A Landlubber’s Guide to Sailing the Seas: Packing for the Caribbean

Hello all! Tula’s Endless Summer unofficial guest blogger here! My name is Catherine and I just so happen to be Billy’s sister, aka your new favorite Swezey AND Adrenaline’s current stowaway! Billy, Sierra, and Jetty graciously welcomed me (and my one-way ticket) aboard in early September and I’ve been living as a crew mate in Grenada ever since. God bless them.

Having very little knowledge about living aboard a boat, I hadn’t the slightest idea as to what I should pack for this journey that would last for an indefinite amount of time. On top of that, I bought my plane ticket to Grenada three days before my actual departure date. Needless to say, I was clueless and didn’t have much time to research what to bring when preparing for this already unpredictable endeavor. Fast forward to now, having spent almost two months aboard Adrenaline, I figured I’d share some tips and tricks I wish I had known before packing for this wild journey!

Items I’m glad I brought

Proper swimwear

I’ll begin with the most obvious thing one would think to pack when traveling in the Caribbean. Bathing suits, bathing suits, and more bathing suits. Thankfully I had enough sense to make this the number one item on my packing list. While I brought a variety of bathing suit styles, I’ve come to realize the importance of planning accordingly when it comes to what activity you have planned for that day. As much as the trendy minimal bikini look is “in” right now, it might not be the most conducive for waterfall jumping, wave riding, helm manning, and whatever monkey business you may find yourself in… That is unless you don’t mind risking a wardrobe malfunction and giving those lonely sailors a free show. I’ve personally found that sporty, adjustable bikinis are my favorite!  I should also note that you’re gonna want to invest in the type of swimwear that withstands the salty weather.  Stay away from metal clasps and hardware that erode with excessive salt and sun exposure.

Monkeying around in Grand Etang National Park in my go-to bikini top

Spare Polarized Sunglasses 

If you’re anything like me, multiple pairs of Polarized sunglasses are a must. Believe it or not, you don’t have to break the bank to find a good pair of polarized sunglasses. In fact, if you are prone to losing things like I am, I’d recommend buying multiple pairs of less expensive poly-lense glasses like Hobie Polarized offers. I lost my brand new $200 ray-bans my first week in Grenada and it still hurts to think about. Rest In Peace to those ~New Wayfarer classic~ beauties. Thankfully I found that the backup Hobie polarized I had were just as, if not more, effective in protecting my eyes… not to mention they were a third of the price!

The lens color is important too! If you’re spending most of your time on the sea, a mirrored blue-tinted lens is best. If you’re spending the majority of your time hiking through forest greenery, a green or black tinted lens might suit you better. Again, this is where a variety of spare sunglasses may come in handy. The most important factor that comes into play when choosing a protective lens is to make sure they are POLARIZED!!

These Hobie Polarized sunglasses I brought as backup ended up being the perfect replacement! My favorite part about them is the blue reflective lens

Hanging Travel Bags

I’ve had this Vera Bradley hanging organizer for years now and brought it to the Caribbean on a whim. I’m so glad I did!

As far as packing went, I had to be strategic in what exactly I would pack my things IN. I have found that the hanging toiletry bag I brought has been extremely effective as far as convenience and function go.  The different see-through zip-up compartments allow for easy organization while the hanging ability allow me to hang it wherever I need. The fold-up nature of this travel bag makes it easy to carry around. this was extremely convenient during my first few weeks in Grenada- we were docked at Port Louis Marina during Adrenaline’s insurance layup period where we had access to bathrooms and showers- and having this bag made going back and forth between the boat and the bathrooms a breeze. It also helped me to keep track of all my shower/bathroom essentials and kept me from going crazy rummaging through all of my stuff.

When we are anchored and such luxuries aren’t available, I hang this bag flatly against my hull’s head (that’s boat lingo for bathroom for all my fellow cruising newbies). This way I have all of my toiletry essentials at my fingertips and can see where everything is. Once again, no rummaging required.

