What are they?
Dry bags are heavy water-proof vinyl bags that are most often used by people who kayak, canoe, and do other water sports. You put your sensitive gear, cameras, or even your entire backpack inside the bag, then fold down the opening and seal it water-tight. They come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, fabrics, and colors.
We recommend bags that have shoulder straps so they can be carried like a backpack. These leave both hands free to negotiate the gangway and to help in getting into and out of the zodiacs.
 top-loading style |
 backpack style |
 backpack style |
 taper style |
Examples of Dry Bags |
|||
Why do you need one?
Dry bags are very important! Depending on the weather and sea conditions, you will be splashed or get wet while riding in and getting in and out of the zodiacs. The dry bag will protect camera gear and other precious equipment while riding in, and getting in and out of the zodiacs.
You can also buy a separate dry bag to hold your tripod, but this is not necessary if you don't care if your tripod gets a bit wet with salt water (tripods should be rinsed off back on the ship). Taper dry bags used for kayak paddles work well for tripods.
Two methods to keep dry
- Put your entire photography backpack inside the dry bag to keep everything dry. This is the method that we recommend, especially for photographers. Don't worry about buying a padded dry bag - your camera gear will be protected inside your camera backpack. Rod Planck, one of our professional photographers, uses "Bill's Bag" from NRS. And Doug Cheeseman uses the "Pro Pack" from Seal Line (made by Cascade Designs). Others recommend Watershed.
- Put only your sensitive gear inside a smaller dry bag that fits inside your backpack. This works well if you have a point and shoot camera and small amounts of other sensitive gear. In this case, the backpack is allowed to get a bit wet, but the contents inside the dry bag will remain dry. You can also use a few heavy-duty Ziploc bags inside your backpack for other things.
What to do when you arrive on shore
Once you arrive on shore, you take your gear out of the dry bag and leave the bag at the landing site to be used again on the way back to the ship. Feel free to use the bag as storage for extra equipment or clothes that you may need during the landing. Make sure you firmly secure your bag from blowing away, even if it doesn't look windy - the weather changes fast and often! You can also use your dry bag to carry your gear all day, but this is not recommended since dry bags are not designed to conveniently access your gear and are not very comfortable to carry.
Hint - label your bag!
Many dry bags look alike when piled up on shore! It is a good idea to use an indelible marker to write your name prominently on the outside of the bag so it can be readily identified.
Where do I buy one?
You can buy dry bags at sporting good stores, especially those that specialize in kayaking and canoeing. They range in price from $30 to over $100 depending on features and size, but all will keep your gear dry. If possible, bring your camera bag or backpack to the store with you to make sure that it will fit inside and seal shut. See examples and purchase dry bags at Watershed, REI, Cascade Designs (makers of Seal Line), and NRS.
Page updated: May 2011
Return to top