Do people lose gear all the time?

[Scott L]

Every diver loses gear in every manner imaginable. It's one gear intensive sport....

 

[jwalko]

Not to mention non-diving related things you find.

Let's see...lost (to date), one finger spool (clipped with a doubled ended brass clip...actually lost it a couple of times, but then found it again until the last time), one snorkel (stopped using them anyway).

Found...several boat anchors, fishing poles, fishing reels, rope, chain, dive weights...some of the stuff looks new...some not so much.

John

 

[Dr Neil]

I've lost gear over the years but the one that will always give a head slap was the dive light I lost several year ago. I was preparing to enter the water off the dive boat. I had my light in my hand and simply let go of it thinking that I had it clipped on. I spent most of the dive looking for the light but the wreck was like a scrap yard so it's most likely still tucked inside the wreck.

 

[Zieg]

My wife ordered for me one of those beautiful Randal Dive Knives for Christmas a year or so ago. I intend to use it. It is not going to sit on the mantle looking pretty. I know that I might lose it someday, but that is a fact that I accepted years ago when I first started playing and working in the water. In all my years of diving the biggest item I’ve lost is a dive light that got snagged in the boat ladder while trying to board in rough seas and I was very glad when the lanyard let go. I dropped a knife on the oil rigs once but caught it before it got away, cut one finger to the bone, and actually wish I’d lost that one. I used to dive with a bunch of guys who never understood why I never tied or clipped my spear gun to myself. They thought I was nuts because what would happen if I dropped it. I explained that tying a gun to yourself could get you killed and if I dropped the gun I would either go back and get it or buy another one. The funny part is I ran into them some years later and they still made fun of me about not clipping off my gun and I pointed out that it was the same gun and they all had different guns.

In my career in Oceanography we’re always accepted that anything that goes in the water may not come back. You do what you can to minimize the chance of loss and accept it when crap happens. Oh yeah, I wear my mask on my forehead, and have never lost one……yet.

 

[Buoyant1]

I've ONLY lost a compass and retractor, and that was last year somewhere in the Keys (so if you find an Aeris compass and retractor, GIVE IT BACK! hahaha! The replacement was about $60. for the compass, I had another retractor in my bag) I have found several snorkels, a few masks (only one nice one that I use occasionally) and a cute little knife.

I DID think I found a fin, but it belonged to the poor snorkeler that was about 10-15 feet above me! So I had to give it back!

 

[OldNSalty]

I've dropped a couple of knves, the airforce lost an H-bomb and I see a lot of anchors and fishing gear on the bottom so yep-people lose stuff all the time.

 

[scubaskipper]

It's pretty obvious, the more you dive, the better the chance you'll lose something. Why is it, if you rent something and lose it, you don't expect to have to pay to replace that item?

 

[ctyhallcoolio]

I can win this thread... 5 day old new 17inch laptop, iphone, and ipod... While not on a dive but close enough, getting out of the coco view boat at the back dock on arrival. Well like i told everyone at the airport i was going to be the 1st in the water...

 

[nkped]

Had a close call which would have really been an expensive loss ten minutes later. While putting my D9 computer on the wrist of my dry suit, the band disintegrated.:shocked2:I don't wear it as a watch anymore.

 

[driftwood]

The place I dive the most is intensively used for OWC. Over time, there is no need to buy a single piece of gear. The staff says their lost and found department is Ebay. Not surprisingly the best gear is left by the instructors.