Securing "accessories" while out diving

[Hintermann]

Now that I have decided to rent my own truck after all, I want to ask what to do with the unavoidable personal effects that one has to take to the dive site but not underwater. I know that the rule is to "leave truck unlocked and leave nothing behind" but in practice I would find this very difficult. Sure, there would be no valuables, but there are essential items that would make it very inconvenient to lose.

• T-shirt and shorts
• Flip-flops
• Specs in case
• Towel
• Sun cream
• Water bottle
• Camera lens cap
• Truck keys

I could stuff that lot into a small waterproof bag, but where to leave the bag? Obviously, I cannot take it underwater with me and since the truck is left unlocked, cannot leave it there. What do people do?

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I never had those things disturbed when left in the car but the key? Take that with you! I use a small otter box that I clip to my shoulder ring.

 

[Steve_C]

I have one of those small combination safes that go into the trailer hitch. I sometimes use that to lock the car.

 

[wwguy]

T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops, water bottle, and towel should all be cheap, unattractive, and easy for you to replace if they wander off while you're out diving. Spectacles should go in a ziploc bag, old empty dive light, or waterproof hard case and in your BC pocket. Truck keys go in with the glasses or clipped into BC pocket. Same for the camera lens cap, although it doesn't have much value on its own... Except to you.

 

[darook]

Anything that matters stays at the hotel or goes with me into the sea. I wear my dive booties to the site. The only thing that stays with the truck is water in reused bottles and REALLY crappy towels.

 

[wwguy]

I have one of those small combination safes that go into the trailer hitch. I sometimes use that to lock the car.

And you travel with it?

Bonairean dive rental trucks don't have 2" hitch receivers anyway.

 

[Darol]

We used a small freezer bag, put the truck key in it burp out the air, and put it in my BC pocket with the velcro.
One other time I hid the key under a near by rock. Be careful, a lot of the brain coral rocks look a like ..........

FTR we had no problem with sticky fingers, and most of the sites had more than one vehicle there. Good Luck.....

Another trick ...fill a zip lock sandwich bag half full of flour, leave it on the front seat, nothing else will come up missing promise....:cool2:......

 

[diversteve]

Now that I have decided to rent my own truck after all, I want to ask what to do with the unavoidable personal effects that one has to take to the dive site but not underwater. I know that the rule is to "leave truck unlocked and leave nothing behind" but in practice I would find this very difficult. Sure, there would be no valuables, but there are essential items that would make it very inconvenient to lose.

• T-shirt and shorts
• Flip-flops
• Specs in case
• Towel
• Sun cream
• Water bottle
• Camera lens cap
• Truck keys

I could stuff that lot into a small waterproof bag, but where to leave the bag?

I wouldn't - you're just making it more tempting (and easier) for them to grab and go with all your stuff in a neat bag.

Everything but the specs, cap and car key can be left in the truck. You're not out much if it gets taken.

Although don't buy into all the paranoia that's posted here either. I left a video camera between the seats with the truck parked in a public lot in town, windows down for a couple hours while we walked around. Forgot it was there and it still was when we got back. We did a lot of the more remote dives afternoons by ourselves - no one even within visual range and nothing was touched/taken. Often we never passed another vehicle on the ride back to town from the south. And it was Dive Week so it was obvious that there'd be a lot of divers all over.

I used one of these for the truck key. Probably put your lens cap in there also if it's small enough. The same one has done about 200 dives since to 125' or so and never leaked. They're o-ringed and the narrower ones don't seem to have enough surface area to provide something for the pressure to exploit. YMMV.
Witz from LeisurePro Mine is no longer listed but it's similar to the Surf-Safe case. They also sell one specifically for glasses called the Wrapper - listed also.

I dive in micro-fiber board shorts so just had an old dry t-shirt in the truck. They almost dry before you get done loading your gear. Not the first time those truck seats have seen salt water either...lol

 

[wwguy]

FTR we had no problem with sticky fingers, and most of the sites had more than one vehicle there. Good Luck.....

I guess you had better luck than these folks then.

"On Monday November 24th, police received a report of the theft of goods from a number of vehicles parked at Larry's Lair Dive Site. The stolen items include:an Omega Seamaster wrist watch, Rayban sunglasses, Prada Sunglasses, a yellow mask, a pair of purple sandals, a black leather handbag, an Evo diving suit and prescription spectacles. The thefts took place between 14:45hrs and 15:40hrs."

 

[hroark2112]

Someone doesn't know how to read the warnings...don't leave anything of any value in the truck.

When I go, I wear my hard soled boots so I don't need flip flops, the sunglasses I leave in the truck cost me a total of $6.95, water bottles get used over & over and who cares if they get stolen!! Truck keys go in the pocket on the dive. All that is left in the truck is water bottles, cheap sunglasses and maybe a beat up t-shirt & towel.