Surf Medical Travel Kits- The Essentials

If you are a dedicated travelling surfer, and interacting with nature, sometimes nature is not so kind, and then we come off second best. It about this time we look to our trusty surf medical kits or otherwise wish we had brought one.

When talking about surf medical travel kits it is not exactly necessary to bring much when travelling in known safe countries, other destinations it is best to bring everything you can think of a the kitchen sink. We’re here to describe what things can help you on your travels.

A 10 foot reef monster in southern France

Start From Home

To be at your healthiest in a foreign land should start at home. Some countries all the bacteria surrounding you can be harmful to your now sterile body. Go to a doctor, tell him the country you are visiting. He can check online what warnings are in place there and what vaccinations to give you. If you haven’t had anything you might need vaccinations for many things like:

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Tetanus

Yellow Fever

Also have a list of prescribed antibiotics you think you should need in case of emergency for the doctor to prescribe you

On The Road

So you pushed the envelope on the close out section at Bingin, and then you got dragged across the reef. You have minor cuts, but they are coral cuts, and these infect you from inside. Firstly you have to clean out all the wounds. You need a disinfectant like tea-tree oil and a toothbrush. Scrub your wounds by putting on the tea tree oil with the toothbrush. If you don’t it will get infected and be a painful nuisance rather than excruciating pain. If you get infected anti-malarial tablets such as doxcycline can help you at the prescribed dose.

Your Kit

You might need an anti-malarial such as doxycyline, lariam, or chloroquine, prescribed to you depending on your countries favourite. Doxycycline is a multi useful antibiotic, which can be helpful for fighting coral infections, and other internal infections.

Mosquito nets- to protect you from deadly mosquitos when sleeping- don’t be cheap and nasty, buy a good one that has a close knit

Mosquito repellent like Off to keep mosquitos away

English: Mosquito repellents (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Standard medical tools, like bandages, band aids, scissors, eye wash etc

super glue- to glue small wounds together. this may sound barbaric but it’s easier than stitches and less painful

Bali belly kit- if you get sick from bad food or water, bring loperamide to solidify your poop, and gastrolyte to rehydrate you from excess vomiting or other liquid loss. Similarly an antibiotic like Fasigyn is good to cure you from that annoying Guardia– when you stomach hasn’t been healthy for at least 2 weeks

Ear drops to prevent swimmers ear can be a good thing

Painkillers like paracetemol-aspirin or ibuprofen can be useful, but take care not to take ibuprofen on an empty stomach

Amoxycillin- a prescribed antibiotic to stop infection, like the chest infection you might get from hotel air conditioning in humid climates

Other disinfectants like Betadine

Anti itch spray like Stop-itch to stop the itch of bites and stings from mosquitos, jelly fish, and other biting creatures, before you scratch your skin off

Perfect waves in the Maldives

The trick is it is better to be safe than sorry. Be cautious with all that you do in a foreign country, as the care that you will be given is never the same as what your country provides for you

Maybe you have some suggestions of your own, or maybe an experience that you can give advice on. Share the love, and leave us your comments. You never now your help here might help others in the future.