Items I wish I brought

Light Microfiber Towels

Big bulky towels stink. Literally. If you were to ask me what the number one thing I wish I had brought was, it would be more light microfiber towels. They dry easily, they’re less likely to retain that nasty mildew smell, and most importantly they take up less room. I had enough sense to bring one of these towels and let me just say… it is a GAME CHANGER. I can’t stop thinking about how convenient it would be to have more of these lightweight towels on hand. From impromptu workout sessions, to wet dinghy rides, to unpredictable downpours (boy oh boy are these common in Grenada!) it makes so much sense to have one of these on you at all times. They make for easy laundry too – rinse them with soap and water and let them dry in the sun- in less than an hour they’re good to go… that is unless they fall victim to one of those Grenadian rainfalls!

These microfiber towels are ideal for boat life living

Proper footwear

Running Sneakers? Check. Sturdy Flip flops? Check. Water sandals? Ohhh what I would do to have a pair of these less than stylish pieces of fashion. The Islands of the Caribbean are known to have beautiful hiking that often lead to even more beautiful waterfalls. These waterfalls, however, tend to be super rocky and very slippery. I learned very quickly that flip flops were an extremely dangerous option for such conditions, therefore I was forced to go with the [arguably] safer route- my bare feet.  These little piggies did not thank me… nor did my mother, who also happens to be a nurse. After hearing her lecture me on the number of severe foot related injuries that she has treated- many of which ended in amputation- I decided it was time to invest In a pair of waters sandals. After doing some research, I came to find that the look of these stereotypical eyesores have come a long way over the years. I am so excited to have these godsends shipped to my family so they can hand deliver them to me when they come visit in a few weeks.

Sierra and Billy love the brand KEEN and both have a pair of their clearwater sandals

Face wipes/body wipes

When living on a boat (sans water-maker) you quickly learn the value of water conservation. As ignorant as that may sound, there’s no denying the newfound perspective you gain when realizing there’s not an unlimited supply of such a vital life component. I’ve become incredibly aware of how lucky I’ve been to live in a developed country where water is always available even when we’re not as mindful as we should be in conserving it. In Adrenaline’s case, conservation is the only option. She holds 80 gallons at a time making it crucial to always keep a close eye on the amount of water we’re using. We have to be sure that this will last us until we get the chance to refill our the tanks- by either finding a marina or waiting for the next heavy rainfall- both options can be pretty unpredictable. In the meantime this water is used mainly for drinking and secondly for washing dishes, the boat, Jetty, and lastly, ourselves.

Because showers aren’t essential to our hydration, we’re often limited to 1 EXTREMELY QUICK rinse-off a day. I know you know that gross feeling of the salty, sticky residue that stays on your skin after going for a quick swim in the ocean. Whenever I find myself in this ~sticky~ situation, the only thing I can think of (other than a nice long shower) are micellar water wipes. Micellar water is great because it is made up of tiny balls of cleansing oil molecules called miscelles. The miscelles are suspended in soft water making it the perfect cleansing solution for any and all skin types! Being in the sun all day, I like to keep the number of unfamiliar ingredients I put on my skin at a minimum. I suppose other types of shower or face wipes would do just fine, but I personally like the idea of Micellar Water because it is gentle on the face and the simple ingredients don’t have me worried about unwanted sun reactions. Now if only I could find these in a full body wipe size!

These micellar water wipes would make for the perfect refresher after a dip in the salty water

Welp, that’s all I’ve got for today folks! Before I bid you all adiu, I will mention that I was fortunate enough to have Billy and Sierra provide me with some of the more obvious essentials one would think to bring when sailing the Caribbean. With that being said, don’t forget your Sunblock, bug spray, hats, and reusable water bottles! I hope you enjoyed this novice’s take on the items I have found or would find most useful to have on board! Comment below on what else you’d like to hear from the perspective of a naive landlubber such as myself!