tips on packing for saba

[donnad]

hi there, hubby and i will be going to saba this summer and we'll be flying with win-air, and i know they have a weight limit of 44 lbs/per person on your checked baggage. looking for tips on what to take and what to leave home, which dive gear to take in our carry on. what is the weight limit for a carryon bag? any tips will be appreciated. also, please share diving experiences, rainforest experiences, other, from saba. thanks,d

 

[bvmjethead]

Pack what you think you'll need......then dump half of it out.

Seriously.

 

[trigfunctions]

Here's my biggest tip - pack good shoes! Everyplace you go in Saba is uphill.

When we went last year, WinnAir had an extra 22 lb allowance for dive gear. You should check with them to see if it is still applicalbe. You have to ask for it - they will not volunteer the info. Check the SeaSaba website for more info:
http://www.seasaba.com/MainPages/TravelTips.htm#Packing

Weight Restrictions... Windward Island Airways " Winair" has an official weight restriction of 20kg per person (44 lbs.); however, there is an additional 10kg (22 lbs) allowance for diving equipment. The Winair counter will not offer the information regarding the extra 10kg allowance--read more about this below. If you are ticketed through to Saba on USAir, Delta, Air France or KLM, the luggage restrictions of those airlines apply. American Airline passengers must re-check bags in St. Maarten. Some suggestions:


take your regulator in your carry-on luggage

minimize the extras (we sell great t's, tanks, shorts, the works

smile and be polite at the St. Maarten Winair counter--
remember, you get more bees with honey

put essentials (medications, a change of underwear, a prescription dive mask, etc.) in your carry-on luggage in case your checked luggage is delayed.

 

[donnad]

ok, so would that mean that hubby and i could fill one lg. suitcase with dive gear up to 44lb (22 each), and we would still be allowed another 44lb. each for regular luggage? right?

 

[Black Dog]

We fly Winair every year to St.Barts and are charged extra for the weight of the dive gear. I have read Winair's baggage policy and states that Scuba Gear is not exempt from being charged for being overweight. Where did you hear of this policy?
Thanks BD

Charges for Carriage Top
The following items may be accepted as checked baggage (regardless of acceptance with or without a release form) and will travel on a space available basis. These items are included in determining the free baggage allowance and subject to normal baggage overweight charges and rules. When such item(s) is carried over the lines of more than one carrier, each carrier on which the item is transported will charge its applicable charge.

These items must conform to Winair's standard checked baggage size and weight limitations.

- All other sporting goods as well as pets, are included in the normal baggage allowance. The appropriate excess charges will apply for any weight over and above the baggage allowance.


Scuba-diving Equipment: Scuba Equipment is defined as one empty tank, one regulator, one tank harness, one pressure gage, one mask, two fins, one snorkel, one knife, one spear gun, and one safety vest or wet suit. A single charge applies even if the gear is in more than one piece.

 

[joewr]

Hi,

Saba is a very informal place. Therefore, take only informal clothes. One pair of good walking shoes and a pair of sandals for the boat is all that you will need for footwear. If you are staying "up the mountain" (which I suspect is the case), you will need a light jacket. We always wear shorts, but if you are very sensative to cool air, you might want one pair of long pants.

Basically, one goes to Saba to dive or hike. So, focus on those activities when you pack. We have had no trouble in meeting the luggage requirements. But it does take some trips to the bathroom scale to get it right!

joewr

 

[tvictory]

One thing to think about in Saba, "up the mountain", i.e. Windwardside, etc., you are literally in the clouds. You can bring your wetsuit home at night and hang it out to dry, but guess what, it'll still be wet in the morning!

 

[trigfunctions]

Hi Black Dog and donnad - when we went to Saba on WinAir last year, no one in our dive group of 12 people were charged extra for dive gear. We all asked for and received the extra 22 lb weight allowance. We didn't even have the scuba gear separated into seperate suitcases. We just told the women at the check in counter that we had dive gear and were given the extra weight allowance.

The Sea Saba website I lilnked above has a link to the WinAir website. I recommend you check with WinAir to make sure the allowance is still allowed. Before our trip I sent them and e-mail asking about it and received a response that the extra weight was allowed. I printed the e-mail and brought it with me just in case the people at the check in counter tried to deny it.

Here is the exact e-mail exchange from March 2006:

To: Reservations
Subject: Weight allowance for Dive Gear

Hello – I will be flying from St. Maarten to Saba on Thursday, March 16. I read on the Sea Saba website (http://www.seasaba.com/MainPages/TravelTips.htm#WeightRest) that WinAir has a free weight allowance of 10 kg for scuba diving gear in addition to the standard 20 kg free weight allowance. Can you please confirm that this is correct?


From: res2 [mailto:res2@fly-winair.com]
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 2:39 PM
Subject: RE: Weight allowance for Dive Gear

Dear Mr.

In reference to your e-mail, that is correct, divers do get 10 kg free weight allowance.

 

[donnad]

thankyou! i am emailing win-air to verify that still applies. how was the diving? how was the rainforest? we are going in june. staying at scout's place.

 

[peanut]

Also going to Saba in April. We will be diving with Sea Saba and staying at Hummingbird House. Does anyone know if there are water restrictions on Saba? We carry an underwater video camera and a small underwater digital camera that require fresh water rinsing. I'm also partial to good long hot fresh water showers after a day of diving.