OK, reading about car break-ins makes me think about....

[lomillerin]

If we have to take everything with us when we rent a car and go to let's say a beach. We get to the beach and we have all of our valuables, cameras, credit cards, cash....

 

We all want to swim, snorkel etc... we can't just leave our stuff, right?

If criminals steal out of a trunk of a car, wouldn't it be much easier to pick up the stuff people leave on the beach.

So, what do most people do? Never snorkel or swim together so one person can stay with the stuff all of the time?

[beachchick]

Well, I'm not sure how much stuff you'll have, so I'll just tell you what we typically do.

 

We have a cooler with beverages that stays in the trunk. We take the bare minimum (that includes leaving the good cameras at home/on the ship). We'll take a disposable UW camera, towels, and our snorkel gear (all in our snorkel duffle). As for car keys, credit cards, DLs, and cash, we use Witzprod water safes in two sizes. The tiny one holds ship's card, credit card, DL, and some cash; the slightly larger one holds all the above plus car key, lip balm, and such. I have my DH wrap the straps around my swimsuit straps (not on the back if the back unhooks) and then I tuck them in my suit at the small of my back. I don't even really feel them, but they're safe and keep the valuables nice and dry. (If you get water safes, don't be tempted by the pretty aqua or blue or green translucent ones. Sure they look nice, but if by some chance one does get "loose," you won't be able to see it under the water. Ours are opaque bright yellow and lime green--definitely not colors we would choose for fashion.)

 

I guess my real recommendation is not to bring all the valuables to the beach (not to bring on the beach or leave in the car) if you can avoid it.

 

beachchick

[lomillerin]

Can we buy these waterproof containers at an ABC store or other convenient place?

[spleen93]

ABC does not carry.

 

REI does however. You could mail order it from them beforehand.

 

Spleen

[lomillerin]

Thanks Spleen, we leave 15 days. I am not sure we could get it by then. I will check here at sporting goods places, but if not do you know of anywhere in Waikiki to get one. We will be there the day before our cruise.

[spleen93]

15 days shouldn't be a problem unless you live outside the US. I'm not aware of places in Waikiki that sell these though you could certainly check any scuba/snorkel shop that you come across. There are some in Waikiki.

 

Spleen

[lambs2]

Thanks Spleen, we leave 15 days. I am not sure we could get it by then. I will check here at sporting goods places, but if not do you know of anywhere in Waikiki to get one. We will be there the day before our cruise.

 

Surf shops in Florida carry dry boxes for surfers here. http://www.ronjons.com/ProductDetail.aspx?Category=Beach+Products&MenuGroup=8&SelectedItem=55&Page=1&ProductID=1099-0147 I am sure surf shops in CA would do so as well, and perhaps Hawaii?

[sceptic]

Check local scuba stores (yes, even if you live in Kansas City there will be scuba stores in your town!) Every one around here (Denver area - not exactly a scuba stronghold) has waterproof wallets.

 

Frankly, if there is anything about Hawaii that is off-putting, it's this subject. Let's say I've been to a snorkel place like Honolua ten times. I'd guess that 2 of those times I've seen the local police talking to tourists that have had their car broken into. It does happen.

 

My suggestion is like Beachchick's with one extra caveat - leave the car unlocked when you go to the beach! This seems incredibly non-intuitive, but these scumbags will break windows just to pop the trunk to look in. Get some disposable cameras - they're actually very good - and the "underwater" cameras are fun. Don't expect Costeau-quality photos, but always make sure to take pix of each other under water.

 

(One thing we used to do is to have any "valuables" in a diaper bag, with a fresh Huggie sticking out of one of the pockets, as well as a baby bottle. For some reason, thieves just think "Ewwww" when they see a diaper bag. Heh.)

[Jenninhawaii]

If we have to take everything with us when we rent a car and go to let's say a beach. We get to the beach and we have all of our valuables, cameras, credit cards, cash....

 

We all want to swim, snorkel etc... we can't just leave our stuff, right?

If criminals steal out of a trunk of a car, wouldn't it be much easier to pick up the stuff people leave on the beach.

So, what do most people do? Never snorkel or swim together so one person can stay with the stuff all of the time?

 

Don't leave anything on the beach that you don't want taken! Criminals here will steal anything that is not glued down! Even then they will try. Just a few weeks ago theives took the copper wire from the street lights on the freeway. Now that is bold!

 

We don't take much to the beach with us, only the cash we need ($20-$40), our snorkle gear, a cheap disposable camera and a small cooler with drinks. Everything else stays at home. We also make sure that our car is clean (no stuff laying on the floor) so that theives can look in the windows and see that there are no valubles inside. If we go to a high crime area we leave the windows rolled down and the door unlocked. Never had a problem. Jen

[lambs2]

That's what we did. Rented a small unobtrusive compact car, left it unlocked and at least one window open some when we stopped places, and had nothing visible inside the car to tempt anyone. All our luggage was in the trunk for which this vehicle had no trunk release except for the key, and we never opened it until we got back to the rental car place and just had a mesh bag and a small cooler with us to carry all our towels and junk. We also swam mostly in places where there was lots of activity or at a place like Waimea Falls park where we had to pay to park. Guess having all our luggage in the trunk was a bit of a gamble but our airline carrier would not take our luggage early and we wanted to see the rest of Oahu that day. Guess we could have rented a locker at the airport, but we didn't want to take the time from our day to do that and everything worked out great for us. Hey, I have lived in Florida all my life and we hear stories about car break-ins all the time here too. My house has been broken into once, so I do know how awful that personal invasion feels!

