ATTENTION UW PHOTOGRAPHERS:

[living4experiences]

I flew into Cabo San Lucas for a live-aboard on 11/16/20. I travel to Mexico not looking like a diver and not displaying diver branded bags. I have a TG6, the housing, and a single strobe. I brought my old Go Pro as a "dummy" camera. My strategy: I distributed the TG6, the housing and strobe amongst my 1 checked bag, 1 carry-on, and backpack. The Go Pro was in my backpack. If I was questioned, like, Do you have a camera? My answer is Yes, a Go Pro, and I wouldn't be lying. I got a green light, so I was not harassed and robbed. Whew!

 

[LoveOceanicGears]

I arrived SJD on 10/31. Before I even press the red/green button, the lady watching the machine asked me what do I have in my bags.

"Diving gear and clothes", I replied.

"Do you have any camera housing or zoom lens?" She asked.

"Only GoPro..." I replied, hoping she will wave at me and let me go.

She asked again and I admitted I do have an underwater housing. So she asked me to go in front of X-ray machine.

The guy watching the X-ray machine asked me the same question about underwater housing and zoom lens again, And asked me to show him what I have.

I opened my camera bag and show him my new Olympus PT-58 housing, TG-6 camera, GoPro, and Sony compact camera. He looked at the PT-58 housing in his hand with interest. He also took a look at my Olympus UFL-3 flash and SeaLife Sea Dragon light, but didn't seem to be too interested in both.

Finally, he decided to let me go without paying tax. That's a big relief!

BTW, he also asked me about how many laptops I have, I told him one and he is fine with it. He didn't ask me to show him the laptop.

 

[puncho]

Anyone have any new experiences to share about this? I'm thinking of bringing my rx100/housing, gopro and drone (mavic air 2) all packed in a backpack. Do they xray the bag? Do they randomly choose to question tourists for what's in their backpacks?

I may end up just bringing a gopro and drone if I'm limited to 2 cameras. Thanks!

 

[Dan]

Anyone have any new experiences to share about this? I'm thinking of bringing my rx100/housing, gopro and drone (mavic air 2) all packed in a backpack. Do they xray the bag? Do they randomly choose to question tourists for what's in their backpacks?

I may end up just bringing a gopro and drone if I'm limited to 2 cameras. Thanks!

You shouldn’t have any problem then. I was there last month, Trip Report - Socorro Jan 2021 Diving Trip Report

I put my Sea&Sea DX-6G & GoPro6 in my backpack, as shown below. Went through no problem.

 

[tursiops]

You shouldn’t have any problem then. I was there last month, Trip Report - Socorro Jan 2021 Diving Trip Report

I put my Sea&Sea DX-6G & GoPro6 in my backpack, as shown below. Went through no problem.

View attachment 642389

1) The SpareAir with valve attached was OK when boarding? I'm surprised. Shouldn't have been allowed.
2) Why do you have a spare air?

 

[Dan]

1) The SpareAir with valve attached was OK when boarding? I'm surprised. Shouldn't have been allowed.
2) Why do you have a spare air?

1) I took the valve off during TSA inspection.
2) Extra 3cf of gas never hurt diver.

I took it to Cocos, Socorro & Belize. No fuzz by any TSA. Some of them curiously peering into the bottle open end to make sure it is empty. Some of them asked for paper work. I just showed the Spare Air manual page 10 describing “Traveling With Your Spare Air” instruction and let them read it.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

2) Extra 3cf of gas never hurt diver.

Agreed! Helps you see the surface just as you drown.

 

[Dan]

Agreed! Helps you see the surface just as you drown.

You saw one down with it?

 

[tursiops]

1) I took the valve off during TSA inspection.
2) Extra 3cf of gas never hurt diver.

I took it to Cocos, Socorro & Belize. No fuzz by any TSA. Some of them curiously peering into the bottle open end to make sure it is empty. Some of them asked for paper work. I just showed the Spare Air manual page 10 describing “Traveling With Your Spare Air” instruction and let them read it.

1) Got it. The manual is a good idea.
2) 3 cuft is certainly enough, if stressed, for a minute or two at the surface....but I certainly would not want to count on it from 60 ft. [sorry to derail the thread]

 

[Dan]

1) Got it. The manual is a good idea.
2) 3 cuft is certainly enough, if stressed, for a minute or two at the surface....but I certainly would not want to count on it from 60 ft. [sorry to derail the thread]

In 16 years of diving (930 dives), I never got into OOA. My problem one time was going into a few minutes DECO that I had to clear it at 10’ below the surface to keep my SUUNTO D4 from locking out that forced me to stay 10’ underwater for freaking 6 minutes to clear it. So, having 3cf of spare air would give me that extra 6 minutes (since my SAC is 0.5 cfm at safety stop).

Anyway it’s a moot point now that I get Teric, which is more reliable than D4. Teric clears my DECO sooner than D4.