This week I’m coming to you from the dive locker… in a complete state of disarray. I’m packing for a month in Truk Lagoon, and if you’re anything like me, it doesn’t matter how well prepared you are—the last day and a half before departure always feels frantic. So in this video I walk you through the coping mechanisms I’ve built over the years, starting with the single biggest game-changer: a proper checklist on my phone that I only tick off when an item is physically in the bag it’s assigned to. I start by clearing surfaces and creating a blank slate—anything not on the list gets put away. Then I lay everything out first (don’t check it off yet), divide it into checked vs carry-on, and pack in a way that keeps weights sensible—typically one Pelican case for dive gear and one for camera gear, with a bit of balancing as needed. Along the way I share what I’m most excited about: diving with a brilliant mix of friends, past students, and new faces (plus finally getting in the water with Pete Mesley), getting back on the wrecks after 10 years with a much better skill set, and shooting dramatically better footage than my old handheld GoPro days. Dive safe, dive often.