What to wear and bring on a boat trip

Quick list

Essentials

• Swimwear (worn under your clothes) and a towel
• High-factor sun cream
• Sunglasses and a cap that won't blow away
• Water: more than you think

Nice to have

• A light jumper or windproof layer for the way back
• A snorkel mask
• A waterproof phone pouch
• Something to eat, for trips of 4 hours or more

Better left ashore

• Hard suitcases and bulky bags
• Heels and black-soled shoes
• Glass bottles
• Anything you'd hate to see splashed

On a boat, space is tight and everything gets a little wet, so the rule is simple: pack light, pack soft, and only bring what you don't mind getting splashed. A tote or a small rucksack fits in any corner; a hard case doesn't.

What to wear (and which shoes)

Arrive with your swimwear already on and something comfortable over it: a T-shirt and shorts, or a light summer dress. For several hours in the sun, a thin long-sleeved top protects you without reapplying sun cream every half hour. Quick-drying fabrics beat thick cotton, which takes ages to dry once it's wet.

Always pack a layer for the way back. Even on a hot day there's more breeze on the water, and after a swim, with wet hair and the boat moving, you'll feel the chill. From June to September the sea off Sitges averages 21 to 24 °C (70 to 75 °F): lovely for a swim, but you'll still want that towel and jumper within reach.

At sea the sun hits harder: the water reflects the light and there's little shade. High-factor sun cream, reapplied after every swim, sunglasses and a cap are essentials, in May and October too.

Shoes should be flat, with light soles that won't mark the deck. Often the comfiest option is to kick them off as you board and go barefoot. Sandals or water shoes help if you plan to step ashore on a pebbly cove.

A soft bag, sun cream and a layer for the way back: that covers almost any trip.

What to bring, trip by trip

• 2 hours: the bare minimum. Swimwear, a towel, sun cream, sunglasses and water: just right for one cove and a swim on a private boat with a skipper in Sitges.
• Half a day: add something to eat, more water and a mask to look at the seabed.
• A full day: a proper lunch, plenty of water, a change of clothes and a second towel. Going home dry is a treat. A full day on a catamaran is the roomiest way to do it: see boat hire in Castelldefels, from Port Ginesta.
• At sunset: the extra layer is a must. In June and July the sun sets at around 9.30pm, so you'll head back as the air cools. Times for every month are in our guide to where to watch the sunset in Sitges, and for two hours under sail at dusk, look at boat hire in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
• Boat party: flat shoes or bare feet, never heels: the deck moves and gets wet. Wear swimwear under your outfit for the swim stop; matching T-shirts and sashes are welcome, anything that can blow away isn't. Plan your hen or stag do on boat hire in Sitges.

Food and drink on board

If you're out for 4 hours or more, bring something to eat. Best is anything you can eat with your hands without making a mess: sandwiches, cut fruit, nuts, crisps. Skip anything that melts in the sun or needs plates and cutlery.

For drinks, a soft cool bag beats a hard cool box, and no loose glass: on a moving deck, broken glass is a real problem. Bring more water than you think, too: sun and salt make you thirstier than you expect.

Each boat has its own rules on food and drink, and some trips already include something on board. Ask in your request and you'll know before you haul a cool box down to the marina.

If you get seasick

Seasickness can happen to anyone, and it can usually be kept at bay. This is the NHS advice for motion sickness:

1. Sit in the middle of the boat, where you feel the movement least.
2. Look straight ahead at a fixed point, such as the horizon, not at the rolling waves.
3. Get some fresh air and, if you need to, close your eyes and breathe slowly.
4. Don't read or look at your phone while the boat is moving.
5. Skip heavy meals, spicy food and alcohol shortly before and during the trip.
6. Try ginger, as a tablet, a biscuit or a tea.

Pharmacies sell tablets, patches and acupressure bands for travel sickness (the NHS notes that bands don't work for everyone). Ask the pharmacist which suits you, well before the day of your trip.

If you know you get seasick easily, tell the skipper when you board. At anchor in a cove on a calm day, the movement is gentle, and a swim works wonders. Prefer a short hop? Our guide to the beaches near Sitges shows the closest coves to each marina.

What the boat already carries

Life jackets and the rest of the mandatory safety equipment are on board, and they're the responsibility of the skipper and the boat, so you don't need to bring any. Travelling with young children? Mention their ages in your request and ask about life jackets in their size.