What equipment have you lost?
- Thread starter Amphiprion
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Hammerhead
Contributor
Wedding rings x 2. My wife can't dive (ear issues), which meant that both times I was on holiday on my own...
...luckily both times there were witnesses she trusts more than her husband
...luckily both times there were witnesses she trusts more than her husband
seapanther
Guest
Thanks for this thread, Amphiprion. Here are a few of my diving losts and founds:
Some may think that a pair of bikini bottoms may have been the strangest item I have lost. The Gulf Stream somewhere near the middle Keys took that bikini bottom away, though I still have the top to match it. Luckily I had a towel and more of a need to cover up than to dry off in order to get back into the diveboat. I'm still on the lookout for that bikini top when I dive near Miami.
I've also lost a small portable ladder; my alternative to get to safety was to climb up the stern near the prop. As I did so, I cut a 2-inch gash into my left inner thigh on the prop. Not a safe way to get to safety. Good thing one of our dive crew
was competent in first aid--she applied a topical remedy and a couple of butterfly bandages.
I lost the butterfly bandages when I went back into the salt water; I am still in possession of the scar.
Hmmm...the subjects of my lost items thus far are going in one borderline direction for a family site...I'll change it.
I lost the use (only for a short time, thank heavens) of a new wetsuit, (ok, this is about clothes; I TRIED to change the subject here) and had to forego a great quarry dive. I had neglected to try on the new wetsuit prior to going to a dive in a rock quarry in Pennsylvania. The scenery was beautiful--that quarry is like a deep stream with vertical rock cliffs on either side. With no spare suit at the time, I spent that day exploring the woods while my friends had a great time practically floating down the rock quarry stream.
After that wetsuit had been fixed, we went back to the same rock quarry for a few more days' diving. Lesson was learned. I do love quarry dives and cave dives--great diving even if nobody can see the fins of the diver in front of you. (Split or not, multicolored or glowing.) Zero visibility in the water is absolutely worthwhile when you can surface and float between exceptionally high vertical cliffs and look up at the sliver of a clear blue sky.
Lost head (in a manner of speaking). Another time, I almost lost my head when escorting a male friend from the diveboat to an island by swimming and walking over jagged coral. A small school of barracuda came along and my friend had a panic attack. He kept screaming, and couldn't decide if he should feverishly splash his way back to the diveboat or to continue to panic and choose the shore to leave the barracuda behind. He may have even opted for the open ocean, nobody ever asked.
I tried to calm him by screaming back at him to stop splashing and to begin to float immediately or I was going to leave him and save myself. I realized that was a risky threat, (and not a wise tactic to employ). He did, however, finally follow my screamed directions. I swam back to the diveboat dragging him by one of his ankles.
We are both alive thus far. No fish attacked us but I'm pretty certain they all had a great laugh. That particular situation was much more frightening when I really thought about it later.
I did have a brief notion of smacking my hysterical friend, but not until I got him safely out of the water. I did give him a drink instead. He gave me another safety feature to add to my checklist. I now try to find out in an unobtrusive manner if any prospective dive buddy has panic attacks at the site of a few barracuda, or even guppies.
Another unusual item which I lost *could be considered dive equipment
* was a very big 'tilt-type' bottle of Chivas Regal. The Gulf Stream claimed that piece of after-dive equipment too. We came upon a 38' fishing vessel, and pulled close for a conversation. The owner had run out of her Chivas and asked if we had any on board; I offered ours.
As I lowered the bottle down to the other vessel in a net-type bag, I let go of the string and the person catching it let the bag and bottle fall of out of his hands and into the Gulf between Miami and Bimini.
Luckily, we also had Dewars and other Scotches aboard, and the second transaction of Dewers was successful. Happily, the other boating party belongs to the same club to which we belong, and we exchanged information and met that evening for a great dinner.
Lost was the "tilting" bottle of Chivas; we all gained new bridge-playing friendships--and we've been trying to get them to become certified. Our newly found friends (who had requested the Chivas) brought chocolates, champagne, and a replacement bottle for both the Chivas and the Dewars to dinner as a "Thank You". Their bridge game is as excellent as their manners and generosity.
Much more dive equipment has been lost over the years, but the above are the funniest and most unusual to me. More has always been gained and learned than lost.
seapanther
Some may think that a pair of bikini bottoms may have been the strangest item I have lost. The Gulf Stream somewhere near the middle Keys took that bikini bottom away, though I still have the top to match it. Luckily I had a towel and more of a need to cover up than to dry off in order to get back into the diveboat. I'm still on the lookout for that bikini top when I dive near Miami.
I've also lost a small portable ladder; my alternative to get to safety was to climb up the stern near the prop. As I did so, I cut a 2-inch gash into my left inner thigh on the prop. Not a safe way to get to safety. Good thing one of our dive crew
was competent in first aid--she applied a topical remedy and a couple of butterfly bandages.
I lost the butterfly bandages when I went back into the salt water; I am still in possession of the scar.
Hmmm...the subjects of my lost items thus far are going in one borderline direction for a family site...I'll change it.
I lost the use (only for a short time, thank heavens) of a new wetsuit, (ok, this is about clothes; I TRIED to change the subject here) and had to forego a great quarry dive. I had neglected to try on the new wetsuit prior to going to a dive in a rock quarry in Pennsylvania. The scenery was beautiful--that quarry is like a deep stream with vertical rock cliffs on either side. With no spare suit at the time, I spent that day exploring the woods while my friends had a great time practically floating down the rock quarry stream.
