Explain the purpose of the water bucket on board for cameras please

[dirtfarmer]

I frequently use my damp wetsuit before/after the dive to keep the camera cool and wet, and protected from other people. Buckets and other peoples stuff scare me, I want to be the one that breaks my stuff, not some dufus.

 

[merxlin]

One use not mentioned yet is before the dive. I dunk my rigs and look for bubbles. I'd rather find out I have a leak on the boat rather than once I'm underwater.

 

[Nemrod]

The main purpose of the bucket is to ruin camera lenses and flood camera housings.

I never, ever put my camera in a bucket and for the most part, it is too large to fit into one. I much prefer a camera table.

N

 

[Interceptor121]

Again on a day boat don't bother if there is a hose use that one
On a good liveaboard there will be a hose + a camera table
The rinsing is done elsewhere preferably when yours is the only camera rinsing in that space

 

[Wookie]

I ask you. What sand and/or salt is going to accumulate in the time between dives or the time it takes the boat to return to the dock?

If you're on a 6 hour boat ride back to shore, then you should do a full washdown. A quick dip in a bucket isn't going to make that big a difference. YMMV.

Explain that 6 hour boat ride again, Please!!

 

[stairman]

Let me Google that for you, Stairman:

One litre of seawater contains 20,000 different types of bacteria | Evolution Diary

Cool! but Im still not convinced. Bacteria can be good and bad. Im a germophobe anyway especially towards other humans. Ive seen them close the beaches due to a high bacteria count before but what kinds I dont know.

 

[supergaijin]

If you own any kitchen sponges..... don't try to google it with 'bacteria'!

 

[charlesml3]

Cool! but Im still not convinced. ​

Stairman, I'm not really trying to convince you that one is better or worse than the other. I think you need to do some research and understand the reality of it. Diving is not a glamorous activity. Every time you dive you're jumping into one of the most bacteria-ridden places on the planet. It HAS to be. That's what feeds all those organisms above in the food chain.

It varies by ship but most likely the rinse tank on a liveaboard is filled from seawater that's been desalinated via reverse osmosis. Given that, it has FAR less bacteria than the seawater you're getting ready to jump in and swim around for an hour.

-Charles

 

[Mike]

From the Sea&Sea website

Keeping your housing salt-free is an important part of maintenance. After every dive in salt water, be sure to soak your housing, strobes, and any other accessories in a fresh-water tank as soon as possible, and leave it there for 20-30 minutes if possible. The fresh water dissolves any salt accumulation from the housing. Press all buttons and turn all dials/levers on the housing to help get fresh water back into the areas behind the buttons and dials where salt can accumulate.

A tip for rinsing: an ice chest or water-tight food container makes a good fresh-water tank if you have one at hand.

If you don't have access to a fresh-water tank, the next-best technique is to rinse your housing under running fresh water, working buttons and dials/levers to help rinse them out. (Do not rinse under a high-pressure jet of water-it might force water past the seals and into the housing.)

If you neglect to rinse salt water off after a dive, it evaporates and turns into abrasive salt crystals that can ruin O-rings and make buttons and dials/levers hard to work. Un-evaporated salt water is a serious corrosive that rust metal parts over time. Make it a point to keep your housing as free of salt as possible.​