Useful Items for Certifi-vacation?

[kelemvor]

If you are short, (I am 5"2") then leg cramps are often a problem for new type of muscle use.

That's not just a problem for short people .

Don't forget to hydrate well and eat vitamins. I take potassium vitamins for a few days before a dive trip through the end of the trip. Those two things significantly reduced leg cramps for me. Some people prefer to eat bananas or other potassium rich foods instead of taking a pill.

 

[Dogbowl]

If you have hair that goes all over your face in the water and gets tangled and pulled by your mask strap, you can opt to use a beanie. It's the uncoolest part of my gear (it looks so stupid on me), but it is the one piece of equipment that is so practical. I have had people tell me that when they saw me with it, they immediately went to their shop and bought one.

Ask the shop what type of fins they rent. If it is open heel, then I agree with the poster above to buy a pair of booties. If it is full foot, which I think is more likely in Utila, a pair of lycra socks will help prevent blisters which may occur with your feet rubbing against the foot of the fin.

 

[dmaziuk]

We once had a DM wearing something like this: https://www.amazon.com/MAYIM-Neon-Yellow-Lycra-Swim/dp/B007BTHHEK -- no problems recognizing him in the water.

 

[kelemvor]

If you have hair that goes all over your face in the water and gets tangled and pulled by your mask strap, you can opt to use a beanie. It's the uncoolest part of my gear (it looks so stupid on me), but it is the one piece of equipment that is so practical. I have had people tell me that when they saw me with it, they immediately went to their shop and bought one.

Ask the shop what type of fins they rent. If it is open heel, then I agree with the poster above to buy a pair of booties. If it is full foot, which I think is more likely in Utila, a pair of lycra socks will help prevent blisters which may occur with your feet rubbing against the foot of the fin.

My wife uses a "Scuba Do Rag" for that purpose. They're a pretty common item to see on ladies (and men with long hair) during the annual scubaboard invasion trips. These guys have a lot of cool designs to choose from, too. Only drawback is that they're kind of expensive at $37. I'll never understand the world of fashion.

ScubaDoRag dive hat head covering sun protection hair management

 

[KristenK]

@kelemvor Now I need to purchase a do rag!!! Hope it can get here by Tuesday before my next trip. As far as the world of fashion goes...one of my clients is one of the big names of high fashion (the company, not the actual man.) That is some crazy big business with wicked prices. One woman was wearing a beautiful sweater. I commented on it and was told they only made 12, none of which actually were sold, but if they did they would go for $12k!!!

 

[Scuba Scott]

If you are doing your certs on vacation the number one thing is getting your book work done before you leave so you don't waste vacation time getting that done. It would be ideal if your could get your pool work done too but you often don't get a discount if you show up with confined water complete so be prepared for to pay twice. Don't know the policy of Utila Dive Center. I hope they got you started with e-learning.

 

[Dusty123]

Since you are going to followup with your AOW look into dive computers. If you have friends you plan on diving with see what they are using. Take advantage of having an instructor to help answer questions after you read the manual. Im not saying dont not learn how to use the tables, but the computer can do more on the fly than tables. I borrowed one from my instructor my last OW dives just to see what they do, then got my own for my AOW. Many have apps so you can use your phone as a log.

 

[TMHeimer]

I used a Henderson body suit for my week in Panama in January, 2011. Plenty warm with 76F water temps. Having been in "Southern Canada" now for 7 more years, I may find that a bit chilly. Everybody's different, so pretty much disregard any exposure advice you'll get here--take a good guess as to what your cold water tolerance is.

 

[yle]

Some clarification on the night dive advice: the water temperature at night is exactly the same as during the day. Night dives seem chillier only because post-dive the air is cooler, and without the sun beating down you will feel colder. Wear the same wetsuit at night that you do during the day, but when you finish your night dive get dry as soon as possible.

And I will second all the above advice to not underestimate your wetsuit needs. There is a big difference between doing one dive on one day versus multiple dives on multiple days. Hypothermia can sneak up on you slowly and will drain your stamina. Bring the 3mm suit and wear it every dive. You won't be too warm, but it will help you maintain your core temp over the multiple days of diving.

Years ago I would use a 3mm suit for 79-80 degree water when I was doing 15 dives over a week, but I would usually feel tired after diving. A couple years ago I switched to a 5mm for these kind of dive trips and the fatigue disappeared.

 

[teonchagi]

If you have hair that goes all over your face in the water and gets tangled and pulled by your mask strap, you can opt to use a beanie. It's the uncoolest part of my gear (it looks so stupid on me), but it is the one piece of equipment that is so practical. I have had people tell me that when they saw me with it, they immediately went to their shop and bought one.

Ask the shop what type of fins they rent. If it is open heel, then I agree with the poster above to buy a pair of booties. If it is full foot, which I think is more likely in Utila, a pair of lycra socks will help prevent blisters which may occur with your feet rubbing against the foot of the fin.

What kind of beanie? I'm imagining like a regular cloth beanie and that just doesn't seem right lol. My hair drives me insane while diving.