or flounder gig you will need to let me know so it can be arranged on the trip. Not all of our dives will accomodate spearfishing. Spearfishermen/women need to adhere to
special safety and courtesy rules for which I'll cover with anyone who thinks they want to hunt on the trip. And of course anyone hunting will be asked to share their catch with the group for the group bbq and sushi on the dock!
9.
Underwater signaling device...tank banger, metal clasp etc. This allows you to signal to other divers that you found a cool underwater creature or just to get your dive buddies attention!
10.
Jon Lines...these are lines or straps that have a clasp or hook type of device attached to them that you can hook onto the assist line that is at about 20ft under the boat to do your safety stops. Sometimes everyone is doing their safety stop at the same time and its crowded so being able to 'attach' yourself to the line but still allow some distance is a great idea! Other times we might have some surface surge and so you find yourself going from 20ft to 10ft or less over and over and over again. Not the greatest for a safety stop and in some cases your computer will give you ascent alarms or worse yet...lock out possibly preventing you from diving the second dive. (We will be offering these for sale and we can help you make your own. )
11.
Underwater slate...yes sometimes sign language or signalling just doesn't cut! Slates are nice!
12.
Cameras...yep both underwater and above!! Got to capture the moment!!!
Well that's all I can think of right now. I'm sure I've forgotten something but we can always add it later!
Hope this helps! Kamala
