Christmas Gift Ideas for Ocean Chicks
- Dianne Swain
- 3 days ago
- 9 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
After almost two years of living full-time on the ocean, I (Dianne) have put together a list of my most-used, most-loved products that make the perfect gifts for anyone who feels at home by the sea. This list is packed with products I genuinely use and recommend. Some are are smaller gifts and make perfect stocking stuffers or can be bundled together with other gifts, while some area bit more of splurge - either way there’s something here for every price range and for every ocean loving woman!
I wear this DAILY. The Garmin Descent MK2S has been my go-to daily watch and dive watch for almost four years, and I absolutely love it. It automatically switches to Dive Mode the moment you start freediving, logging your depth, recovery times, GPS location and more, and you can even GPS-mark spots underwater, which is so handy when diving for cray. It also has a Boating Mode that connects to our Garmin chartplotter and autopilot, meaning we can literally steer the boat from our wrists, and it’s scuba-ready with an attachment. After years of heavy use, the only wear I’ve seen is a slightly damaged band (easy $50 replacement) and the rose-gold finish fading to silver - probably why Garmin doesn’t offer that colour anymore. I have the 43mm version, which is a great size for a smaller wrist.
$2,149.00 AUD from https://www.garmin.com/en-AU/p/852183/pn/010-02753-05/
It’s so hard to find NICE sunglasses with a good UV rating that are polarized! Especially for a narrow face like mine. Over the years I've found these three and they are reasonably priced:
Solarized Slimfit: Oval - $24.95 AUD
Cancer Council: Ascot - $39.95 AUD
Liive: Tobes - $69.95 AUD
I always loose our sunglasses overboard so I also recommend some sunglasses savers too.
Every morning (well, ideally!) I head to the beach or roll out a mat on the boat for a yoga session, and I always follow the classes on the Alo Wellness App. The instructors are incredible, the class library is huge, and you can even download sessions to use offline. They cover everything—Yoga, Pilates, Strength, Barre, HIIT, Stretching, Meditation, Sleep, Breathwork, Dance, Running, and even Nutrition. I pay $19.99 AUD per month through the Apple App Store, though it’s cheaper if you subscribe directly via their website. It’s such a thoughtful gift for a long-distance friend or anyone who travels a lot and prefers meaningful, non-physical gifts.
$20 AUD / month from https://wellnessclub.aloyoga.com/
If she’s into spearfishing, Aimrite’s guns and wetsuits are an absolute go-to. I’m obsessed with the new blue wetsuit pattern they released this year, and my speargun is from Aimrite too - with pink rubbers, purple line, and a matching purple Aussie Reels reel. The owners, Trav and Cass, are good friends of ours and absolute legends - a local Cairns family business we love supporting. They’ve also kindly given us a 10% off code to share: SIRENSEAFARER.
I’ve been using a cotton/Turkish-style towel for a couple of years now, and it has become one of my most-used items on the boat. Mine was a gift, so I can’t link the exact one, but I highly recommend this style of towel because they’re incredibly versatile and take up almost no space. I use mine for morning yoga, as a seat cover, a swim towel, a light throw to keep the sun off my shoulders, and even as a sarong. While I haven’t personally tested the exact options below, here are a couple of places to find similar towels: https://turkishtowelco.com.au/ and one I’ve added to our Amazon store: https://amzn.to/4pK8Ila
These masks come in so many gorgeous colours and definitely make a statement. I met the owner and her partner in Hervey Bay last year - they’re genuinely lovely people and they’ve kindly given me a $30 promo code to share: DIANNE.
I pretty much live in bikinis, and while there are so many brands out there these days, a few I’ve been loving lately are Bright Bikinis, Kulani Kinis, and Wicked Weasel. One thing I especially love about Kulani Kinis is that they even have matching board shorts for the guys, perfect for a little matchy-matchy moment!
As someone who loves photography and content creation, I’ve collected a lot of camera gear over the years - here are some favourites that make amazing Christmas gifts:
DJI Osmo Action: $599 AUD - A fantastic little action camera for underwater filming. I recently switched from GoPro to DJI, but honestly either makes a great gift. And if they already have one, you can’t go wrong with accessories!
Instax Mini Evo Polaroid Camera: $254 AUD - This one’s brilliant because it’s a hybrid instant/digital camera. You can send photos from your phone to the camera to print, and send photos from the camera to your phone. You can also choose which shots actually get printed, which saves on film.
DJI Mini 3 Drone: $959 AUD - We use our drone all the time for those magic aerial shots.
Sony Mirrorless Camera: $1990 AUD - These are expensive, but for someone wanting to seriously level up their photography they are amazing. I've got a Sony Alpha 6700 that I'm currnelty learning on and I'm super impressed with the quality.
Insta360: $525 AUD - This camera is like a blend between a Action Camera and a drone! We have loved the unique shots we've been able to capture using this. Insta360 also offer a referral benefit so you can save using promo code: INRZ3E1
If they already have all the camera gear, why not get them a photography/ videography course, or some underwater presets!
These carbon fibre fins are the go-to for every freediver and spearfisher. They have some really cool designs - mines a pink topless mermaid.
$530 AUD from https://www.diverfins.com/
Theres so many other accessories for diving that get worn out and are always good to have spares of. Dive Socks are something I always manage to go through quickly. They will be falling off my feet but I have no spares onboard! So I'm sure any diver will appreciate those. Gloves are another one that get worn out quite quickly. Even the weight belts and weights are good to have spares of. I've seen some really awesome shell shaped dive weights - those are on my wish list!
If they use SeaPeople App, you can upgrade them to the Plus ($60/yr) or Patron ($150/yr) level.
