Well, I KNOW I need to take a few O rings, but what else do you usually include in your Dive Saver kits, and where do you store it while shore diving?

This may sound silly, but I always try to have an extra 1 pound and another 2 pound weight with me. You don't know how many times I have been on dives where someone was underweighted and they had to rely on the DM or boat captain to help them out. Plus it helps if someone alters their set up - you know, if they add a hood or something but forgot to grab that extra one pound weight to offset it.

Didn't those "underweighted" divers do there orientation / checkout dive ????
One of the reasons they "invented" this dive is to check out EVERYTHING. Once weighted correct and checked out everything, diving is easier and a lot more fun.

We also take fin straps (one snapped yesterday) and a spare mask strap

a agree with brian...i take some extra o-rings and an extra mask strap and fin strap. i snapped one in october at oil slick and it was great to be able to go to the jeep, grab another strap and fix it right there instead of having to abort the dive. also, don't forget the 2 liter bottles of fresh water...leave them on the dashboard facing the sun and you'll have the hottest water on the island for rinsing off after your dive.

For the shower, I bought one of portable shower things. We left it on the roof one time and it was TOO hot to use. From then on we left it in the bed of the pickup. It is nice to be able rinse off with warm water.

i think the shower bags get too hot sometimes. we use our old 2 liter coke bottles...the clear plastic lets the water get hot but not too hot (usually)

Of course everyone does the check out dive, but that doesn't help newer divers to compensate for when they add a hood or change wetsuits later in the day. Geeze..it wasn't me. I just grab a couple of extra weights to make it more pleasant for everyone.

You people have a serious o-ring fetish along with some marginal obsessive behaviour. Live dangerously, leave it all back in the room. One less thing to worry about loosing/leaving. I do agree with a towel and a liter bottle of fresh water warmed in the truck by the sun.

If you need it, you can always run back and get it. The room is typically less than 10 minutes away. Of course all this is from a person that has left pretty much any dive gear you can think off. I can think of one time at Lac Bai when I realized my botties were on the other side of the island. Not even a bunch of o-rings would have helped.

You see Tribs some instructor are smarter then everyone else. I do the same thing for all my students i take extra everything just in case. It make it so much easier on everybody, but then again i take the student into account because they are very new at this and sometimes need a little extra care. IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE A BIG HEART!!!! rant over

Cecil, you mean you coulnd't do a Macgeiver (sp) move and make new booties out of o-rings? lol

I agree with the water bottles. I always have one that is hopefully not TOO hot that I leave in the vehicle to drink, then a few in the back of the pickup to rinse my face off, or sand from my booties before I get back in the truck (if I am using a friends truck, like to be considerate;)) And an old towel...also, my mask fog and ear drops are tucked under the seat (gee, now they will know where to look dang it!)

The o-rings and fin straps are tucked in my BC along with my script glasses, keys, and license/copule of bucks...

What you might want to have along also depends on if you're shore or boat diving.

Shore diving I can always just drive back to the resort or a local dive shop for spares. On the boat you're out of luck if that mask/fin strap/o-ring/reg mouthpiece etc go south on you right before the first tank dive. And a whole BUNCH of bits and pieces will fit into a pretty small Rubbermaid container in your gear bag on the boat, safe from shore site neer-do-wells.

Tool for changing o-rings! We go with Seb on the dental pick. Also waterproof plasters, you won't need them if you have them.

we take 1 liter bottles and fill them with water and freeze them. by the end of the dive they are just about thawed but are still plenty cold.

Ed,

Ask a reasonable question and get?..

Anyway, this is what I carry in a save-a-dive kit:

-O-rings (Regular and DIN. Poly, not rubber)
-mask strap (a “fits all” kind)
-fin strap(s)
-Regulator mouth piece
-Tie-wraps/snap-ties...whatever you call them
-"shoe goo" (an adhesive/plastic waterproof leak stopper)
-A Leatherman tool (any all-in-one tool will do)
-Duct tape (A.K.A. Duck Tape)

After 25+ years of doing this diving thing, that kit has yet to fail me

I almost forgot, up under the car seat...inside the seat, not just under the seat. Or, in a BC pocket.

Now, for Solar showers...

I love them! Can't be beat!

Whenever on Bonaire I carry one five gallon and put it on the roof of the car during a dive, and then do a "Navy" shower afterwards.

Whenever I did classes, I carried four so my students could rinse...they loved it.

It's always nice to get the crust off.