After that wetsuit had been fixed, we went back to the same rock quarry for a few more days' diving. Lesson was learned. I do love quarry dives and cave dives--great diving even if nobody can see the fins of the diver in front of you. (Split or not, multicolored or glowing.) Zero visibility in the water is absolutely worthwhile when you can surface and float between exceptionally high vertical cliffs and look up at the sliver of a clear blue sky.
Lost head (in a manner of speaking). Another time, I almost lost my head when escorting a male friend from the diveboat to an island by swimming and walking over jagged coral. A small school of barracuda came along and my friend had a panic attack. He kept screaming, and couldn't decide if he should feverishly splash his way back to the diveboat or to continue to panic and choose the shore to leave the barracuda behind. He may have even opted for the open ocean, nobody ever asked.
I tried to calm him by screaming back at him to stop splashing and to begin to float immediately or I was going to leave him and save myself. I realized that was a risky threat, (and not a wise tactic to employ). He did, however, finally follow my screamed directions. I swam back to the diveboat dragging him by one of his ankles.
We are both alive thus far. No fish attacked us but I'm pretty certain they all had a great laugh. That particular situation was much more frightening when I really thought about it later.
I did have a brief notion of smacking my hysterical friend, but not until I got him safely out of the water. I did give him a drink instead. He gave me another safety feature to add to my checklist. I now try to find out in an unobtrusive manner if any prospective dive buddy has panic attacks at the site of a few barracuda, or even guppies.
Another unusual item which I lost *could be considered dive equipment
* was a very big 'tilt-type' bottle of Chivas Regal. The Gulf Stream claimed that piece of after-dive equipment too. We came upon a 38' fishing vessel, and pulled close for a conversation. The owner had run out of her Chivas and asked if we had any on board; I offered ours. As I lowered the bottle down to the other vessel in a net-type bag, I let go of the string and the person catching it let the bag and bottle fall of out of his hands and into the Gulf between Miami and Bimini.
Luckily, we also had Dewars and other Scotches aboard, and the second transaction of Dewers was successful. Happily, the other boating party belongs to the same club to which we belong, and we exchanged information and met that evening for a great dinner.
Lost was the "tilting" bottle of Chivas; we all gained new bridge-playing friendships--and we've been trying to get them to become certified. Our newly found friends (who had requested the Chivas) brought chocolates, champagne, and a replacement bottle for both the Chivas and the Dewars to dinner as a "Thank You". Their bridge game is as excellent as their manners and generosity.
Much more dive equipment has been lost over the years, but the above are the funniest and most unusual to me. More has always been gained and learned than lost.
seapanther
bracko
Contributor
so far only 2 weights (1kg) which were lost when we were 20min over on parking and literally threw everything in the car and got out as the parking rangers were rolling up.
eelnoraa
Contributor
I have lost nothing yet, knock on wood. But I am kind of new to diving, I try not to carry not-needed stuff so far because I want to concentrate on controlling my bouyance. So I don't have much to lose anyway.
My lost and found encounter so far: One of my usual buddy lost a 5lb weight while trying adjust his trim. Another of my usual buddy lost a fin while existing water. I have found a rambo style knife, a snorkel in water.
My lost and found encounter so far: One of my usual buddy lost a 5lb weight while trying adjust his trim. Another of my usual buddy lost a fin while existing water. I have found a rambo style knife, a snorkel in water.
Darcey
Contributor
My boyfriend lost our dive camera in the Blue Hole in Belize. 
He thought that the cheapo plastic clip would be enough to keep it attached to the D-ring on his BC. WRONG! We circled the Hole looking for a floating yellow camera when we got done with our dive...nadda. We had a lot of good pics on there too.
Needless to say our new camera (sure, we got to upgrade to a REALLY nice camera with strobes. Only good part about losing the old one) has a super heavy duty retractor clip on it.
I personally haven't lost anything...yet. It seems to be my boyfriend's job to lose things. He lost his snorkel in Bonaire. Not a major loss...but he had to buy a cheapo one there that was worse than the one he lost.
He thought that the cheapo plastic clip would be enough to keep it attached to the D-ring on his BC. WRONG! We circled the Hole looking for a floating yellow camera when we got done with our dive...nadda. We had a lot of good pics on there too. Needless to say our new camera (sure, we got to upgrade to a REALLY nice camera with strobes. Only good part about losing the old one) has a super heavy duty retractor clip on it. I personally haven't lost anything...yet. It seems to be my boyfriend's job to lose things. He lost his snorkel in Bonaire. Not a major loss...but he had to buy a cheapo one there that was worse than the one he lost.
joe8mofo
Contributor
I have lost a Dive Rite Nitek duo, which is currently at the bottom of the Pacific off of the Kona coast........
- A 300 ft mantra reel lost off the sands of the Vanderberg in Key West last June.
- An Oceanic mask dropped at Dutch Springs (a quarry so no current) during the surface swim back to shore, was too busy chattering away with my buddies to noticed I dropped it.
- One 5mm Waterproof semi-dry glove some where in the LI Sound during a boat dive.
One fin. I watched it drop into a kelp bed and looked for twenty minutes before deciding to forget it. One mask in the surf - I hated that mask anyway.
So far all I have only lost half of my snorkel while being the "victim" during a Stress & Rescue class in Guppy Gulch, PA. On the next dive I found a snorkel much older than mine. A few dives later I found a 5lbs lead weight under the docks
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