23rd October 2018
A Facebook search is underway for the owners of a GoPro camera after it was found on The Great Barrier Reef last November.
It is believed that the GoPro Camera has been lost for over five years.
The camera was found by John Michael Darrin in November 2017, who has only recently been able to retrieve the hundreds of images from it.
While looking through the photos, he discovered many selfies of a couple from 2013, who appeared to be snorkeling in the same location where the GoPro was found.
Mr Darrin decided that the best way to find the rightful owners was to post it online, so he took to Facebook and Reddit to share images of the couple and spread the word in hope to return the lost camera.
Mr Darrin told ABC news that he found the GoPro about 30 feet below the surface amongst the coral without a protective case.
"When I grabbed it, it was covered in a red algae and other sea life… strong hints that it's been down there for a while now."
Mr Darrin noticed the device was significantly damaged, the battery was ruined, the metal pins were covered in "hard white gunk" and he had little hope that the micro SD would be retrieved, let alone work.
"All the corrosion and overgrown sea life impacted the SD card, so it took some force and TLC to make sure I didn’t damage any of the readers," he said.
After hours of gently removing the gunk with a toothpick, Mr Darrin was successful.
"I dry it off and push the card into a reader and insert it into my computer. My computer beeps, and instantly reads the card, Mr Darrin said.
"As I waited in anticipation, what was a couple of seconds felt like forever,
"I open up the files and instantly go through the footage, looking for anything I could help me find them," he said.
Mr Darrin found a few clues from the photos indicating that the couple were on a snorkelling tour on board the Cairns-based Rum Runner in January 2013.
"I've lost a GoPro myself, so I understand their feeling. I'd hope someone would try return it as well", he said.
