Where to put your car keys when you're detecting in the water

[Crunchyhippo]

I made a costly mistake a few weeks ago by putting my electronic keyfob/car keys in my booty bag around my waist, which I thought was water proof after it was zipped up. Turns out it wasn't, and my keyfob got wet enough that it stopped working. I couldn't crank my car and I was stranded. I had to get my wife to bring my spare one out to me so I could get home, which she understandably wasn't happy about.

I went online and found a great plastic, pouch holder for keyfobs that seals airtight, which did the trick. So, last weekend I went detecting again and had my pouch in my pocket, confident that my keyfob wasn't going to get wet. After about thirty minutes of detecting, I patted my pocked to ensure my keyfob was still safe and secure - and it was gone. It must have floated right out of my pocket when I was bobbing up and down in the deep water, trying to dig up a target while floating like a cork. Worse, this keyfob was my backup; I had never replaced the earlier one that I ruined. Talk about feeling sick.

I managed to find someone to loan me their phone so I could call my wife who drove out (again), and we had to call a locksmith. After about 2 1/2 hours of painstaking waiting and work on my car (while the horn kept going off, thinking it was being broken into), and $400 later, I got another keyfob and a backup. What an expensive lesson. Fortunately, the locksmith gave me the digital combination to my car on my driver's side door that lets me in without a key. In the future, I'm locking my keys in my car and not taking them with me in the ocean at all, which is for sure the best option. If the ocean can find a way to ruin them, it will, believe me. One guy told me that he hides his keys near his car, but I didn't want to risk someone seeing me hide them, then make off with my vehicle, keys, wallet, phone and all. Anyway, I hope someone learns from my mistakes.

 

[robertk]

In the future, I'm locking my keys in my car and not taking them with me in the ocean at all,

Um…. Won’t locking them in the car also be a problem? Better memorize that combination really well…

 

[Crunchyhippo]

Um…. Won’t locking them in the car also be a problem?

Not when I now have the digital combination to my driver's side door that unlocks it.

 

[UnderMiner]

Bury the keys in the sand, mark the area with an X, find them later with the detector.

 

[no2pencil]

It's rare that I go alone, but when I do I just clip mine onto the arm-strap of my detector.

 

[Crunchyhippo]

It's rare that I go alone, but when I do I just clip mine onto the arm-strap of my detector.

And how do you keep them from getting wet?

 

[no2pencil]

I don't generally go above waist high water. While they can get a little wet from waves splashing, I don't see the issue.

Sorry, I guess I missed the part where you had an electronic fob. My car key is the old fashioned style.

 

[WaterWalker]

For some25+ years I would only buy a FORD because of the combo lock and always locked the key inside the car. The plus was I could give anyone detecting with me the combo should one have to go back to the car alone. The other plus was the Ford Key Pads were stick on so I had one on the driver's door and I put a second one the the tail gate. Now that I have a Chrysler, the combo does not do the trick. After several hours of searching and experimenting with locking the fob in the car which the car will not allow me to do. Hiding the fob was not an option for me, so I found what I think is the best way to solve the problem of loosing or watching your fob float away in a plastic bag or container I bought a couple of the old style emergency keys, cut at the local hardware store. But still I could not lock the fob in the car. UNTIL I bought an aluminum Faraday box for the fob which kept it from communicating with the car's computer while it sat safe, inside the car while I went detecting. I carry one of the keys, clipped to the inside of my goodie bad and I give anyone detecting with me another key. The only down side is that when the door is unlocked with the key the alerting horn signal until I open the door, get the fob out of the box and hit the "Unlock" button.

 

[Terry Soloman]

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[Crunchyhippo]

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Definitely an option. But like I said earlier, the ocean has a way of stripping you of your stuff when you least expect it.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I put my key fob in a zip lock bag that then goes into a waterproof bag that is tethered to my detecting belt.

 

[CTWaterHunter]

I lock the key fob in my car and wear the valet key around my neck on a string. It's a VW, so that key works the door and ignition without setting off the alarm. The valet key for my Dodge pickup sets off the alarm, so I hide the fob somewhere on the frame when no one is looking.

 

[mjb Mike]

I have a truck and but them on top of the frame behind the right rear wheel were you cant see them but i know were they are

 

[cudamark]

My older truck has a fob as well as an actual metal key to work the door locks. I just take the key off the fob and leave the fob either inside the truck, or inside the locking gas cap door (depending on the neighborhood). then lock the doors and just take the metal key with me in my zippered finds pouch.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

I have a truck and but them on top of the frame behind the right rear wheel were you cant see them but i know were they are

Mike, you are obviously an experienced outdoorsman. People like us NEVER carry our keys when leaving the vehicle. The vehicle is worthless without keys. Always leave the keys with the vehicle, hidden of course.
jim

 

[OBN]

I have a pouch combo box, double safety for those electronics key fobs are crazy priced. It fits perfect in my finds pouch.

 

[OBXmetalDet]

Keys to a carabiner then carabiner to metal detector. At Home Depot or Lowes you can get huge carabiner or small ones in various sizes in a pack.

 

[WaterWalker]

Funny thing happened with a hotel key card and wallet in a zip-lock bag that was being carried in a pouch into the water's of Cancun... It was fine until in water above waist deep when it took off floating away. We did find it after about 15 minutes of searching. It was not funny when it was happening, it is today, Sadly two of the other detectorists that were on that vacation have passed. I sure do miss their friendship and as travel/detecting partners. We made so many great memories on our trips.

 

[Crunchyhippo]

My older truck has a fob as well as an actual metal key to work the door locks. I just take the key off the fob and leave the fob either inside the truck, or inside the locking gas cap door (depending on the neighborhood). then lock the doors and just take the metal key with me in my zippered finds pouch.

Until this unfortunate event, I didn't have a manual key for my vehicle until the locksmith made one for me.

 

[CASPER-2]

For some25+ years I would only buy a FORD because of the combo lock and always locked the key inside the car. The plus was I could give anyone detecting with me the combo should one have to go back to the car alone. The other plus was the Ford Key Pads were stick on so I had one on the driver's door and I put a second one the the tail gate. Now that I have a Chrysler, the combo does not do the trick. After several hours of searching and experimenting with locking the fob in the car which the car will not allow me to do. Hiding the fob was not an option for me, so I found what I think is the best way to solve the problem of loosing or watching your fob float away in a plastic bag or container I bought a couple of the old style emergency keys, cut at the local hardware store. But still I could not lock the fob in the car. UNTIL I bought an aluminum Faraday box for the fob which kept it from communicating with the car's computer while it sat safe, inside the car while I went detecting. I carry one of the keys, clipped to the inside of my goodie bad and I give anyone detecting with me another key. The only down side is that when the door is unlocked with the key the alerting horn signal until I open the door, get the fob out of the box and hit the "Unlock" button.
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I remember 2 great hunters that got locked out on the Cape and had to be rescued