I'm the doofus who lost his camera on Yucab

[Tundra_Trog]

A camera was found the same day as I lost mine but I just got word from Christi that it wasnt mine. I want to thank Christi for her efforts in putting the word out there for me. I'd also like to thank the other dive ops she contacted for their help as well.

I would also like to thank the other divers whom I had the pleasure of diving with who have graciously offered to send me images they took during the dives we shared. It means alot. I'll shoot you guys a PM in the next day or so with my email address.

 

[Scott Riemer]

A camera was found the same day as I lost mine but I just got word from Christi that it wasnt mine. I want to thank Christi for her efforts in putting the word out there for me. I'd also like to thank the other dive ops she contacted for their help as well.

I would also like to thank the other divers whom I had the pleasure of diving with who have graciously offered to send me images they took during the dives we shared. It means alot. I'll shoot you guys a PM in the next day or so with my email address.

So sorry you lost your camera, truly.

Do you mind sharing what happened so others may be able to avoid something like this? Of course, you don't have to.

 

[Tundra_Trog]

Scott,

It really was a bonehead move on my part. I was shooting all week with a strobe/tray. My complete set-up is so close to neutral bouyancy, that I could let go of it and it would only sink an inch or two. I didnt bother to pack the counter weight that comes with the camera.

This was my second trip with the strobe and with conditions the way they were I wasn't feeling the love so to speak. I decided to go without the strobe/tray for a few dives. I knew the camera would now be very bouyant. I put on a lanyard to tether the camera to my wrist.

I started the dive by hopping in with 2 cameras. My wife's and mine. After we started our descent I handed off her camera and slipped the lanyard on my wrist. I tightened the lanyard a bit (But obviously not enough)

We were about 30 minutes into the dive when we ducked down behind a coral formation to wait for the rest of the group. I was looking around and spotted a photo op under an overhang. I took 2 or 3 pics and spun around to check on the Mrs. I swam over to her and grabbed her arm to get her attention. When I did that I noticed the camera was gone. less than 15 seconds for it to float up enough to slip off my wrist without my noticing.

I began screaming LOL

I quickly swam back to the spot I was taking pics at in hops it floated up under the overhang I was taking pics under. No such luck. I began scanning the surface but to no avail.

That pretty much sums it up.

On the boat ride back I thought to myself. Jeez, a person should tuck a piece of paper inside the housing with contact information in case they lose their camera.

Next time I'm going to do just that.

 

[scubawife]

Tundra, sorry to hear you lost your camera. Those wrist lanyards are worthless. I always keep my camera (photo of video) clipped to a ring on my BCD with a sturdy metal d-ring on a coil strap. I don't unclip it until the boat crew has a good hold of the handle. The rope part with the toggle gets strung through and looped securely on the tray (or through the hole on the housing where your wrist strap is threaded) There's enough stretch in the coil that I've never had a problem taking a photo or shooting video. It get's clipped on to me before I go down and doesn't get unclipped until someone on the boat has a good grip of the handle on the housing.

 

[driftin' by]

On the boat ride back I thought to myself. Jeez, a person should tuck a piece of paper inside the housing with contact information in case they lose their camera.

Great Idea!

Sorry for your loss. Ugh that sounds like someone died, but I'm sure the feelings are similar. On the bright side, you can start looking for a new setup. Hopefully you had insurance to minimize the financial impact.

I appreciate you taking the time describe what happened. I'll be using my new Canon G9 in an Ike housing this trip and was interested to hear how it happened so that I could possibly avoid that same mistake. Similar to diving related injuries, it's best to learn from experience.

Since this is a much bigger rig than I've used in the past, I decided not to use a lanyard. Instead, I'm using one of those coiled retractor things (pictured above) that looks like a phone cord and is always clipped to my BC. Less chance of use error but greater chance of things getting tangled up with my inflater/backup and computer.

 

[Scott Riemer]

Thanks for taking the time to explain what happened. Hopefully others can take extra precaution after reading your story.

Again, I truly feel bad for you. I only have a Canon A540/WP-DC2 and it's very buoyant. Even though it's not the same amount of money invested, I'd hate to lose it. Up to now, I've only used the wrist lanyard and cinch it pretty tight. My dive buddy used his new G9/Ikelite set-up while we were down there a couple weeks ago. He bought one of those coil straps pictured above.

 

[budaman]

A camera was found the same day as I lost mine but I just got word from Christi that it wasnt mine. I want to thank Christi for her efforts in putting the word out there for me. I'd also like to thank the other dive ops she contacted for their help as well.

I would also like to thank the other divers whom I had the pleasure of diving with who have graciously offered to send me images they took during the dives we shared. It means alot. I'll shoot you guys a PM in the next day or so with my email address.

We look forward to it Tundra Trog. Sorry it was not your camera found. The idea of ID'ing the camera is great. I'm on it. rofile:

Budababe :blinking: (Connie)

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Thanks for taking the time to explain what happened. Hopefully others can take extra precaution after reading your story.

Again, I truly feel bad for you. I only have a Canon A540/WP-DC2 and it's very buoyant. Even though it's not the same amount of money invested, I'd hate to lose it. Up to now, I've only used the wrist lanyard and cinch it pretty tight. My dive buddy used his new G9/Ikelite set-up while we were down there a couple weeks ago. He bought one of those coil straps pictured above.

I use a piece of 1 inch webbing from the camping section from Walmart. I sewed the webbing to the bottom of my camera tray and then sewed a stainless steel bolt snap to the other. I made the webbing arms length.

I clip the camera off to one of my stainless D-rings on my chest strap and it stays like that the entire dive. If I need to turn a loose of the camera for any reason it's always there. When I get ready to get out of the water I unclip it and hand it up.

The whole setup cost less than $10 and a few minutes of your time sewing. Donna also has one on her camera as well.

Although I have managed to part with two dive watches in Cozumel over the years Murphy has yet to claim a single camera.

 

[sasscuba]

I keep my camera slightly negative. I can always swim fast going down to get it. Better chance than it shooting to the surface. My canon uses metal plates and I took an engraver and put my name, address, scubaboard name and telephone number on it. Granted you have to have someone honest to turn it in but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Maybe yours will turn up.

 

[diverrex]

A camera was found the same day as I lost mine but I just got word from Christi that it wasnt mine. I want to thank Christi for her efforts in putting the word out there for me. I'd also like to thank the other dive ops she contacted for their help as well.

I would also like to thank the other divers whom I had the pleasure of diving with who have graciously offered to send me images they took during the dives we shared. It means alot. I'll shoot you guys a PM in the next day or so with my email address.

Hi Tundra_Trog,

I think I may have dove with you my last day, Friday May 9, on Christi's little boat. Pedro was DM and we did Palancar Gardens on the first dive. You had bandages on your feet. Is that right? If so I can email you a few photos from those two dives.

Besides using the coiled lanyard clipped to my camera and BC I have one of the small DAN id tags zip tied to the camera housing. The tag has my name and cell #. On larger boats with a number of cameras in a rinse tank, it also helps me spot mine when a number of similar Cannon housings are in the tank.