Hi Folks, Just got back from a week in the town of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. I wish I could say the trip was great, but it certainly wasn’t. Bad weather, bad ocean conditions, closed for the season restaurants, and as previously reported, my camera housing got flooded before the first dive. I will repeat the incident for those of you that may use this information to prevent a similar occurrence. My Olympus C-7070 camera was completely checked the night before, and I placed it in the camera wash tub upon boarding our dive boat the next morning to check again for leaks and to keep it cool. Another diver (AKA Jerk), with a big camera rig that had dual strobe arms, placed his stuff in the tub on top of mine. I did not witness this, but I was told later that he had to fold the arms and forcibly "push" his equipment in the tub to get it submerged. When I removed my camera the TTL connector was sheared off and the housing was completely flooded. Apparently he caused the damage, but it was useless to argue the point. At any rate, the camera is toast, and I came home with no pictures. So, please learn from my experience and watch when others place their stuff in these boat tubs. If anyone wants some attachments for a C-7070 just let me know. Yours for free. Dive details follow for those interested: Dive #s 1-12 Date: 10/12/08 - 10/17/08 Location: Numerous sites off San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize Surf: Light to heavy (ranged 3 -12 feet over barrier reef during week) Swell: Light to heavy and very challenging in a small boat (ranged 3 to 10 foot with close intervals at dive sites during week) Surge: Light to medium Currents: Light to heavy Water Temperature at Surface: 84F Temperature at Bottom: 84F Visibility: 20-60 feet during week Comments: Saw eagle rays, turtles, dolphins, nurse sharks, skates, eels, and lots a fish. Best time for Belize is in May. I’ll know better next time. Enjoy and dive safe, Wayne

Comments

SafetySteve - 10/31/2008 9:01 AM That is just sad that another diver would be so inconsiderate of others and push their equipment down on yours. I hate to hear of such activities. I do not dive on the pro boats very often, due to the number of people and lack of space, I try to get private boats even when traveling.

VegasScuba - 10/28/2008 3:02 AM Wow, You story nearly parallels one of my own. I also have an Olympus C7070. I was on a trip to Catalina with two students on a private boat. We had a fresh water tub that I placed my camera into that was rigged and all ready to go, and upon returning to get it for the first dive the TTL conection was sheered off at the housing. The housing was flooded and needless to say the camera was not very cooperative. There was one small camera with no attachments in the tub at the same time as mine but with my story there was no one mishandling equipment. Anyway, I hope you can salvage your camera and get back to photography soon. If you are trashing on any 7070 parts I am intrested.

Greg - 10/20/2008 1:13 PM Chalk that trip up as a "life experience" :)