How do you get into the water from a liveaboard with your camera?

[MermaidLaura]

Thanks for all the advice - there are quite a few to try out!

PS - RickyF, what on earth is the "nestea plunge"? I googled it and it looks like a backward fall....??



---------- Post added ----------

PS Wookie, based on previous comments I opted for a Sea & Sea housing RDX600-d over the Ikelite... the Ikelite port "clamps/clips" just did not do it for me (I've previously used an ikelite housing for my S95, so I have nothing against the brand).

 

[JamesK]

It is. Fall backwards in to the water.

 

[hellhole]

usually lob staff are quite good and very knowing...
but its good to to tell the staff first ie "hey... could you pass my camera to me once i get it" ... usually they have all eyes on everyone... so its good to get the comm going..

 

[twinpeaks]

Nice tips.but i have one doubt?

---------- Post Merged at 02:12 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 02:12 PM ----------

Nice tips.but i have one doubt?

 

[swim deep]

I'll be drift diving off Palm Beach next week with my new strobe on my Ikelite housing. I was giant striding with the camera (before I had the strobe) in Little Cayman, but will think twice before I do that again. I did see a little moisture in the housing the last couple dives in LC and I wonder if this was caused by my entries. I could have easily had the camera handed to me as there was no current or hurry of any kind. I didn't think about the impact upon the housing, but I am thinking now.
The Palm Beach diving is drift, so I'll have to see what kind of plan I can devise to minimize the shock on the housing and strobe.
Maybe the boat has a standard procedure?
Thank you all for sharing your good advice.

 

[danvolker]

I'll be drift diving off Palm Beach next week with my new strobe on my Ikelite housing. I was giant striding with the camera (before I had the strobe) in Little Cayman, but will think twice before I do that again. I did see a little moisture in the housing the last couple dives in LC and I wonder if this was caused by my entries. I could have easily had the camera handed to me as there was no current or hurry of any kind. I didn't think about the impact upon the housing, but I am thinking now.
The Palm Beach diving is drift, so I'll have to see what kind of plan I can devise to minimize the shock on the housing and strobe.
Maybe the boat has a standard procedure?
Thank you all for sharing your good advice.

Some of the boats will make this easier than others....Particularly the ones that have the most "high end photographers"....most of these will let you jump in, then a crew member will hand you the camera. Then you get busy deflating and dropping fast with your buddy, or your group
What boat are you going out on?

 

[danpass]

how about putting it on a tether, lowering it into the water, jumping in and detaching it? This could be a boat 'feature' I suppose. They just haul the line up and next diver attaches their camera, lowers it themselves, washrinserepeat lol

just brainstorming I suppose (I've only ever jumped in with a gopro on a stick)

 

[Ben Prusinski]

I have the boat crew attach my camera to a line and send it to me otherwise it would be hard to giant stride into the water with a large rig setup. Dove Catalina last week and this worked out well for me even in rough conditions.

 

[Larry C]

Most crews hand it to you on a tether. Some hand it to you by hand. I prefer the tether so I can clip it to me before I release the tether. I have jumped in with my camera in hand twice, once for a group jump off the side of the boat for a whale shark, and twice I have flooded one of my Sea & Sea strobes. If you either put a tether on the camera or use the boat's tether, it works fine.

 

[gavstang]

Ah the joys of upgrading to one of the big beasts..instead of thinking of all the beautiful things you will see or shoot, you spend half the time worrying about how to bring the darn things down!