Nemesis is very comfortable above and below decks. She is our home and we have her set up for long range cruising. Having said that, space is limited and a lot of it is taken up with systems and gear to get us moving and keep us moving.

Most important to remember is that we are our own self contained little ecosystem. Water is our most precious resource and we are very careful with how much we use, its not easily accessible everywhere so no full length showers like at home or washing dishes with a full sink. Power is the other big thing we monitor, every bit of energy we use has to be replaced by either solar or the diesel engine and like water, we monitor our diesel use closely.

Ok so that's the "be careful with our resources" speech out the way, here is list of things that people wonder / ask about most often that might help you pack.

What's Already On Board

Sleeping Quarters - There is a quarter bunk that is big enough for two to sleep in, in real estate speak its cozy, in reality it's a bit of a tight fit, but it is a boat and Jeff and I fit in there no problems.

Head & Shower - There is a manual marine head (yep that's right you have to pump it) and a hand held warm water showers. Showers are of the turn the water off to wash and turn the water on to rinse type.

Sheets & Towels - We have spare sheets and towels on board, if you want a beach towel for after swimming you will need to bring it with you, drip dry is the way we usually go.

Safety Gear - We have life jackets on board, with harnesses. If you want to bring you own please go ahead, just make sure you check with your airline that they will let you carry it, some airlines don't like the CO2 canisters (which is kind of funny considering they have one under every seat in their own lifejackets). We shipped ours over from Australia, they got here but we had some fun with them so double check. We have a policy of lifejackets on all passengers after dark on deck when we are underway... no exceptions.

Snorkeling Gear - We have 2 spare masks and snorkels on board and one spare set of fins. If you have your own please bring them with you, there are always plenty of opportunities to jump over the side and check out the marine life.

Stubbie Holders - We have plenty, can't have your beer going cold.

Fishing Gear - We try our best and do catch fish from time to time. Any experts are welcome to help us raise the bar in this area.

What to Bring With You

Non Marking Deck Shoes - Please no dark soled shoes, or if they are make sure they are non marking, it's a full time job keeping the decks clean as it is and we are generally trying to be lazy wherever possible. Jeff and I go barefoot most of the time onboard anyway, but that's a personal choice, shoes or no shoes.

Wet Weather Gear - It's damn hot in the tropics and most of the time you wont need wet weather gear but it would be a good idea to bring a light, wind and waterproof jacket with a hood if you have one, just in case... you never know what the weather is going to do and there is nothing worse than getting wet

Soft Shell Bags Only - Once again on the space topic, there is not much spare room and hard case bags don't belong on a boat, please only soft shell bags.

Sunblock, Mosquito Repellent, Hat & Sunnies - These are an absolute must for the tropics, its hot and the sun is brutal, I can guarantee it having had heat exhaustion once already on this trip. Sunblock and mossie repellent is very expensive and hard to find in most places we are cruising so we ask that you bring on board what you will need to use for your trip.

Ziplock Bags - Anything that can't get wet or you don't want it to get wet pack it in a ziplock bag. Dingy rides to the beach are often an opportunity for an unexpected swim. Wallets, phones and else anything like that are better in ziplocks.

What We Have to Find Ashore (No guarantees)

Phone Access - There is some mobile phone access along some routes, make sure your phone roams where we are going to be if you want to use your mobile. We use our mobile only for the occasional text message, phone access is expensive out here. We use phone cards for calling home from public phones, you can usually get them from home before you leave, just make sure you have the correct access numbers for the country you are in, we have been caught without them, makes it kind of tough if you cant dial out.

Internet Access - Some towns have internet access where you can use an internet café, generally we try and get some access every week or two depending on where we are and what we are doing (gotta do the admin tasks sometime). Occasionally we get Internet access on board, but its not common so don't count on it.

Laundry Facilities - Few and far between unfortunately and they can get pricey. We try and get to them every 2 - 3 weeks... sometimes the only option is to leave laundry with someone in a town and pick it up the next day. Might just be easier to take it home with you, depending on how long you are on board.

Ice - A great luxury - we love cocktails! We get ice ashore whenever we can find it... one of these days we will invest in a 12V ice maker if we can find one that won't break the bank 

Remember is to have fun, we love have guests join us. Welcome Aboard!

Visitors: what to bring and expect

Comments [1]

We had lots of you threatening to visit, we are happy to say someone has actually taken the plunge and booked their flights... thanks Mum & Dad

Bill and Leigh will be joining us from Feb 2nd 09 to Mar 2nd 09, somewhere in South America... stayed tuned for exact locations closer to the date

Let us know when you plan to visit so we can add you to the list.

Visitors: what to bring and expect

Comments [5]