I'm sure this has been asked before. Planning on going this summer. We plan on doing multiple dives before returning for lunch/dinner etc. What do you do for food/snacks between dives Won't it get stolen out of the truck?? Advice please...
Food on dives
- Thread starter Thook
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Most dive sites are 15 minutes or less drive from town, so most folks return home for lunch or grab something to eat in town. That also provides an opportunity to do other stuff like get fresh tanks, use the toilet, and recharge camera or video gear. It's been my observation over the years that these closer sites also see most of the pilferage from trucks. These are basically the dive sites between Atlantis (a.k.a. the kite beach) in the south and 10,000 Steps to the north (the last northern site before the road becomes one-way and you have a longer return drive through Rincon.)
I've heard a couple of stories about someone's sandwich going missing from the truck while they were diving, but I don't think it's as common as stealing more expensive items like wallets, cameras, and phones. Food and snacks are relatively inexpensive and easily replaceable, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. FWIW we just returned from 3 weeks of daily shore diving on Bonaire and never saw any indication that anyone rummaged through anything in our vehicle. In 25 weeks on the island over the past 18 years we've only had a pair of $8 sunglasses go missing while diving. That was 2 years ago at Andrea II.
I've heard a couple of stories about someone's sandwich going missing from the truck while they were diving, but I don't think it's as common as stealing more expensive items like wallets, cameras, and phones. Food and snacks are relatively inexpensive and easily replaceable, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. FWIW we just returned from 3 weeks of daily shore diving on Bonaire and never saw any indication that anyone rummaged through anything in our vehicle. In 25 weeks on the island over the past 18 years we've only had a pair of $8 sunglasses go missing while diving. That was 2 years ago at Andrea II.
3D diver
Contributor
I learned, long ago, typical lunch meat sandwiches don't sit well in my stomach on dive days---especially on boat dives---so now pack several peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
A bed cover on my pickup helps keep stuff from wandering away---out of sight, out of mind, eh?
A bed cover on my pickup helps keep stuff from wandering away---out of sight, out of mind, eh?
salth2owannabe
Contributor
Just got back last night from two + weeks.
I bought a few of these and took them down as they pack easy.
Amazon.com: Insulated Bag | Thermal Bag | Hot Cold Bag (1 Jumbo Bag): Reusable Lunch Bags: Kitchen & Dining
We often took lunch and water with us depending on which sites we went to. Freeze a water bottle and it keeps your lunch cold and you have ice cold water to drink in a couple of hours. At the close sites to the south we usually ate at Cactus Blue or Kite City. Easy lunch, grab and go that are great sandwiches.
We also never saw any evidence, or heard of any thefts, at any of the sites. A few years ago I saw a couple checking out some of the vehicles at north dive sites with obvious intentions of going through pickups, and had our truck gone through without anything taken. This trip didn't see any of that. We kept glasses, food and clothes in the truck routinely and nothing was taken.
I bought a few of these and took them down as they pack easy.
Amazon.com: Insulated Bag | Thermal Bag | Hot Cold Bag (1 Jumbo Bag): Reusable Lunch Bags: Kitchen & Dining
We often took lunch and water with us depending on which sites we went to. Freeze a water bottle and it keeps your lunch cold and you have ice cold water to drink in a couple of hours. At the close sites to the south we usually ate at Cactus Blue or Kite City. Easy lunch, grab and go that are great sandwiches.
We also never saw any evidence, or heard of any thefts, at any of the sites. A few years ago I saw a couple checking out some of the vehicles at north dive sites with obvious intentions of going through pickups, and had our truck gone through without anything taken. This trip didn't see any of that. We kept glasses, food and clothes in the truck routinely and nothing was taken.
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Reidkon
Contributor
We take fruit, munchies and frozen water bottles for a snack between the two morning dives and head back to the villa for lunch before afternoon diving.
The incidence of theft from trucks is often blown out of proportion. The likelihood of your sandwiches and insulated lunch/snack bag being stolen is very low. We bring energy bars, fruit, cold drinks, and keep the cold stuff in a soft-sided cooler. If anything, the cooler itself is the most valuable item, and nothing has been stolen in many dozens of times we have left a truck parked at a dive site. Even if it happens someday, a cheap cooler and/or some energy bars, fruit, sandwiches, etc., will not be a major loss.
Again, incidence of theft is often exaggerated. Keep in mind that the vast majority of people do not have anything stolen from their trucks, but they do not bother posting in their Bonaire trip reports that "nothing was stolen from our truck" (though I have seen some cards here on SB do so).
I bet some of you might be thinking "Oh no, here we go again..." and are maybe even holding your breaths waiting for me to climb up on my soapbox again. But I gotta admit that I agree with this. Stealing a fella's iPhone is one thing, but it's bad karma to mess with his sammich.
Octopusprime
Contributor
This may be a stupid question since I have never shore dove before... Where do you put the keys to the truck? When boat diving I can take keys and wallet on the boat and put in dry box...
drrich2
Contributor
People often take the keys diving with them. Some keys can handle immersion. If you're worried about that, get a waterproof case/bag to take with you.
When I've been to Bonaire, Buddy Dive Resort asked that we only take 2 tanks/person at a time. So, after 2 dives, we tended to head back to the resort anyway. No big deal to grab a sandwich & chips there. Or put some cash in your waterproof case & stop for a sandwich somewhere.
I agree that the odds of your sandwich & bottle of water being stolen on a given trip are probably pretty low, and they're not high value goods if they do disappear. As long as it wouldn't wound you psychologically if it happened, probably not worth worrying about.
Richard.
When I've been to Bonaire, Buddy Dive Resort asked that we only take 2 tanks/person at a time. So, after 2 dives, we tended to head back to the resort anyway. No big deal to grab a sandwich & chips there. Or put some cash in your waterproof case & stop for a sandwich somewhere.
I agree that the odds of your sandwich & bottle of water being stolen on a given trip are probably pretty low, and they're not high value goods if they do disappear. As long as it wouldn't wound you psychologically if it happened, probably not worth worrying about.
Richard.
Sharkygill
Contributor
In our last two trips and 50+ dives over the last two years, we had a cheap foam cooler with frozen water bottles and lunch in the truck for most of the dives. Never had anything stolen or disturbed. We'll be back in June with all 5 kids for two more weeks and we'll be packing lunches for between dives.
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