When you find an item while diving, do you try and locate the owner?

[akajack]

In 1987 I found a Rolex GMT Master Stainless. It had been down there for a long time, and I still have the watch today. When I found it they sold new for $1675 now they are $3500 in the stores, the watch keeps horrible time and costs $300 to have serviced. I only wear it now on special occasions, when the big shots that actually paid for their Rolexes are around. I do return items if the owner can be identifed, but how many responses would you get for an ad that read found used rolex please describe?

 

[jmsdiver]

I attempt to find the owner. I was on a dive this past summer in the Caymans and found a very nice UK pistol style dive light right off the shore of where I was staying. I reported that I had found a dive light to the dive staff so that if someone came looking for one they could get it back. As no one came looking for it (and I checked before I left the island), it stayed in the family.

 

[Texas Tek-diver]

I've lost a few things to the "Gods of the Deep" and just had to let it go. No one has ever tried to return them. I guess they were never found...oops, I forgot to label them before I lost them.

 

[Lance Gothic]

Brothers & Sisters of U/W Lost & Found,

Some time ago I was on a group orientation dive in Hot Springs AR. No boat. And the climb to dive was steep. We finally buddied up and did some S&R patterns for practice. Somebody found what looked like a business deposit bag. When we surfaced and examined the contents all we found were blank checks from banks all across the country. Them and a fist sized rock for ballast. Same name, different address. One of the guys was pals with the county recovery team and took the pouch to them. We all figured the owner was robbed and travelled for business.
One thing led to another and the outcome was quite surprising.
Seems this check owner chap wandered the entire U.S. and kited bad checks everywhere he went. Had a regular pattern. The ensuing investigation led police in several states to amass considerable evidence a-n-d the pattern seemily adhered to by the check designee.
The law enforcement "grapevine" eventually reported that when approached by police in Phoenix AZ (A far cry from the Phoenix AZ of today!) the check owner denied any involvement.
And then investigators dropped the checkbook filled bag on the table...It was all over but the incarceration!

Who says "No good deed goes unpunished"?

Regards,
Lance Gothic
Shibumi

 

[divedude]

I run a dive charter, and most times anything that is found we ask around the group. if it's not anyone on our boat I radio the other dive boats in the area. If someone claims it there is a "finders fee" Usually it's a beer at the "Ports" tavern.

 

[Rooster1]

judging from the poll here, the divers here are mostly honest.

 

[dkerr]

Last time I went diving I came across a mask on my way to shore. Upon reaching dry ground I saw another group of divers, one of which was going through everyones spare masks looking for one that fit. His lucky day though. He got his second dive, and I got 2 nice lobsters in return!
What goes around comes around
Dkerr

 

[MSilvia]

I went with the "finders keepers" answer, but only because I don't use value to determine whether or not to give something back. Generally, I'll make some effort to return an item:

I'll ask around and see if it was lost by anyone on the dive, at the beach, or what have you. (I found my AOW instructor's mask from a class the year before) I'll even mention it at dive club meetings.

If it has a name or contact info of any sort, I'll try to contact the owner and get the item back to them. (an old disc golf habit)

If I know who it belongs to, I'll return it.

If someone says something like, "Hey, you didn't by any chance find that yellow widget on the wreck of the S.S. Minnow, did you? I was there last June, and couldn't find it after the dive." I'll gladly return it if that's where it was from.

Basicly, I don't care if it's a snorkel keeper or a gold rolex. If I feel I've made a reasonable effort, and no owner has been identified, I'll consider it abandoned and keep it.

 

[Iguana Don]

Bikini bottom, then you bet I try to find the owner!

 

[SPEEDSTER]

locate the owner if they had their name on it, in an area where a lot of student divers were at or on a group dive. Other than that, if the person that lost it didn't care enough to put their name on it, I will.

Mike