Waterproof storage for keys while shore diving

[tarponchik]

We attach an aluminum water bottle to the dive flag and put our keys in that. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Sports-Bottle-Metallic-Finish/dp/B019WVJC7Y

Works great and it's cheap.

I once lost the flag and had to swim half a mile on the surface to catch it, then half a mile back, against the wind. The car key was safely in my pocket, though.

 

[geoff w]

None of the places I've been to on Maui or the BI are at much risk of break-in. I've hidden my keys many times w/o issue. It's often not difficult to park in places where thieves with binoculars won't be watching. As I mentioned, on two occasions I returned from dives to find the rear hatch wide open, nothing missing. Not really one of those things I've found it necessary to worry much about, beyond simple steps to minimize temptation and secure things. Experience could change that, but so far in many trips, it hasn't.

You are very fortunate! I've never had any vehicles broken in to in Hawaii, but am also very cautious. Other people I know have been less fortunate. A quick Google search today came up with this: Just Say "No" to Rental Car Lockboxes in Hawaii | Hawaii Aloha Travel

 

[geoff w]

Based on the many useful comments and suggestions here, I found Delrin® Ultimate EDC Capsule (Waterproof) I checked with CountyComm and quickly got a reply they haven't depth tested it. I'm going on river rafting down the Grand Canyon, so figure I can use it anyway. In the meantime, a buddy who services lots of dive gear and is a Suunto authorized repair center has a pressure tester for battery replacement. I figure I can pop this in his tester, send it down to 6 ATM for a few hours and see how it holds up as far as being water tight. I'll also test an old GoPro case and dive light to see if they hold up or collapse with no contents inside in his tester

I've never bought anything from CountyComm before, so this should be interesting.

 

[geoff w]

...And, I don't typically dive near ghettos.

Why would any nitwit thief waste their time breaking into a car in a poor neighborhood when the pickings are much better from someone with valuables. The ghetto-folk don't usually take dive vacations and rent from Hertz, and would certainly be smart enough not to leave valuables in their rental cars

At one rescue class I was DMing for, we parked on a residential street in Malibu along the beach. I think there were 6 vehicles. I had an old beater Toyota pickup truck, other vehicles ranged from cheap Toyotas to newer SUVs to Mercedes. My key was on a string around my neck, the instructor put several students' keys in his SUV, I think one or two "hid" their keys. Nobody was around when we were getting ready, middle of the day on Saturday. I came back to a broken window, others came back to unlocked cars. All cash and iPhones were stolen, as in hundreds of dollars cash. Fortunately the thieves didn't like Android phones, so I could call the police. 3 cop cars came to take police reports. Really put a damper on our day and made it hard to get lunch afterwards

 

[geoff w]

... I was saddened to read about cars being vandalized in Hawaii. I was there in the early 90s and the locals were very friendly. I am not sure what happened. Wherever you go there are bad guys...

Vehicle vandalism has always been a problem in Hawaii, and the locals have always been, and usually still are, very friendly. It's just with the internet it's a lot easier to get advice and you hear more about vandalism there. I've always been told not to leave any valuables in a rental car in Hawaii, so I don't. The only place I ever had a rental car vandalized was in Paris

 

[Lorenzoid]

Based on the many useful comments and suggestions here, I found Delrin® Ultimate EDC Capsule (Waterproof) I checked with CountyComm and quickly got a reply they haven't depth tested it. I'm going on river rafting down the Grand Canyon, so figure I can use it anyway. In the meantime, a buddy who services lots of dive gear and is a Suunto authorized repair center has a pressure tester for battery replacement. I figure I can pop this in his tester, send it down to 6 ATM for a few hours and see how it holds up as far as being water tight. I'll also test an old GoPro case and dive light to see if they hold up or collapse with no contents inside in his tester

I've never bought anything from CountyComm before, so this should be interesting.

Good find. Please let us know the results of the pressure test. That thing looks like a similar but more economical solution to a PLB canister, such as the Custom Divers canister I mentioned in my first reply.

 

[jonhall]

Most modern cars don't actually require the key to be in the ignition to start. The FOB just needs to be inside the car, or next to the car to open the door. All the ones I have seen have metal key inside the fob that can be used to open the vehicle in the event of a dead battery. I simply remove the metal key and place it on my dog tags around my neck and lock the electronic part of the FOB in the vehicle.

Thought this the first time I read the OP a few days ago, but wasn't sure all fobs had a metal key in them. Now I'm sure they do, but I haven't had a rental car yet in the Caribbean or Hawaii that didn't use a key start vs a push button start.

 

[BRT]

Buy it as a Scubapro Divers Egg. $15

I got one of the Scubapro Divers Eggs in and put it under pressure equivalent to 150' for 20 hours. No leakage. YMMV but I trust it more or less now.

 

[bamafan]

I have used one of these. I haven't had it below 50' but I think it would hold up to any reasonable recreational depth. You could certainly try it without anything in it first.

Look at this on eBay ScubaLamp FC01 Float Canister For Scuba Diving Underwater Camera Lights RED | eBay

 

[beepbird]

I once dove BHB and had my rental car keys in a small pelican case tied to the flag float. The condensation was enough to kill the key switch and I had to get towed back to WPB airport to get another car. The doors would open but the car wouldn't start. I would add some desiccant or a pantyliner to the case to pick up the moisture.