ForkinMouth

When driving to a beach to snorkel, do you leave your driver's license and some small currency in the locked car, before heading out to the beach? Do you somehow put it in a waterproof pouch and take it along in the water (doubt it!)? Obviously, you take only the bare essentials with you, leaving most of your valuables, wallet, etc back in your hotel safe, etc. Just want to know how most people manage this.

GoTravel

In what area of the US?

I would never lock valuables in a rental car.

Get a waterproof container that you can attach inside a pocket and make sure it is secure.

Don't wear jewelry snorkeling. It attracts barracuda.

DawnCt

I wear a plastic surf safe. It is about as big as a cigarette pack, half of the thickness, and can hold a driver's license, credit card and some cash. It has a rubber seal so the contents stay dry. I wear it around my neck. You can find them at most dive shops for around $7.

pb_and_j

My boyfriend bought a bathing suit recently and it came with a waterproof pouch and had a pocket for it. We used that. When I wasn't with him, I put the pouch on a band around my wrist.

MzPossum

Go Travel: I would have never thought about jewelry attracting baracuda--I wore my wedding ring and an ankle bracelet!! Thanks for the tip. I don't want to be part of the lunch special. Does anyone know if the same goes for sharks?

iamq

I never leave valuables in the car. My wallet has a mini wallet within a wallet that is very slim. I put a credit card, driver's license and a little cash in it, put it in a waterproof pouch (It's like a small ziploc, but it's rated to withstand a little depth) and clip it to the inside of my bathing suit.

JohnD

We used waterproof containers similar to what is shown on this link:http://www.fici.com/NewCatalog2.asp?ID=802

I have found these kinds of containers at Boaters World and Sports Authority for about 5$), and they worked for a couple a weeks, protecting credit card, license, and cash while snorkeling, sometimes car & room keys even fit inside. Suggest you avoid getting sand on the rubber gasket seal.

cruisin_tigger

As a follow up to JohnD's post, here's a link where you can order them one at a time, instead of mass quantities. http://www.witzprod.com/witzprod/public%5Fhtml/

JohnD

But will these waterproof bags:
http://www.accessoriesplus1.com/Prod...?ProductID=568
stop barracudas

GoTravel

MizPossum, as far as sharks are concerned, remember two things.

1. They feed at dusk and dawn so stay out of the water during these times.

2. If you ever encounter a large school of fish, exit the water immediately. Do not wait for any reason. I can promise you there will be bigger fish with teeth following.

turn_it_on

This one was recommended to me but didn't buy it:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...8000&langId=-1

This one we bought and used two summers in Hawaii:

http://www.outdoorworldmall.com/stor...exact_match=on

Worked fine last year, but you can't dive down past like ten feet or something because pressure will cause it to leak. This year we discovered it had a little hole at the bottom. I don't know if I ripped it or if it just is defective. Even with it filling with some water, we still used it--money and plastic cards and keys can get wet! It's still better than leaving it in the car or on the beach!

love
roxy

Coskier

ROFL, leave if you see fish? Kinda of misses the point of snorkeling. I am a very experienced diver. Been diving for over 20 years. Hundreds of dives logged. I always dive with my wedding ring, earrings. I have seen numerous barracuda, never have they seemed the least interested in me. If your going on a dive / snorkeling boat you may well see one lingering under the dive boat. No worries.

I have seen many a shark too, I consider myself lucky when I do. If your concerned about sharks, you should ask if any dive operators in the area do shark feeds. This can attract sharks. I am the rare diver that is against this practice. When humans start feeding wildlife for entertainment the wildlife usually suffers in the long run.

GoTravel

Coskier, I wrote leave if you see a large school of fish. I've been diving for years also and I live on the ocean.

Make fun of me if you want but I've seen plenty of sharks in the Atlantic.

I don't know of anyone personally attacked by baraccuda but watched a documentary on this one time. Seems a woman was cleaning the underside of her boat and the barracuda attacked her bracelet.

I've also encountered sharks and baraccuda on dives.

here_today_gone2Maui

There have ben instances of barracuda bites off of Maui that were attributed to shiny jewelry. One case was a woman who was bit in the head, blamed on the silver barrette in her hair. Apparently the fish mistake the reflection for a silvery fish.

BettyInToronto

I have a waterproof fanny pack that holds my wallet, my husband's wallet, my Palm Pilot and car keys and then on the outside section with mesh, it holds my husband's glasses (he's blind until he can hit the water's edge and put on his prescription mask).

divewop

I have to agree with Coskier about the barracuda and shark attacks. Also been a diver for many years logging hundreds of dives and have never been the least bit threatened by either. Even while doing a back roll from a skiff right into the face of a barracuda, it just quietly moved away.

Also had one not more than five feet away from me during my underwater rescue training just hanging out and observing us.

I am a shark fanatic for lack of a better term, and love to see them. Please don't let the general public's fear of sharks scare you off.

Schools of fish, love to see them too. Would never leave the spot if they came around. It's what diving and snorkeling is all about.

The underwater world is an amazing place. Just remember, more people are struck by lightening ten fold each year than people attacked by barracuda or shark.

And unfortunately, one hundred million sharks are killed each year by humans. Pretty crappy odds for the shark if you ask me.

Coskier

Not to hijack your thread but, Barracuda attacks are very rare. Usually when they happen it is in murky water, the barracuda cannot see you well. I have to say if the water is murky the snorkeling is not going to be great anyway.

Go Travel, as a fellow diver you know that each time you enter the water you are wearing many shiny objects, regulator, 2nd stage, BCD. All have shiny chrome. Many divers also have various hooks with shiny dangling objects on them. If barracuda were so attracted you would hear of many attacks, not the extremely rare occurrence.

Forkinmounth enjoy your trip.

TxTravelPro

This is an interesting thread! I sure wish I could dive... I am not too crazy about water. But I do enjoy watching from above.
Hey Betty, leave the palm pilot at the hotel for goodness sake!

GoTravel

Coskier, yes I understand about diving and agree sharks are magnificent creatures that get a bad rap.

Almost every dive I've been on I've encountered barracuda and have never had a problem.

I've also encounted many shark while diving and have never had a problem.

The barracuda are a big pain in the a$$ while I'm trying to fish.

My point about the school of fish. If you are in the ocean and suddenly find yourself in a very large school of fish, meaning thousands of fish, get out of the water. I'm not speaking of a couple of dozen fish or even a hundred fish.

anela

What is wih the conversation about barracuda and sharks. Neither are an immediate threat. For someone who recommends taking off jewelry before diving is just trying to hype the possibility of an encounter. I think many on this board try to insert their experiences in order to develop some dialogue. Please keep it real. All the poster asked was whether he should wear a pouch and we get all sorts of ancillary barracuda warnings. Paaaleees