Things you have to bring with you to the Island

[augie]

We're going to try (one more time) to be carry on only people in July, when my wife, our seventeen year old son, and myself will be heading down for a week.

The whole thing hinges mostly on whether or not we can carry on a mesh dive bag with three sets of scuba fins. We're flying AA, whose web sites stipulates a 45 inch (width plus length, plush height) maximum.

That would constitute carry on #1. #2 will be our Polar Bear cooler with meat. #3 will be a size appropriate duffel which will hold the lion's share of our clothes (don't need many and have a washer and dryer where we're staying).

We each get a personal item, which will be a backpack. Netbook in one, camera(s), chargers, etc. in another, and the third will be for whatever clothes we can't fit in the duffel as well as some snack foods. Also a dive mask in each, as well as a bathing suit.

Undecided on sunscreen, bug spray, toothpaste, contact solution, etc. If we can't take what we need in TSA approved containers we'll either have to ship some ahead or stock up at Chelsea drug store on our way to the condo.

It won't be the end of the world if we have to check one bag, but I'd really like to avoid it so that we could call Dependable as soon as we land and get the Jeep and head to Red Hook as soon as possible.

So instead of this being a "what do you have to bring with you?" list, ours will be a "what can you leave behind?" list.

I plan to get all of the items out that we'd normally bring, prioritize them, then stop once we've reached our carry on limit.

Some items that may have to be culled from the list include:

Tripods
Neat Sheet
Dry bags
Dedicated camera bag
Full size noise cancelling headphones
Second (and in this case third) laptop(s)
Drink cups
Spare sunglasses


It will be interesting to see what makes the cut (assuming we achieve carry on only).

[LysaC]

oh yeah, I forgot books.

and a standard machete.

[PA Girl]

For the upcoming July trip, I will be culling the neat sheet and the hand towels and maybe the tote bag. We are staying on or very close to the beach so I should be able to survive.

But I need a tripod this time because I want family photos. I am thinking of using the cooler as the camera bag/carry on.

[Chet]

Flip Flops, board shorts, Jolly Dog T, sunglasses, Crabby's ball cap. All else is extra.

[TrvlJohn]

I've been thinking about the stuff I need to bring for my June trip.

The essentials are:
Camera - DSLR, multiple lenses, etc etc. Also a smaller canon with an underwater housing.
Shorts - one for swimming, one for not
T-shirts - 2 or 3
Shoes (sandals light trail runners for hiking)
Wallet
Sunscreen
Camp Soap - use for everything and it's biodegradable
Bug Spray

That's all I really need. I might pack a book, but I won't miss one if I don't. I will have way more camera gear than clothing or other stuff.

But now I'm wondering if I need a machete...

jmhouse: my kind of packing...I am one of the lucky ones who married a like-minded packer.

15 days with 2 carry-ons and a polar bear cooler.

I guess I will just have to make due without the machete.

-John

[VirginiaPatsRedsoxGirl]

I don't see many lists that include beach towels. We are a family of 6 and will be there this summer for the 3rd time. What do you use for towels at the beach?

[waterguy]

Beach towels are supplied by the villas

[iowaguy]

I bring a portable Bose Sound Dock with my ipod--a bit of an inconvenience but great to have. Ziploc bags, cocktail napkins, some good cheese, a few other snacks (goldfish, peanuts), CDs for the car.

[byado18]

Chip clips....the villas never seem to have enough!

[54b]

Thanks for the reminder, Gromit...I would bring a machete, but then I wouldn't have room in my bag for my Nunchucks.

I'm pretty good with a bow staff too...a lot of gangs on St. John have been asking me to join.

[jmq]

A small flexible tripod know as a gorilla pod can be handy for photos.

[Connie]

This is very interesting. We try to stay to the basics.

Next job is getting our favorite food together. One of the most important things in our kitchen is a food saver. Working on that this weekend.

Can't wait. Just about 8 days to go!

[Shellseeker]

Chip clips....the villas never seem to have enough!

If you're looking to save space, binder clips - the medium or large size ones are a good alternative to chip clips....just a thought

Thanks for sharing your "must have" and "will bring if there is room" lists especially for us newbies!

[elisa_nj]

Chip clips....the villas never seem to have enough!

If you're looking to save space, binder clips - the medium or large size ones are a good alternative to chip clips....just a thought!

Clothes Pins work great for that! Thats what we use at home. You can get a pack of 100 wooden ones at the dollar store!

[BillVT]

We've been bringing a set of portable iPod speakers called a BoomTube for the last three years. It looks like a pipe bomb and drives the TSA crazy. So this year I pulled it out on my own and put it in the bucket with my wife's lap top. No problems.

Other essentials beside the iPod:
camera
Fish id book
snorkel gear
diary
travel towel(sort of a shamwow)

and if I have any room left, clothes.

Actually we ship the fish book, "Off the Beaten Path," sunscreen, spices and snacks down two weeks before we leave.