Where do you put your excess gear when shore diving?

[johm77]

I'm a fairly new diver and was wondering where most people keep their stuff when on shore dives. I first learned to dive in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Since it was a small, secluded military base, i felt there was little chance of anything getting stolen off the beach.

When I went diving in Southern Cal, leaving my stuff on the beach worried me a bit, so I left everything in my car, except my 2nd tank. I attached my extra valet key to my bcd using a zip tie.

So, where do you leave your stuff?

 

[Hemlon]

I do exactly what you did in CA. I leave most of my stuff in my vehicle. In my water-tight Otter box, I keep my car key, my driver's license, a credit card and a small amount of cash.

My small Otter box is kept inside my BC pocket and it is also clipped onto one of the BC rings.

 

[CApenguin88]

i do the same in socal unless i have someone staying at the beach to watch my gear but the safest bet is to leave it in the car

 

[David P]

Where do you put your excess gear when shore diving?
ummm at home. If I need it, then it goes in the water with me, if I don' then it stays home. The only exceptions would be my drysuit bag, save a dive kit box, mask box, stuff like that stays in my dive milk crate in the van.

 

[fisheyeview]

I take only the bare minimum with me when I shore dive. Shore diving here in South Florida is so shallow, that I usually do an hour and a half or two hours on one tank. It's usually enough for me.

I carry a valet key on a cord around my neck that goes under my wetsuit. My wife also carries one as a back up just in case.

If you have a trailer hitch on your vehicle there is a pretty cool safe I just saw. It's big enough to hold a license, credit card, car keys & some cash.

 

[musicalmike]

I leave excess gear in my vehicle.

 

[Charlie99]

I find that the easiest/least effort/laziest way to do a shore dive is to completely gear up at the car, and then proceed directly without stopping to the entry point.

This makes is easy to leave all the gear in the car, other than a dumb key on a lanyard around my neck.

I've never understood the people that set up camp on the beach with mats and everything, and then haul all sorts of misc gear down to the beach. Get in the gear. Walk down to the water and splash in.

When shore diving in Maui, I even minimize the stuff in my car ---- cellphone, driver's license, air fill card, and cash for a post dive cinnamon roll is all that's in my car beside the tanks and scuba gear. My wallet, credit cards, etc. are left at home.

 

[Badger Matt]

Johm77 -- Man, my wife and daughter watch the gear while my son and I dive so I'm no help there.

Can you tell me a bit about the Gitmo diving opportunities? One of my good buds is a BN commander out there and he's invited me to stay with him and the missus for a visit.

 

[DaFireMedic]

Why do you want to know.....?:no

Just kidding. Mainly in the back of my pickup with a locked tonneau cover. I haven't had any problems yet. On Catalina island its a little more difficult. I generally leave my stuff on shore (everybody does) and I haven't had any problems, but I won't leave my camera/housing stuff without my wife or a friend there to watch.

 

[redrover]

I’m pretty relaxed and not in a high crime area (in my experience anyway, have had a pair of slippas disappear from the ground under my bumper.) Can’t lock the back of my truck so on rare occasion have put stuff in the locked cab like other wetsuits. Usually just bring what I’m using to dive so the back of the truck has a second tank, empty mesh gear bag, slippas and ground mat, maybe a beach chair and umbrella when I leave. I’m lazy and don’t like to lug more than I absolutely have to or make more than one trip so I gear up at the tailgate.