[kml1211]

Lambs- I just wanted to say thanks for the link to Ron Jon's. I liked that their water tight cases were opaque and came in a larger variety of colors. Since I have six people, I try to buy each different colors so there is no confusion. I was also worried about people being able to see how much money I had in it. (You guessed it, I am a worrywort) Now, I just have to convince my teenage daughter that she doesn't need to carry her oversized purse with her everywhere!

 

KML

[lomillerin]

How water proof are these containers. I found them at the local sporting goods store. We got on small one and one a little bigger. Would a cell phone stay dry?

[Breezey]

Don't leave anything on the beach that you don't want taken! Criminals here will steal anything that is not glued down! Even then they will try. Just a few weeks ago theives took the copper wire from the street lights on the freeway. Now that is bold!

 

We don't take much to the beach with us, only the cash we need ($20-$40), our snorkle gear, a cheap disposable camera and a small cooler with drinks. Everything else stays at home. We also make sure that our car is clean (no stuff laying on the floor) so that theives can look in the windows and see that there are no valubles inside. If we go to a high crime area we leave the windows rolled down and the door unlocked. Never had a problem. Jen

 

OK so I am naive and hadn't thought of crime (and I live in a city that has had its fair share of crime). You mentioned high crime areas. So where should we stay away from?

[beachchick]

How water proof are these containers. I found them at the local sporting goods store. We got on small one and one a little bigger. Would a cell phone stay dry?

 

There are several good brands out there. I can only respond about Witzprod. Ours have never leaked (thus far at least). We got some advice to run a tiny bit of vasoline along the rubber gaskets from time to time to help keep them watertight. I'm not sure I'd put my phone it it, but OTOH ours aren't big enough to do so anyway.

 

If you got the type that are hard plastic with one piece bodies and one piece tops, along with strong latches, then you would probably be fine. If they are "cheapy" ones (thin soft plastic with "ziploc" seals and side seams, for example), then I would not risk it. As long as the ones you got are high quality, they should stay nice and dry. (A side note: My mom dropped her cell phone in some water a while back. After she fished it out and let it dry (battery out), it worked fine for almost a year. And this wasn't some little puddle; it was a tub of water that soaked that baby through.)

 

What type did you get? Are they marketed specifically for scuba/snorkeling?

 

I hope they work out for you and stay nice and dry inside.:)

 

beachchick

[pbastedo]

This place has a great selection of both hard and soft waterproof cases and lists their rating (how deep they can go).

 

http://www.thewaterproofstore.com/

 

Items are shipped from Florida.

[Cruisin Angel]

I"ve read that no matter where you go do not leave anything int he trunk or car as it WILL get stolen. How can one go shopping from store to store and not put some stuff in the trunk while you move on ot another place. Seems like you can't do any long term shopping. I plan to do much more than that.. but when I do go, I dont want all my stuff stolen or have to carry it all with me as I go from place to place. Any suggestions?

[kml1211]

I just thought I would let you all know that I got my watertight containers today- ordered from Ron Jon's- and they are made by Witz. I paid 7.99 a piece and ordered the Large ones. I did test to see if my cell phone would fit in it. It doesn't quite make it because of the hard antenna (I have a LG w/MP3 player). But a Razr would DEFINITELY fit! I was able to get six different colors and followed the advice to stay away from blues and greens as they will blend in with the color of the water. They do say "Ron Jon's" on them- but who cares? We will be in the birthplace of surfing- it kinda seems fitting.

 

 

KML

[sceptic]

Cruisin' Angel, it's not that bad in Hawaii. There are just a few places renowned for thievery (if nothing else, look for evidence of broken car window glass on the pavement). I've never really worried about shopping at a Safeway, and ABC Store, or a Mall or wherever in Hawaii, or in a touristy short of shopping area. It's those "hidden snorkel spots" that are a prime target, where only a couple of cars are parked alone for long periods. Thieves want nobody around. Big parking lots or well-traveled locales aren't what they're looking for. (Example - Whaler's Village parking lot - never worried.)

 

Targets are not targets, so to speak.

 

Thieves aren't interested in stealing your vacation purchases. They want cameras, camcorders, digital cameras and accessories. High-end tourist electronics are the big thing.

[kml1211]

Sceptic- Do you guys have TARGET in Hawaii? I have only seen Walmart and ABC and Long's talked about, never Target. Just wondering- it would be my choice for routine purchases.

 

KML

[Cruisin Angel]

Thank you Sceptic!!! I was really starting to wonder how we were going to do much.. My husband loves to take his digital camera everywhere.. and has often times left it on the beach, but now he says he'll just not go in. He's not much for the ocean anyway..but still.

 

I feel a littl better though. Thanks!!

[sceptic]

No, Target Stores aren't in Hawaii. Yet. They're looking at a bunch of sites, so the rumors have it. My statement was just a pun.

 

BTW, the WalMarts in Hawaii I've gone to had enormous selections of "local" stuff.

[spleen93]

Target is supposedly coming to the Big Island in the next year or so - also, coming to Kapolei on Oahu in the next 1-2 years. These are all rumors ... but pretty well placed rumors so the likelihood of them being true is pretty high. It'll be nice to finally get Target here.

 

Spleen

[kapoho2]

I am also hoping for a Target over here. That is one store I really miss. When we went to Portland last year, the first thing I wanted my friends to do was take me to Target. They thought I was nuts!!!

[kml1211]

I have to say, I would be truly lost without Target. Wal- Mart depresses me for some reason- I think it is all the grey. And their aisles are too narrow! But, I think I can live without Target for 10 days!!!

 

We now have Super Targets that have grocery stores in them. You literally never have to go to another store! It's very convenient, except when you go in for Toilet paper and end up spending 200.00!

 

KML