What to Pack in Your Beach Bag When You Go Snorkeling or Shore Diving

After dozens of shore dives on Bonaire, we’ve come up with a standard bag of supplies to bring for every dive. No matter where you dive, or if you snorkel, everything on this list will make your outing more comfortable.

Don’t tempt thieves

In our excursions on Bonaire and in Hawaii we’ve never had anything taken from shore, but we also don’t leave anything of value behind. If you’re not taking it in the water with you, and you’ll be sad for more than 5 minutes if you lose it, don’t bring it along.

Leave car doors unlocked when you go into the water and take the keys with you.

Trucks make the best dive vehicles

If it’s an option, choose a pickup truck for your island vehicle. Wet gear rides perfectly in back, and the tailgate makes an ideal loading shelf for your tank and BCD.

On Bonaire, we recommend AB rentals, for their friendly service and competitive rates. Unlike at some other destinations, we always pay for full insurance coverage. We drive the truck straight out to the dive site and like having the peace of mind in case something goes wrong.

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What to pack in your beach bag

Here’s a look at our typical shore dive supply bag

Water

Bring at least one bottle of water for each diver/snorkeler. We buy bottled water at the beginning of the trip, write our names on the bottles, and refill them. I keep them in the fridge so they’re cold when they go into the bag.

A waterproof container for keys

At the very least, you’ll have car keys and a room key or house key to keep safe while you dive. We use a small container like this one. I carry it around my neck in the water (under my rash guard so it stays out of the way). It keeps things safe and dry, and can hold several keys and cash or a credit card too.

First aid kit

At the very least, you should have some bandaids and neosporin along. Even though it’s taboo to touch anything on the reef, it can be easy to get scratched up on entry or exit.

Another good thing to have along is a small container of vinegar. Vinegar counteracts the sting from a jellyfish or coral much better than seawater can. (Of course if you have a serious sting you should consult a doctor).

Sunscreen

Don’t get burned when you’re out of the water. Bring some sunscreen so you can re-apply when you get back to shore.

Towels

Drip-dry works pretty well in warm climate but it’s always nice to be able to dry your face and cover the car seat when you’re wet.

Cheap sunglasses

Don’t worry about losing your favorite Maui Jim’s (my favorite too!). Bring a pair of cheap sunglasses to wear to the dive site. You can leave them in the car care-free.

Essential equipment: dive booties

What to bring scuba equipment-wise is a whole other topic. But we do recommend that you use open-heeled fins so you can wear booties. Almost anywhere you go, you’ll be walking over rocks or coral, or at least hot sand, to get to the water. Booties are a real foot-saver for shore diving and snorkeling.

Are you planning a trip to the island of Bonaire?

Consider a coral restoration dive! Here’s my post about diving with Coral Restoration Foundation Bonaire.

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