W.O. 207 - PACKING LIST FOR SEA KAYAKING Conditions vary out on Tomales Bay; it s best to be prepared for strong winds and cold wet conditions as well as hot sunny days. It is important to read the equipment list carefully before purchasing or renting gear for the trip! If you have any questions as you pack please feel free to call the Recreation Department at (83) 459-2807 If no one is available to receive your call please leave a message including your name, phone number, session, and the equipment you want to rent so that we can reserve your gear ASAP (especially during our summer hours). You may also e-mail us at recreation@ucsc.edu Specialized sea kayak gear can be expensive but it is not necessary to buy top of the line, brand new equipment to have a great time on SKWO. Renting gear from UCSC, shopping at thrift stores, or borrowing from friends are excellent ways to reduce costs! UCSC RENTAL GEAR IS LIMITED! We have high quality gear and our rates are very low. This can save you considerable money and give you a chance to field test gear before you make a big investment. Don't wait until you arrive at UCSC to reserve your gear. Rental gear is reserved on a first come first served basis so get your reservations in early! **PLEASE READ: Items that can be rented from the UCSC Recreation Department are noted with the price on the equipment list below. Our selection and numbers are limited, so to ensure their availability you must send in the rental reservation form to reserve these items as soon as possible. Due to the difficulty of setting aside last minute reservations, the last day to reserve gear is... August 20, 207 When you arrive for your trip instructors will check your gear to make sure you have everything you need. If you are missing anything or if you have any gear not quite suitable for course they will rent those items to you before we leave for the Bay. The following items are required for your expedition. A few optional items are listed at the end. Remember that you have to carry your share of the group gear (food, stoves, pots, tents, etc.) and space in kayaks is limited. Instructors may pair down your optional gear depending on size. Weight and bulk must be kept to an absolute minimum because it all adds up fast. Trust us that you will be glad that you made efforts to minimize your load once you are on the water!
Clothing Layers are key! Layering clothing allows you to combine different garments to achieve optimum comfort and protection from wind, cold, and rain. NO COTTON! Cotton does not insulate when it gets wet and does not dry quickly. Wool and synthetic (polyester, polypropylene, capilene, fleece, etc.) products, on the other hand, are very functional for warmth, even when wet. Exceptions: Cotton T-shirts, shorts and underwear are OK because they are not used as warm layers. Equipment Water Shoes Qty Rental Price pair Comments For use in the kayak. These are shoes to protect your feet when pushing boats into and taking out of the water on rocky beaches. They should also stay on your feet when swimming. Teva-style sandals, old sneakers, or running shoes work great. Camp Shoes pair Socks -2 pair Long Underwear Top & Bottoms each A pair of dry shoes to wear with socks for warmth in camp. These shoes will double as your hiking shoes for short hikes as well as your work shoes on service day. Tennis shoes are great; you do not need to buy heavy duty hiking boots. Two to three pairs of wool or wool/nylon or wool/polypropylene socks. A warm fleece, wool, or synthetic long sleeve top
and leggings for layering. No cotton (check the tags) Warm Pants $5 A thicker pair of fleece pants (not cotton sweatpants) to wear on top of your long underwear bottoms for warmth. Underwear 3-4 pair Optional. Cotton, silk, or synthetics are fine. Sports bras should be synthetic and can double as swimwear. Shorts -2 Board shorts or light nylon running shorts. They dry quickly and can double as swimsuit bottoms. Swim Suit Optional! Many choose to swim in shorts and sports bras. Warm Top Layers 3 Layers $2-3 It s nice to have at least one warm layer (like a fleece pullover) to wear under a rain jacket for chilly days on the water and save your other two warm layers for keeping dry in camp. Make sure the layers you bring will fit over each other with room for your rain gear on top. Please bring at least 3 of an combination of the following: * Heavy weight wool/fleece sweater * Synthetic/fleece vest * Heavy weight wool shirt * Insulated or heavy weight fleece jacket * Puffy synthetic insulated jacket T-shirt -2 Lightweight cotton or synthetic T s are fine. Sun Layer Optional. A light long sleeve shirt or hoody is an
