Paragraph 1: A Fortunate Discovery
While exploring the depths off Ogden Point in Victoria, diver Ken Kieley and his wife stumbled upon an unexpected treasure – a GoPro camera resting on the seafloor, approximately 30 feet below the surface. This serendipitous discovery initiated a chain of events that would reunite the camera with its owner after nearly a year of being lost to the ocean. Initially, Kieley was unsure about the camera’s functionality, given its prolonged submersion. However, upon returning home and retrieving the SD card, he discovered that, although some water had seeped into the device, the card itself remained miraculously intact, preserving a trove of videos and images.
Paragraph 2: Unraveling the Clues
The SD card held the key to reuniting the camera with its owner. Among the videos was footage of the very moment the camera was lost, capturing the diver slipping and the GoPro tumbling from his head. The footage clearly showed the camera landing face-up on the seafloor, even capturing a curious crab approaching the device shortly after. Recognizing the potential to identify the owner, Kieley meticulously reviewed the footage, pausing the videos to take screenshots of faces and capturing any identifying information.
Paragraph 3: The Power of Social Media
Among the captured videos was a brief but crucial clip of the diver speaking to his girlfriend. Although the conversation was short, with the diver simply commenting on the murky water, Kieley extracted this audio snippet, recognizing its potential value in identifying the owner. He then shared the screenshots and the audio clip on Facebook, hoping to harness the power of social media. The post quickly gained traction, accumulating hundreds of likes, comments, and shares, spreading the search far and wide. This rapid dissemination proved essential to the camera’s eventual return.
Paragraph 4: A Familiar Voice
The viral reach of Kieley’s Facebook post proved instrumental in connecting the camera with its rightful owner. The post eventually reached the owner’s mother, who instantly recognized her son, Shay Lalor, both from the screenshot images and, more importantly, from the short audio clip. The distinct sound of her son’s voice confirmed her suspicion, solidifying the connection. Lalor, who had lost the camera almost a year prior in May, had resigned himself to the likelihood that it was gone forever.
Paragraph 5: An Unlikely Reunion
Driven by the positive identification, Kieley and Lalor arranged a meeting to return the camera. Lalor expressed his astonishment and gratitude, admitting that he had held little hope of ever seeing his lost GoPro again. He was overjoyed at the unexpected reunion, crediting the power of social media and the kindness of strangers for the remarkable outcome. The experience underscored the surprising interconnectedness of the online world and its potential to facilitate unlikely reunions.
Paragraph 6: A History of Underwater Recoveries
This incident was not the first time Kieley’s family had been involved in recovering lost underwater cameras. Just six months prior, his wife had found another camera during a dive. Remarkably, that camera was still functional underwater. They took it to a local dive shop, whose owner had heard about a missing camera and was able to return it to its grateful owner. This pattern of successful recoveries highlights the surprising frequency of such discoveries and the importance of proactive efforts to reunite lost items with their owners. It also showcases the strong sense of community among divers and their willingness to help each other.
