In my early days of diving in British Columbia, I recovered several pairs of glasses, wallets, fishing rods, and even some false teeth, among other things. I put up a bright red wooden sea horse in every marina in the area. My sign read SEA HORSE DIVERS in large black print, along with my phone number, and NO JOB TOO SMALL.
One of my most memorable experiences happened at a marina near Vancouver, B.C. An anxious male voice on the phone informed me that a very valuable ring had slipped off his finger while he was tying up his boat. What made the ring even more precious was that it had been passed down to him through two generations. It was priceless! I drove to the marina, and while suiting up for the dive, I explained my fee. A certain cost if I found it, and a reduced price if I didn’t. He agreed that cost was no object. He just wanted the ring back.
I lowered a five-pound weight to the bottom as a reference point and to determine the depth. I jumped into the clear, calm water and started my descent. At about twenty feet I caught a glimpse of something shiny on the clean, sandy bottom. It was about fifteen feet below me. Yes! I had found the ring! I couldn’t believe it. At that very moment, I saw a large lingcod swimming along the bottom. It was heading straight towards my ring. I watched as it swam over the ring. Believe it or not, the ring disappeared. The fish had swallowed it. I checked the sand where the ring had been, but it was gone.
Now, I had to go back up and tell my story to the already upset man. Would you believe it? Well, neither did he. He wanted me to take off my wet suit in front of him, to prove that I wasn’t hiding his ring. I turned to his wife and asked her if she believed my story. She was aware of my good reputation, and assured her husband that I was trustworthy. She added that no one would make up a story like that. He paid me my no-find fee and we shook hands. He even invited me in for a beer. Imagine the lucky fisherman who would someday land a lingcod with a beautiful heirloom ring in his belly. Would you believe this story?
By Jim Willoughby