• Lots of waterproof sunscreen, SPF 15 or above
• Lip Balm with SPF 15+
• A hat
• Good sandals like Tevas
• Sneakers or boots for hikes
• Sunglasses
• Rain jacket, goretex or something similar
• Maglite, or other small, powerful flashlight with batteries
• Swiss Army knife
• Long-sleeved shirt for beach
• A towel

Boards etc.

• Good board bag with heavy-duty straps
• Bubblewrap, duct tape and foam blocks to protect the fins (if you have a good board bag and FCS fins this won't be necessary)
• Two boards (unless you're a pro, keep it simple)
• Wax
• Wetsuit, rashguard, booties
• Leash, plus two extras
• Ding repair kit
• Aquaseal for wetsuit repair
• Softracks -- key for rental cars, or long, cam-lock straps

For surf trips to the tropics add these items:

• Long-sleeve, rashguard
• Reef shoes
• Mosquito netting
• Troppo surf wax, or
• Traction decks for the board
• Zinc creme in tacky colors

First Aid Kit

• Ear drops, or isoproplyl alchohol in an ear-friendly dispenser
• Immodium, the chemical cork, works wonders on Dehli belly, Montezuma's Revenge and like ailments; Lomotil and Pepto Bismol can also be effective
• Motion sickness pills, or an antihistamine like Benadryl to help prevent motion sickness
• Bandaids
• Maxipads -- a few sanitary napkins work well for bigger cuts
• Topical antiseptics such as Betadine or Neosporin
• Antibiotics, like Cipro, need to be prescribed by a doctor, but sometimes it's the only thing that will kill off an intestinal infection or fever. Carry the prescription with you.
• Aspirin, works great on hangovers too, and non-aspirin analgesics like ibuprofin
• Multivitamins can help keep you healthy on long trips with limited diet.
• Tweezers for urchin spines, broken glass and splinters
• Iodine tablets to purify suspect water
• Coral cuts should be brushed clean with a soft, sterile toothbrush and rinsed with clean water before being treated with betadine or other antiseptic. In a pinch, fresh lime can be used to clean the wound.
• Needles
• Sutures
• Some adhesive bandages work as well as sutures, ask your pharmacist
• Tooth anodyne, oil of clove, or another mix to dull the ache of cavities until you can get to a dentist
• Local anaethetic