Dive knoves on RCI

[MedicKen]

We will be sailing from FLL and Bayonne (2 different cruises) on RCI. I know you can bring a dive knife with you but you have to turn it in to the ship and recover it for your dive. Here's the two part question; 1) How do you get it through the terminal? 2) Who do you declare it to?

 

I did email RCI but I am a little anxious to find out. Thank you all.

[Capt_BJ]

leave it at home

 

you don't need it

 

many Carib' operators won't even let you dive with it

 

I've got over 30 years of diving in the Carib' and never - NEVER used my knife for anything other than hitting my tank to get someones attention.

 

Rid yourself of the problem of dealing with the cruise line security - LEAVE IT AT HOME.

 

(when I was 16 and first certified the FIRST piece of dive equipment I bought was a BIG dive knife. B4 my first, post certification dive I returned it and bought a good set of fins. I still wear those fins....about 10 sets of heel straps later I still wear those fins....and don't miss the knife).

[BuzzF117]

We will be sailing from FLL and Bayonne (2 different cruises) on RCI. I know you can bring a dive knife with you but you have to turn it in to the ship and recover it for your dive. Here's the two part question; 1) How do you get it through the terminal? 2) Who do you declare it to?

 

I did email RCI but I am a little anxious to find out. Thank you all.

 

Leave it home I carried a set of stainless steel EMT sheers and nobody batted an eye some dive ops won't allow knives or gloves. If you insist on gloves you may only be allowed to wear them while doing a safety stop on the mooring line otherwise you cannot wear them

[MedicKen]

Leave it home I carried a set of stainless steel EMT sheers and nobody batted an eye some dive ops won't allow knives or gloves. If you insist on gloves you may only be allowed to wear them while doing a safety stop on the mooring line otherwise you cannot wear them

Thanks. Being a medic I have a few pair of shears so that isn't a problem. Why the glove thing though?

Also thanks Capt. BJ for your input and wisdom as well.

[Pilot70D]

Why the glove thing though?

 

Many of the best dive locations are in marine parks and in most marine parks gloves aren't permitted. The reason gloves aren't permitted is that with gloves some divers were tempted to break pieces of coral off for souvenirs. Not permitting gloves does somewhat inhibit the urge to touch the coral. Touching the coral is almost as bad as breaking pieces of it off.

The previous posters were correct - leave the dive knife at home. Many places don't permit them and it is a hassle with the ship's security department. The shears will work just as well but like the other poster I have NEVER had to hack my way loose from anything.

Have a ball on that next dive trip. We will be diving at several Caribbean islands this December.

:):):)

[Capt_BJ]

as stated

 

gloves encourage touching - even just for fending off - a poor sub'tute for good buoyancy control

 

touching is discouraged - it is BAD for the coral

 

I keep a glove in a BC pocket and only pull it out if needed at the safety stop. I'll often use the anchor line rather than the boat's hang bar to a) avoid the crowd and b) photograph the crowd. The anchor line tends to have some growth if it is a perm' anchor line as most popular dive areas have turned to.....

[The Flying Pirate]

leave it at home

 

you don't need it

 

many Carib' operators won't even let you dive with it

 

I've got over 30 years of diving in the Carib' and never - NEVER used my knife for anything other than hitting my tank to get someones attention.

 

Rid yourself of the problem of dealing with the cruise line security - LEAVE IT AT HOME.

 

(when I was 16 and first certified the FIRST piece of dive equipment I bought was a BIG dive knife. B4 my first, post certification dive I returned it and bought a good set of fins. I still wear those fins....about 10 sets of heel straps later I still wear those fins....and don't miss the knife).

 

 

 

This is very good advice, and it is correct, most of the Caribbean dive operators won't allow you to dive with a knife anyway. I bring my mask, fins, snorkel and regulator on a cruise and rent tanks and BC when I get there. (I would love to take my BC but it takes up a lot of room and I actually try and pack somewhat light on a cruise) But I prefer to use my own reg and computer rather than a rental.

[MedicKen]

Thank you all very much for your input and advice. Shears and may 1 glove in the pocket it is.

 

Thanks again.

[The Flying Pirate]

Take your gloves, but many Caribbean dive operators don't allow gloves in the Caribbean to discourage divers from touching the Coral. Diving in the Caribbean is becoming a whole different animal! Have fun and enjoy it!

[drew sailbum]

EMT shears are MUCH more effective to deal with the only likely entanglement hazard you might find - monofilament fishing line. You won't have any need to cut through thick kelp and don't need a knife.

 

Thoroughly rinse and dry the EMT shears after diving. Spray a light coat of WD40 on them once you get back home. They aren't exactly expensive, but the hinge pin tends to rust and they can fall apart without a little preventative maintenance.

 

 

And gloves... some places, like the Cayman Islands, a glove ban is written into the law. Some specially licensed dive staff are permitted to wear gloves while dispatching lionfish which have become a problem as an invasive species.

[PTwifewhip125]

Not only do they take your dive knife but also any scuba tool you may pack also. We bring with us on our trips a save-the dive kit with scuba tools and screw drivers. They took them at the first stop, and everytime after that we had to get it back from security. Just a FYI...

[dirvin0500]

I agree with the shears for sure. I know that in some "current" situations as some locations a glove to do the "single touch" to rock capability.

[scubadiver888]

I won't even take the shears. Half the security at airports are students doing co-op terms. You could get hassled for even the shears. There is zero need for anything. I have been diving the Caribbean for 10 years now and NEVER bring anything for entanglement. No knife, cutter, shears, etc. You will not need it. I think I saw some line once and the dive ops left it because it was well entangled in the coral. Rather than risk hurting the coral they just left it. Anything which came free would get trimmed by some dive professional.

 

Additionally, I have only ever seen one person with a dive knife on a cruise. It was a HUGE pain for him and he almost missed the dive boat twice as he attempted to get his knife. Total waste of time.

 

As for gloves, Capt_BJ is spot on. Even if you have no intention of breaking off coral as a souvenir, it is hard to realize you are touching the coral when you wear gloves. A light brush with your hand is enough to break the protective membrane on the coral. The moment that happens fish come in and attack the coral. If you are not wearing gloves you instantly realize when you brush against the coral and become aware of it.

 

The anchor lines can be a little crusty. If you need to hang onto the line during a safety stop, it is nice to have a glove. Also, if the port has ship wrecks (e.g. BVI) you want to have gloves. You really shouldn't touch ship wrecks either but if you have poor buoyancy control it is better to use a gloves hand than to get cut on a rough edge and get an infection.

 

Personally, I bring no gloves and no cutting devices. When I had poor buoyancy, I kept my distance (3 to 6 feet above the bottom). As my buoyancy improved, I got closed. Every dive I worked on my buoyancy because I made a promise to myself; I would not get close until my buoyancy was good enough. I wanted to have a closer look. This encouraged me to work on my buoyancy. ;)

[scuabacruiser]

Of course if you don't have a knife, you won't be able the defend yourself against the rare bands of marauding thug divers dressed in all black from head to toe with tinted masks. I hear they hide inside dive wrecks and behind coral heads ready to swarm unsuspecting divers, stealing their dive booty. Don't worry though if you forget your dive knife. You can still get away if you just knock off their dive mask. They become completely disoriented allowing you to swim away. :D:rolleyes: Just get wet and have fun.