Gear Storage Issue

[grassyknoll]

So here is a little story about something I hadn't contemplated when storing my gear.

Backgound Story-I had recently taken a Mares Abyss reg in for servicing as it was making a "chattering" sound, no breathing issues but I wanted to be safe. Well the LDS didn't find anything wrong but when they called the local Mares rep he asked them to send it to them somewhere back east. I needed the LP inflator hose and my SPG for an upcoming trip to Coz so I pulled them and sent back just the 1st/2nd.
So, this meant swapping out some of my other sets to get the configuration I wanted. I ended up taking my daughter's AL Titan/Micra reg minus her SPG and Octo.

-Now at this point I should mention that all my gear is stored in my garage in totes, I have a reg tote, glove, bootie tote, lght tote etc...these are square totes with a split, hinged top that open from the top barn door style; not air tight but pretty secure.

Okay, back to the issue. So I returned from Coz 2 weeks ago, got my Mares reg back and just got around to putting all the sets back together. After I reassembled my daughters' set I hooked it up to a tank and performed a test, no leaks primary breathed good, but the octo (a Calypso that I hadn't taken) had an issue.
Now, have you ever had a time where you went to drink out of a glass of orange juice, and when you take the first drink you have a real strange moment where you trip out a bit until you realize you actually poured yourself milk? Well it was kind of like that, I sucked in on the reg and I had a second where I realized "this isn't air" followed by a very quick and violent exhalation/spit. What I had actually inhaled (just into my mouth thankfully) was actually a medium sized "wolf spider" that had taken up residence in the reg. Now these wolf spiders as we call them in Nor Cal, look like a tiny tarantula, not like a garden spider. As far as I know they aren't harmful but it was a real unpleasant experience.
I have now taken to wrapping my regs in old pilow cases before storing them.

Live and learn.

 

[drbill]

I store much of my gear in my dive bag on my front deck. I hadn't been diving in about two weeks, so it sat there for a long time. When I was gearing up on the dive boat, I went to pull my gloves out of the fin pocket... and was bitten on my thumb. I shook the gloves and discovered about a 5" centipede had hidden in them. He quickly became fish food, unless he learned to swim after he hit the water.

 

[friscuba]

Yuck. Best story I've heard second hand was at a dive club meeting where a guy said he saw his buddy thrashing around a bit as he descended and then noticed a cockroach in the guys mask. They both surfaced and the guy was spitting like mad and freaking while the other was laughing pretty good and said he saw the roach in the mask.... the reply was that wasn't where it started...

Ever snort milk out your nose?

To DrBill, man those centipedes like neoprene. I've had friends nailed and I've shook 'em out of my wetusit once or twice.

Later,

 

[grassyknoll]

Yuck. Best story I've heard second hand was at a dive club meeting where a guy said he saw his buddy thrashing around a bit as he descended and then noticed a cockroach in the guys mask. They both surfaced and the guy was spitting like mad and freaking while the other was laughing pretty good and said he saw the roach in the mask.... the reply was that wasn't where it started...

Ever snort milk out your nose?

Oh man, I think that has a higher "Yuck" factor!

 

[Arizona]

I've seen roaches come out of rental gear! Thanks for reminding me of the value of purging before taking that first test breath.

 

[mig_diver]

I sucked in on the reg and I had a second where I realized "this isn't air" followed by a very quick and violent exhalation/spit. What I had actually inhaled (just into my mouth thankfully) was actually a medium sized "wolf spider" that had taken up residence in the reg.

Isn't there a movie like this?

 

[Burnsie]

oh man, I would have lost it if I had sucked in that spider. I hope you showed him the bottom of your boot.

 

[dvguy]

..... I have now taken to wrapping my regs in old pilow cases before storing them.

Live and learn.

Now, that right there is a useful piece of information!!! I store all my gear in a large bin with a snap-down lid in my garage. That is, except for my reg and wet-suits, which I have hanging up in the garage. I just got back from wrapping my primary and secondary with Glad "Press'nSeal" wrap. This "sticky" wrap makes an air tight seal around the hose, so no critters get in, and doesn't leave any residue on the hose or regs. Just gonna have to develop a habit of shaking out my wet suit before packing it in my dive bag. We have some flying roaches here in N. Fla that could stand flat-footed and screw a turkey. If I every found myself sharing my wet suit with one of those, it would not be a pretty sight. I'm picturing that scene in The Mummy where that pincher-bug critter was crawling under the guy's skin.....

 

[fisheater]

Now that yellow plug that came with my SeaCure makes SO much more sense.