Subject: [Tweeters] Safe to check spotting scope in luggage?
Date: May 10 11:02:02 2017
From: Georgia Conti - antep12 at gmail.com


I tried to respond privately to Hilary but got an automatic message asking
me to prove who I was and then the link didn't not work. I like privacy
but, gee whiz, if the process to get to the real person is onerous, I give
up. Well, until this note from Karen. Folllowing is what I previously
tried to send Hilary:

I often travel with my high end (Leica) scope attached to my carbon fiber
tripod in hand. It is my "personal item". Unless I am headed to
Gambell/St. Lawrence Island or on a small plane where everything gets
weighed, my personal item doesn't get weighed and thus I can put heavier
items in my checked bag or my carry on small suitcase that fits overhead.
My other electronics go in my backpack - camera, small peaker, iPhone,
iPad, binocs, etc. and these are carry on and then put overhead. (sometimes
if I must take heavy hiking boots, I tie them to the outside of my carry on
back pack, again to lighten the load for checked things. When I pass thru
security I put my scope on the conveyor belt or in one of those rectangular
plastic containers. Most folks, including TSA agents, ask what I am going
to photograph and they are a bit surprised when I say I use the scope to
watch birds. I have had some very nice conversations with travelers with
my scope in hand. Plus, I have always found space overhead for my scope,
and I've never had to take the scope off the tripod. I live in Mexico and
I often travel internationally or to various parts of Mexico. Over twenty+
years I have never experienced problems, and my scope has never been
damaged.

I hope this helps.

Georgia
Lake Patzcuaro Mexico but formerly from Seattle/Alaska



d my scope has never been damanaged


On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 11:49 AM, Karen Wosilait <karen.w.mobile at gmail.com>
wrote:

> By "safe to check" do you mean it won't break or it won't get stolen?
>
> I always put mine in my carry on for the piece of mind it gives me.
> Breakage is my big concern. I've heard from someone else who travels a lot
> that he always checks his (well padded) and has had no problems.
>
> When I do check luggage, it usually gets searched by TSA (maybe I'm
> packing things that look suspicious on x-ray), but nothing has ever been
> taken. That said, I've never checked anything small and valuable.
>
> Karen Wosilait
> Seattle, WA
> karen.w.mobile at gmail.com
>
> > On May 9, 2017, at 7:29 PM, kristinstewart01 at comcast.net wrote:
> >
> > I wouldn't check it ( I always carry all optics with me), and I also had
> my tsa lock disappear from my checked suitcase on my last trip (Australia)
> although nothing else was missing.
> >
> > Kristin Stewart
> > Olympia
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> >> On May 9, 2017, at 2:12 PM, pat.mary.taylor <pat.mary.taylor at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi
> >>
> >> I always carry camera, Binos, scope, and tripod (disassembled) in my
> carry on. Nothing worse than arriving at your destination to find you
> checked luggage lost. In fact I never check baggage and travel light.
> >>
> >> No guides are really necessary on Kauai as all the endemic birds are
> found with the help of the online Birding in Hawaii.
> >>
> >> Keith Taylor
> >>
> >> Sent from my iPad
> >>
> >>> On May 9, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Hilary Barnes <habarnes at earthlink.net>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Greetings experienced nature travelers-
> >>>
> >>> We will be visiting Kauai soon for a week, and I would like to take my
> spotting scope along, or, at least have access to one while there. I have a
> rather clunky Vortex scope and a study Manfroto 190 tripod. We took it to
> Sanibel Island, FL, once, and I think I took the scope in my carry-on and
> the tripod in a large suitcase. Remembering the airport trek, I am
> considering checking the whole shebang and using a TSA approved suitcase
> lock. Your feed back on equipment management, safety and security would be
> appreciated.
> >>>
> >>> Oh, and any birding contacts or tips would be wonderful as well! We
> will be staying in Princeville on the north shore, and will be renting a
> car. I have found a lot of useful information online, and have copies of "A
> Pocket guide to Hawai'i's Birds" and "Enjoying Birds and Other Wildlife in
> Hawai'i'" from a previous tag-along trip to Oahu for my husband's
> atmospheric science work group meeting. The point of this trip is actual
> R&R- birding and botany will take place both deliberately and at leisure.
> Thanks for your input-
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
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