Lost GoPro Camera in Meredith
 

I never thought I'd be using my own Lost & Found section but last week I lost my GoPro Camera, waterproof enclosure and head mount while tubing at the end of Meredith Bay. We were on the east side of the bay opposite the no wake zone. The camera did not have the "floaty" back on it because it won't fit when the camera is on the head mount so I'm not sure if it floated on not. It could be sitting on the bottom. We criss-crossed the area looking for it but it was a little choppy and hard to see.

I'm more upset that I lost the videos from last week that were on the SD card.

If by some chance someone finds it in the water or on the shoreline in Meredith Bay please contact me at webmaster@winnipesaukee.com or post here.

Thanks!

any of our divers able to help out the best Webmaster out there?

needle/haystck
 

the first time my son used his coutour camera wakeboarding, it broke from the mount and vanished into the depths. We knew where it went in so my other son dove for it and found nothing. (and this was a much calmer spot than Meredith Bay). He called Contour that day and complained that the mount didn't hold and they sent him a new camera free of charge. Great customer service on that one

I'd be happy to take a run at it. Don please email me at info@sonarsar.com.

Perhaps you could send along a Bizer clip w/ the approx. position marked on it or meet me by boat.

I have several things to dive down that way so adding another site is no trouble.

They don't even remotely float with out the floaty back door. Ask me how I know.

Sinks like a stone. Always have a safety lanyard attached to my life vest when I wear the head strap mount. I use a shoe lace. Has saved my camera multiple times both on and off the water.

Thanks for that offer! I'll send you an email with more details tonight.

I should have thought of a lanyard. This was the first time I used it like this. Next time...

Count Me In
 

The head mount strap will be a BIG help in locating the GoPro as it will help the whole package protrude above the silt layer. We found that to be true when we dove and found another GoPro in Wolfeboro Bay 2 years ago.

HH - Count me in to help.

Anytime you have a Gopro question feel free to shoot me a message. Over the last few seasons of boat sports and winter sports I have tried out just about every mounting scenario and have lost a few Gopros my self.

Leave no doubt this could be a very difficult search due to what I assume will be a general area of the loss to work in. Specifics would be great to whatever degree they can be provided as to where it went down. I may use my scooter as we'll see.

In dark water diving I often tie a 12" piece of pink or orange surveyor's tape to the light or whatever it is a don't want to lose. If I don't clip the light or whatever to a D-ring or carabiner on my BC vest I sometimes set the light down and the tape helps prevent losing it.

Lanyards can be bought at any dive store-try the new one in Laconia-NH Divers, part of Watermark.

SCG-yes we'll give it a shot. Any other divers are welcome to join us--either on their own or with us when we go.

Just rollin' through the L&F and was wondering if this was ever recovered?

Not yet. Diver1111 contacted me recently and told me he'd give it a try this season. I've got my fingers crossed but it's been sitting on the bottom for almost a year. If the waterproof case kept it dry for all that time I'll be really impressed!

Found!
 

I got some great news this weekend that Diver1111 found my camera after about 390 days on the bottom of Meredith Bay! You can see from the picture that it is in good shape and there is no water inside of the enclosure. It's hard to see if the discoloration is just on the case or the camera.

Thanks Hans! I'm still shocked and amazed that you were able to locate it. You're the best!

Recovered
 

Last week I had the time and made 3 trips to the area and flew around on my scooter for about 90 minutes each time covering a large area in a consistent pattern similar to what I do running a sonar scan (called "mowing the lawn").

Entire bottom was perfect for a search-18 to 36 feet deep with the thermocline at 40 feet, level, with hard sand, short light grass and almost no silt. No way this would disappear unless it was down in a rock pile.

I enjoyed bottle hunting while I was there so it wasn't as if finding the cam was the only reason to be there. Found large aluminum swim ladder, the curved poles for a wind surfer, some neat old bottles among other stuff.

GoPro was still sealed, dry and intact as I expected it would be. Light rust colored film on left exterior, prob. from the stainless button which rubs off.

That is awesome! Thanks for following up and glad it was found! Did the pictures make it?

Good story for GoPro!

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

Wow!
 

Wow, that's incredible!!! Nice job, Hans! What a great story!

I agree. Contact GoPro and tell them the story....

BT

I just got the camera back from Hans and the camera and SD card with videos are in perfect condition. After 13 months on the bottom it's amazing to watch them.

Here's a clip from the time the camera flew off my daughter's head to hitting the bottom. It takes about a minute to get there. It lands face down but you can still hear boats going by in the audio.

Watching it reminds me of the old grainy videos of the Apollo moon lander descending to the surface:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m4yoxeF--yc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4yoxeF--yc

Amazing story!

That looks like it dropped pretty quickly. How deep was the water?

Awesome story!!

That really is quite incredible!

Depth I found it at was approx. 36 feet. Cam was face down on the bottom with the black headband facing up.