Diver Develops Film Never Meant To See Light Of Day

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No Turning Back

Sebastian couldn’t believe his eyes as the images unfolded in front of him. He didn’t even expect the camera’s SD card to work. But now that he could see the pictures, maybe it would have been better if it didn’t.

He stood still for a while, paralyzed and staring at the photographs. From inside the pictures, another pair of eyes stared back at him. That’s when he knew he had to do something.

Sebastian Jones

Pexels

This is the story of a man from Los Angeles named Sebastian Jones. He used to work unloading cargo at the docks. Even though he had never been a sailor, he was no stranger to the sea either.

When he was a kid, he would often have to stay in school after class, waiting for his dad to finish his shift. So one day, he asked his dad if he could sign him up for diving courses based on the beach nearby.

A Passion Develops

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His dad accepted. And by the time Sebastian finished high school, he was already passionate about diving. His father was glad to see his son being so committed to his hobby, and he bought anything he needed, from the mask to the rebreather.

But what neither Sebastian nor his dad could suspect was that this newfound passion would lead the kid to a harrowing secret that would change his life forever.

Out Of School

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After high school, Sebastian made up his mind and decided that he would become a full-time employee at the diving school he had been learning at for the last few years. He got certified as a teacher and never looked back.

Despite working as a diving instructor, Sebastian continued to dive in his own time. He would head out every Sunday morning for a dive just off the coast of Los Angeles. But he had no idea that one day it would change his life forever.

A Sunday Morning

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One Sunday morning, Sebastian went to the coast. He took one of the boats they used at his work and, after a while, he found a nice diving spot. He got ready, and after a few deep breaths, he jumped into the water.

Even though he was an experienced diver, Sebastian still felt a little bit disoriented every time he plunged himself into the water. But after a while, his senses were all set and he could start wandering around the depths of the sea. But this time, he was in for a surprise.

A Shipwreck

Pexels

After diving for a while, Sebastian spotted something on the seafloor. Through the waters, he could see the figure of something he didn’t expect to see: a sunken boat.

That was something that had never happened to him. Sebastian was just a recreational diver, not a treasure hunter. But right then, he felt the calling of the unknown. He got closer the vessel to see if it kept something inside. He had no idea what he was going to find.

A Camera

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It seemed like the kind of boat a recreational fisherman would use. But there was something strange about it: it looked absolutely intact. Why did it even sink then?

Close to the vessel, Sebastian noticed some kind of object sparkling. He got closer and picked it up in his hands. It was a camera. Maybe it kept some pictures that would let him understand what had happened with the boat?

Back To Shore

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There didn’t seem to be anything else around the boat. So Sebastian decided that enough was enough; he went back to the surface and got back in his boat.

Then, he sailed back to shore, with his mind set on the camera he had found. He kept it in his pocket and didn’t tell about it to any living soul. He suspected that he could get into trouble if he said more than necessary.

Investigating The Item

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After he got home, Sebastian brought out the camera to take a look at it. His heart was racing as he wondered if he would find any pictures there. But there was something else that was interesting about the item.

Aside from photos he could possibly find in there, Sebastian was most intrigued by the tiny ecosystem that thrived on and inside the old camera. When he took a look at its insides, he couldn’t avoid feeling a chill going down his spine.

Discovery

Bamford Marine Science Center

Other than several species of algae, he also found a sea cucumber and two brittle stars living inside. But that wasn’t all. He was about to discover something else.

As it was evident, the camera had been laying on the depths of the ocean for a long time; a this point, it was covered by a layer of barnacles. But this didn’t stop the SD card ejection port to work: it went out. Now could Sebastian see if there were any photos inside?

An SD card

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He was in awe. An SD card simply ejected from the camera when he opened the compartment. He knew this would give him the answers he needed to find out what had happened to the ship and whoever was on it.

He felt a lump in his throat as he picked up the SD card. He carefully cleaned it with an earbud and rubbing alcohol. Then, he slotted it into his computer and held his breath. And, lo and behold, it worked.

The Lost Images

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Sebastian’s mouth grew dry as the images started loading one by one. He was still a little shocked that the camera’s SD card even worked. But after seeing the images, he had wished that maybe it hadn’t.

Although Sebastian was reluctant to scroll through someone’s personal and secret memories, he continued to look at the photos one by one, unable to tear his eyes away.

The Captain Of The Ship

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It was clear that the photos showed him what he had suspected – he could see the eyes of the man in the picture staring right back at him.

It must have been the captain of the ship before it ended up on the ocean floor. But he had no idea that he was about to unlock a harrowing story.

Uneasy Feeling

Vancouver Sun

The photos and videos were of various people at many different get-togethers, dating back as far as July 30, 2012. As exciting as it was, looking at the photos just didn’t feel right somehow.

Photograph after photograph flashed before his eyes, but long before he had reached the end, he knew that something had to be done. But what? And more importantly, how?