These sunscreens are great stocking-stuffers. I've been using Sunbutter sunscreen for the last year onboard the boat and its so good! As a red-head, I need a good sunscreen. Save 15% on Sunbutter selected products with promo code DIANNE15 https://sunbutteroceans.com.au/sirenandseafarer
Nothing to do with the ocean, but I love board games. There’s nothing better than gathering friends for laughs, a bit of competitiveness, and making new memories. James and I play Monopoly Deal at least once a day, and when we need a break from that, we switch to backgammon. We’ve also recently found a few “card game” versions of two-player classics like Connect Four and Guess Who, which are brilliant space-saving alternatives for boat life. For three-player games, some favourites are Taboo, Six Second Scribble, Clueless, and Telestrations (we also just bought the adult version, “After Dark,” and it’s hilarious).
A good filleting knife kit never goes astray. I've even seen online some pink ones! Usually $50-$150 and available from you local boating shops.
The Sunchill is an awesome inflatble pool for social gatherings and boat days. They even have a Stinger Net that goes around it for those of us in Far North Queensland. We have an affiliate link for this product so if you purchase via the link below you help support our sailing journey!
$699 USD from https://sunchill.com/SirenAndSeafarer
Ok this one is a bit of a shameless plug, but also a great gift idea! I'm a PADI Mermaid Instructor, teaching mermaid courses as I sail around the Great Barrier Reef - however if my travel plans don't work for you, there are plenty of other incredible Mermaid Instructors in Australia to learn from. Freediving courses and Scuba Diving courses also make awesome gifts for those wanting to either start-out or level up.
A personalised Yeti is such a great gift, and the engraver at your local shopping center will be able to do it fairly quickly. If you don't want to personalise it with an engraving, why not personalise it with stickers of your travels! We use our Yeti drink bottles every day, they keep super cold and they have been super durable too. For keep Cups we have been using the Fressko cups.
I wish I knew exactly which waterproof bag to recommend, but the truth is - I still havn't found the perfect daily waterproof bag. We rotate between smaller waterproof pouches that fit just our phones and a few bits and bobs, to your average roll-up dry bag. If someone knows the perfect dry bag please let us know!! Either way, a waterproof bag is a necessilty on a boat.
I just got this SUP from Facebook Marketplace earlier this year, but already it's had a workout! It's an Aqua Marina brand, and so far has been super durable even sitting on-deck fully inflated in the harsh sunlight.
Most boaters already have this but if not, it’s a no brainer! Another one by Garmin, it essentially gives you a chart plotter on your phone that can be used off-line. So when your going ashore in a tender, or laying in bed researching future anchorages and courses, its a great fail-safe if anything happens to your main navigation equiptment too.
Every boatie needs a good hat. To make the gift a bit more personalised, why not get a Pallion Point cap with their favourite fish or ocean creature! (I don't have one myself but I want one!) Another cool idea to take it up a notch, you could always design and order a custom hat online with the name or their boat.
A portable speaker is an absolute must for us. When we first got the boat, we used a UE Boom and loved it, but it didn’t have USB-C charging at the time, so we upgraded to the Sony X—mostly because we liked the colour, if we’re honest! It’s been great onboard: water-resistant, solid sound, and the shape means it doesn’t roll around the boat. The XE200 model is fully waterproof and even salt-water resistant, so it’s perfect for life by the sea or the pool—and you can literally rinse it off without worrying.
This was actually my most recent gift from James for my birthday this year. It saves space instead of stocking up on so many books on the boat. At first I was hesitant - I live on a boat to reduce the amount of time I spend on screens - but as soon as I started the first book it was really no different from a paperback. The one I got is waterproof which is handy for those rouge waves and being able to read straight after a swim.
$199 AUD from https://amzn.to/3XytmsB
These guys seriously need to hire me as an ambassador. Anyone who will listen I tell them how much I love these shoes. They have been the main shoes I've worn for the last 4 years!!!
It all started when I broke my foot in Dec 2021 - I had a moon boot on one foot and needed a comfy shoe to wear on the other foot that would be the same height as the moon boot. I found the Reef shoes at my local surf shop. Since then I wore them EVERY DAY. I wore them to work, I wore them clubbing, I wore them walking in the water. I just chucked them in the washing machine if they needed a clean. Then one day in December 2023 (yes two years of wearing them daily!), James and I went for a walk along the beach where he popped the question and asked me to marry him! On the way back from the beach, alas, my Reef Shoes had been STOLEN!!! Being the creature of habit that I am, I immediatly ordered the same pair again. Another two years have gone past again and now this pair have a huge chunk taken out of the strap because I accidentlly shoved them in the compartment with a dive knife. Ooops! So you best believe I will be buying the same pair again as a christmas present to myself.
$63 Womans Water Vista Slide Black - https://amzn.to/48EbtOi
Waterproof Jewllery & Shell Jewelry
For Christmas last year my brother got me a Atolea neklace and it's so pretty! I wear it all the time and it hasn't tarnished at all. And for my birthday last year my best friend got me a pair of starfish earrings from a local jewller at the Magnetic Island Horseshoe Bay sunday markets that I wear all the time in the salt water too with no tarnishing. Another staple jewllery piece for any ocean chick is the classic shell-chocker or anklet, which you can pick up from pretty much any markets!
This one is a bit left-field, and nothing to do with the ocean. But I just love making the boat feel homely, comfortable and cosy. I might be a bit old-lady but I can't go past Adairs for the quality and selection they have. I love our Eucalyptus Bamboo bed sheets fromn there, and our textured hand towels and bath towels.
Merry Christmas!
I hope this gift guide has helped you with some inspiration for what to buy that ocean chick for christmas this year! Thanks for reading.
If you found this helpful please let me know!! Feel free to share the link with others too.
Mermaid wishes and starfish kisses,
from Dianne