excellent way to protect your skin from that flaming orb in the sky. Sarong Optional. A light sarong is a helpful way to change when we camp on the beach. Warm Hat Beanie that covers your ears for warmth. Sun Hat Baseball, bucket, or cowboy style hat/visor for the sun. Paddling Gloves or Mittens pair Optional. Gloves can help prevent blisters from paddling and protect your hands from the sun. Rain Jacket & Rain Pants each $6 for one, $2 for both A rain jacket and pair of rain pants cut the wind and keep you dry. They should be fully waterproof, not just water-resistant. Ponchos and cheap plastic rain gear are not acceptable. Dry Bags or Stuff Sacks 2-4 We will be packing all of our gear into our kayaks. The best way to keep your stuff dry is with dry bags. A cheaper option is to line a stuff sack with a trash bag. Remember the hatches where we store gear are small so two or three smaller bags is better than one big bag. Day-pack Optional. A small and lightweight backpack for water
and snacks. Sleeping Bag $5 A synthetic fill or down sleeping bag with a mummy-style hood. Synthetic fill bags have the advantage of keeping you warm if they get wet. Your bag should have a temperature rating of 20 degrees or lower. Sleeping Pad $2 A full-length ensolite or closed cell foam pad about 2 inch thick. The pad is used for insulation between your sleeping bag and the ground. A Therm-a-Rest inflatable pad is a great option. Try to avoid enormous, bulky pads. Ground Sheet $ Lightweight plastic or nylon tarp that goes between the ground and your sleeping pad. It should be approximately 4 x7. Water Bottles 2 Quart or liter size water bottles. A hydration bag (camelback or equivalent) in addition to one wide mouth quart sized water bottle is also acceptable. One quart Gatorade bottles are a cheap alternative to a reusable Nalgene bottle. Bandanas 2 Used for a number of purposes; sun protection, to cool your neck, hold hair back, as a back-up pot holder, towel, washcloth, etc. Cup, bowl, and spoon each A cup and bowl made of durable plastic. Tupperware and a hot to go mug are great options you may already have at home. A hard plastic or metal spoon is fine. No plastic picnic spoons. Heavy-duty Garbage Bags 3-4 To keep your sleeping bag and extra clothes dry. They should be the heavy weight, large variety. Headlamp Lightweight, small and durable. A headlamp is recommended over a flashlight, because it frees up your hands for other tasks. Make sure to put in fresh batteries. Sunglasses You must have a pair of sunglasses for the harsh glare on the water. Bring a keeper leash, or make one out of string.
Sunscreen SPF 30 or higher. Because you will be sweating, waterproof is best. Lipbalm With SPF Whistle Lightweight, on a lanyard or cord. Personal Hygiene Kit Just the necessities: toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. Optional items include a small lotion and small comb or brush. Also note: changes in activity and diet can alter your normal menstrual cycle. Bring tampons or pads even if you re not expecting your period. Do not bring any soap, deodorant, shampoo, or makeup (these are unnecessary, odorous items that attract critters). Journal and pens A small notebook or pad of paper and a pen or pencil. Put them in a ziplock bag to keep them dry. Additional Optional Items Pocket knife Optional. Small and lightweight, Swiss Army or Leatherman style is ideal. No need for large hunting knives. Watercolors, pastels, etc. Optional. A small, lightweight set of watercolors, a few pastels, or other art supplies. Camera Light Camp Chair/Crazy Creek Chair Optional. A small, lightweight camera is highly recommended! Optional. Since we will spend most evenings sitting together, a lightweight crazy-creek or therma- lounger type chair can be useful. You may also choose to simply sit on the ground, or on a folded ensolite foam pad. Miscellaneous Clean change of clothes and You will be able to leave a shower bag at UCSC for use when we return to campus and take showers at the end of
shower supplies the trip. Pack a clean change of clothes in a paper bag or duffel bag with your name on it. Include shampoo, soap and a towel. Cash Eye Glasses and Contact Lenses Prescription Drugs In addition to money to pay for any rental gear you ve reserved, we recommend about $40 for dinner on the way home, snacks on the road, unexpected expenses, and any unexpected equipment rentals/purchases. If you wear prescription glasses or contact lenses you should bring an extra pair. Contact lenses may be a hassle in the sand, we recommend you opt for glasses. These should be in their original bottle with your name, the doctor s name, and dosage information. Please notify your instructor if you have a prescription. This information is vital should an emergency situation arise. What NOT to bring: You will not need anything not listed above!! We will not bring cell phones on the kayaking trip; you will have a safe place for you to leave them on campus while we are gone. We will supply all stoves, fuel, water, first aid and blister supplies, tents, soap, cook pots, utensils, food, and kayaking gear. If you don t see an item listed above, please don t bring it! There are many items that we ask you leave behind in order to fit everything into boats! We will be sure to carry sufficient equipment, clothing and food to ensure that we can keep warm and dry in all conditions. Thanks & happy packing!