We traveled from Jamaica to curacao on rout to bonaire on the tarmac IN JAMAICA: as the luggage was being put on the plane customs came out and started to check luggage for drugs they were doing it buy stabbing the bags with an ice pick looking object ,then tasting or smelling it!!!! The hole time I'm thinking my bc my camera ect...,I contacted the airline and they said if there was any damage they weren't responsible ,and I should talk to customs .SO ANYONE TRAVLING FROM JAMAICA BEWARE.
Beware traveling from jamaica
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Willar
Contributor
I've traveled through and to Jamaica for the last 10 years and never had a problem like this or even heard of such a thing. I do know they frequently visually search luggage and carry-on baggage for drugs, but never heard of the ice-pick method. It would be interesting to know more.
chrpai
Contributor
Who brings their own gear to Jamaica anyways? 
Willar
Contributor
chrpai
Contributor
I went to Superclubs Runaway Bay last year and ran into an old DM friend of mine by the name of George. I never had any problems getting servicable (safe) gear. In fact I spent an afternoon with him working on first stages. His dedication to finding the spare parts ( often at his own expense ) and making sure all the equipment was safe was nothing short of a dedicated school teacher making sure she had enough art supplies for the class.
YMMV at other resorts but for me Jamaica diving isn't worth hauling my gear down.
YMMV at other resorts but for me Jamaica diving isn't worth hauling my gear down.
Who brings their own gear to Jamaica anyways?
I prefer to dive my own gear anywhere I go. Maybe it's just a personal preference, but I like knowing how my gear performs, what to expect, and the sense of security of knowing the maintenance schedule I have. No offense intended to any dive shop, anywhere in the world, but that's the reason I bought all my dive gear in the first place.
scc135
Contributor
I know what I saw. Check with Jamaican customs, thats what insell told me. It was the first time ive seen any thing like this at any airport . And for the last 37 years ive traveled with my own gear and would not do it any other way .Ive seen things happen to rental gear . Freeflow ,Bcd inflator stick on at depth, and that was only the last dives i did in cozumel. Be smart learn from other divers MASTAKES not your own. Alot of dive operators are hurting right now and may not have the money for new gear or repairs . So always check your gear before getting on the boat. not on the way to the dive site.AND HEAR OH IT SHOULD BE OK !!!!!!
Please tell us which airport it happened at ...
chrpai
Contributor
That goes regardless of who owns the equipment. When I go down I make sure that every piece is in great condition. If it isn't, I saw 'no mon' and they hand me another. After I do that few times they get the message and invite me back into their storage area to pick out my own. I put that gear off to the side and I inspect it before I lug it down to the boat.
I also make it a point to pull more then my weight when it comes to setting up, loading, unloading and breaking down / cleaning the gear. Like I said previously I even spent a few hours helping out with servicing regulators. A little bit of respect goes a long way when you are dealing with Jamaicans. Those guys dive day in and day out year after year with that gear and they don't want to die anymore then we do.
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