I ruined my camera, as well, and it didn't take much water at all to do it. I slipped on the rocks walking from Ivans to Soggy Dollar and my bag took on water. Everything else was soaked, but my camera only had a few droplets on it. However it won't turn on. Luckily, the card wasn't fried and I was able to get the pictures off using my camera at work. When I looked at them, I realized it was probably time for a new camera anyhow.

Most of the time I used those waterproof disposable cameras to be on the safe side, but I did like to get some beach shots with my regular camera. Needless to say, I'll be getting a case with my new one and keeping it in there all the time instead of just throwing it in my beach bag.

OK Lex you now owe us a trip report (or at least some bullet points on highlights/impressions).

Poor Lex,
I really feel for you.
My sons gave me a really nice little camera to take on vacation.
I was stepping off of a sailboat onto the dock after an outing with friends, and it popped out
of my beach bag into the water.
They keep asking me to send pictures of my vacation, and because I'm too embarassed to
tell them what happened (sad too), I always say I will. (I feel terrible about that). I never even got to see
any of the photos I took either.
So be careful all, it happens when you least expect.
Don't be too hard on your wife for her rules about her camera, bet you would be the same if the roles
were reversed. Ha!!
Me, I'll have to wait for the extra dollars to replace the one I lost, and be happy looking at everyone
else's photos.

Yeah! I was wondering why we didn't get a trip report??

I found it a good idea to replace wrist strap most cameras have with a neck strap. Look more like a toursit/geek, but safer from drops.

I just order, actually it came in today, a new canon digital camera. I went ahead and sprung for the underwater housing for diving and I will likely leave it in the housing even when I am not diving . If it makes you feel any better I trashed a cell phone Feb before last at Soggy dollar. I had it in the dry bag when we went in but after a few pain killers and a couple calls to harass some friends I put it in a pocket on the front of a cooler. We swamped the dinghy on the way back to White's bay and it never recovered.
Oops!
Jay

That sucks! It's good that you had a fall back though. I have an underwater housing for my point & shoot digital that I love but wouldn't quite be AS heartbroken if it got water in it as if my DLR did. That one does not go near the water!

LEX, I am dying to hear about your VG trip! I can't wait for ours!!!

Lex:

You may have just shorted your battery. Try opening your camera and drying it out completely. Electronic circuit cards usually have a moisture barrier coating. I once fell into a swimming pool with my cell phone. I quickly pulled out the battery and opened the phone. I let it dry over night...then recharged the battery. It worked fine after that.

F.I.

I think my next camera will be the Olympus (or maybe it's Fuji -- same thing) point and shoot that is waterproof. Perfect for these trips.

I also ruined my cell phone too, but I have an old one I am using until I can save up some pennies (broke from this trip!) to buy a refurbished version of my better phone.

It ended up being a very expensive day on Jost (and to think I got away with my $12 to Ivan for beers and a cheeseburger!), but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Next year, everything gets ziplocked!

I will post a trip report before long, but likely I'll put it on a BVI forum (this is specifically a USVI forum). Maybe I'll put a mention here with a link for anyone interested.

FI---this is way beyond shorting the battery. Salt water and swimming pool water are different as day and night when it comes to adverse effect on electronics. What I learned too late is that the only slim chance I had to save the camera would have been to immediately remove the battery and keep the camera in clean (preferably distilled) water until I could get it to a technician. In my frustration, I ended up doing the worst things possible, the things that really guaranteed that the camera would be fried.

I took both my camera and phone apart right away and followed what I'd always been told if you dropped them in water and mine didn't work either. I truly think it's the salt water, too.

I purchased a Fuji F700 on e-bay (actually I bought more than one) and an underwater housing for it on Amazon ($48 as e-bay wanted approx $200). The reason I bought more than one was so that when and if it crashes I can still use my underwater housing. My Digital SLR is also a Fuji which helps with the memory card exchanges.

One thing I'm considering now is to replace the camera, but instead of spending the money on an underwater housing, to spend it on a second camera---not as good quality camera but waterproof and durable. The Pentax Optio W30 is going for around $200.

I think I'm just getting a waterproof camera myself. I'm just not sure about the photo quality on them.