There’s nothing that puts a damper in a party quite like
running out of something that you desperately need. For some, that means
running out of music. For others, it means running out of drinks.
But when you’re not quite having a party but rather a
boating excursion, your needs change drastically. Running out of drinking
water, for example, can make someone so thirsty that you have to head back for
shore.
Don’t run out of something you need. Instead, follow these
tips and pack for an afternoon boat excursion that can go off without a hitch.
Drinking
Water
There’s the temptation to feel as though swimming in water
or boating on top of water won’t make you want to drink water. But dehydration
is a problem even when you’re at the beach or out on the boat. Pack plenty of
drinking water for everyone, and since it’s cheap, it’s probably a good idea to
pack more than you need. You can always save the leftover water for an
excursion on another day.
Sunscreen
It’s possible to have too much fun under the sun, and
anyone susceptible to sunburns already knows how that story often ends. Sunscreen
is important, of course, but you have to make sure that you pack the right
sunscreen: something with enough blocking power to last a while and enough of a
water-resistant nature that people won’t have their days ruined because they
succumbed to a splash or two.
Life
Jackets for All
Not only is it smart to prepare for the safety of all of your boating guests, but chances are you could face a
hefty fine if caught without enough safety jackets for everyone on the boat. So
make sure you have enough for every single one on the boat; you never know when
you might need to use one. And if your boat gets inspected, you’ll be glad you
took the extra time to load all of the life jackets on board.
Snacks
Water’s not enough to fuel you, especially if you’re
wrestling with deep-sea creatures while fishing or have the boat anchored while
people swim. Pack a few healthy snacks like fruit to ensure that everyone will
have plenty of energy for the entire afternoon; there’s nothing that ruins an
afternoon more quickly than someone being excessively hungry (and grumpy). And
since you’re burning off all that sugar anyway you could always pack some
energy-dense snacks like granola bars.
Waterproof
Radio
If you buy a weather radio, you can get AM/FM bands as
well as a constant local weather report. This allows you to turn on tunes when
the weather’s nice…and it allows you to switch on the forecast when the sky
looks a little more foreboding. Having a solid grip on the weather is easy;
just make sure that your radio is waterproof so you don’t have to worry about
keeping it constantly dry or away from the water, and you’ll be good to go.
