It’s not often that I’m unsuccessful on a ring search but last Friday at Cables Water Park at Penrith in Sydney, Australia brought a long run of successful searches to an end.
About a week earlier James had been at Cables with some friends and had noticed his white gold wedding ring missing at some point during the afternoon session. Staff at Cables suggested calling me after a successful search for a wedding ring in the park a few weeks prior.
Due to the fact that James did not actually recall the moment that his ring came off his finger, it was always going to be a difficult search.
I made four hour drive from my home on the Mid North Coast arriving to coincide with the arrival of Cables maintenance staff about three hours before the park opened to the public.
James had figured out several locations where his ring was likely to have fallen off his finger and we started at the most likely one; the Dog Bone, where I marked a datum line on the lake bed with a string line. A detailed search of the area did not produce James’ wedding ring and over the next two hours several likely places were searched in similar fashion.
The visibility underwater at Cables would probably best be described as zero and the bed of the lake consists a mixture of mud, coarse sand, seaweed and lost sunglasses. The whole area is crisscrossed by anchor cables that secure the multitude of floating, really fun-looking gadgetry that makes up the park. It’s not the place for an inexperienced diver that’s for sure.
The park opened to the public at 1000 and James and I retreated to the coffee shop to formulate Plan B. We returned at 1700 when the park closes to the public and hit the water again. Sadly, after searching approximately ten more likely locations and uncovering two rings, a watch, a bracelet and three million pairs of lost sunglasses, I was unable to find James’ wedding ring.
Staff at Cables shared the best of the sunglasses and the other items found are on their way back to the park’s Manager, Kylie in the hope that they can be reunited with their owners.
James, I’m truly sorry that I was unsuccessful in finding your wedding ring. Don’t lose hope though. If Cables will have me back, it may well turn up on a future search and I promise that you will be the second person to know if it does.
Thank you once again to Kylie, Garry, Nick and the other Cables people for allowing me access to the park and your patience and support for what I do.
Nick
Hi Nick! As a fellow RingFinder and diver on the other side of Aussiestralis I take my hat off to you for what sounds like an exceptional search. Way to go above and beyond!! Good luck finding it another day.. I too have an M.I.A I’ve now spent three full days searching for and am determined to find at Rottnest Island….If you’re ever heading to Perth for some reason please sing out, perhaps you could help me bring about a success for a doctor from your side of the country!! Regards Sean.
I believe I lost my Cornell Class Ring outside Coles in North Richmond, NSW parking lot.I could be wrong, but this was the last I saw it. In the boot of my car. I still have the car. Hopes this helps, there is a reward.
Dave