Motivated

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Now that he had seen the man in the photo, he knew that it was clear what he had to do. He was motivated to find out who it was and where he was, if he was even alive. He had to meet him and return the photo reel from his camera.

But he had to start somewhere. He thought about what the best method of getting information would be. He thought it would be easy, but it turns out it would be a lot harder than he initially thought.

Social Media

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Sebastian took to social media. He knew that his odds would be much better if he wasn’t the only one trying to find the man. He decided to post the photo on Facebook and ask for any information anyone could give him.

After that, it was just a waiting game. After two weeks, he started feeling that he may never actually find out where the original owner was or what happened to his boat for it to end up at the bottom of the ocean. But then he had a breakthrough.

No Luck Yet

News18

Sebastian knew that the best chance he had of finding the camera’s owner was to take the photos to social media, but Facebook wasn’t getting him anywhere.

He began to tweet out some of the photographs using the hashtag “#detectives.” Soon, the photos had garnered hundreds of comments and retweets. But, despite the photos receiving a lot of attention, no one came forward. Then, he decided to try a different tactic.

Posters

HP

Sebastian knew that he wasn’t getting any closer to locating the camera’s owner on Twitter. Eventually, he resorted to printing out the photos and posting them around the town.

And it wasn’t long before a member of the Navy recognized the man in the photo. Could he be the man they rescued from a shipwreck? Finally, he had their first lead!

Helpful Information

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Someone finally recognized the man in the photo. He notified Sebastian and gave him the details he desperately craved. Now that he knew more, he could do something.

The man told him more than he could ever have hoped for. They told him the man’s name, what state he lived in, and something that blew the case wide open.

The Man In The Photos

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Jimmy Baker was an artist and photorapher from Vancouver. He had lost his boat in 2012 when it sank. Once the man was identified, the Navy officer tracked down his phone number in an attempt to get further information.

Sebastian was thrilled that their search had finally yielded some results. But would the story end here?

The Man Behind The Mystery

KTVB

One morning, Sebastian got the phone call that finally put an end to the mystery. The Navy officer was on the other end.

“He said when he got off the phone with the man, he and his wife were laughing a great deal, and mentioned how lucky he was,” Sebastian explained. But it was only when he heard the man’s harrowing tale that he truly understood.

Meeting Up

CBC

Not wanting to miss a beat, Sebastian called the number the Navy officer had given him and heard a gruff voice answer, “Hello, who is this?”

He smiled and simply said, “Sir, I’ve been trying to find you for a long while now, and it’s because I found your boat and your camera.” Not long after the phone call, the men decided to meet at a local bar.

A Harrowing Tale

Vancouver Sun

Sebastian could tell that the man was over the moon after being reunited with his camera and all of its photos. Sebastian excitedly asked for a recount of what happened that day at sea.

The man looked at him and said, “For a story like that, we need a drink!” and they both ordered a draught of beer each. It turned out that Jimmy was an extremely lucky man.

An Ill-Fated Trip

CBC

In 2012, Jimmy was making the long sailing trip to his summer home in British Columbia. His trip had gone without a hitch until he ran into a spot of bad weather.

With the sea growing turbulent, his boat was thrown against some rocks. He subsequently lost his camera in the wreck. Sebastian listened intently as he recounted what had happened and couldn’t believe his ears.

Stranded

Curriculum International

When Jimmy’s boat crashed against the rocks, they smashed his hull apart. Jimmy found himself stranded in the freezing cold water as the cabin filled up with water.

As water rose in the cabin, Jimmy barely had time to smash a window and struggle off the sinking boat before it disappeared under the waves.

Rescue

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With his clothes soaked in the diesel fuel that had spilled from his smashed hull, Jimmy fought his way through 100 meters of kelp and icy cold water, holding onto the piece of driftwood that was keeping him alive.

It was lucky that patrons at a nearby inn spotted him and called the Coast Guard. But it was only six hours later that he was rescued and brought back to shore with severe hypothermia..

A Reminder

Dreamstime

Jimmy was thankful that he had made it out alive, but he had lost hundreds of personal possessions in the wreck. Over the years, and although it hurt him deeply, he had grown to accept what had happened.

He was most heartbroken about his camera — other possessions could be replaced.But after he had gotten the call from the Navy officer informing him that his camera had been found, he couldn’t believe his luck!

Another Stroke Of Luck

Vancouver Sun

Some of the photographs on Jimmy’s camera didn’t depict an ordinary family reunion. In fact, they had been taken when he and his family had scattered his late mother’s ashes.

And the photographs served as a reminder to be thankful — after all, he had nearly lost his life on the night that he had lost his camera.

Fate

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Losing something dear to your heart can be devastating. After hoping and praying that we’ll find it again, most of us will let bygones be bygones and carry on with our lives.

And when we lose something that we’re sure will never be recovered, we are forced to give up on the search. But fate had given Jimmy a helping hand.

Return

Vancouver Sun

Sebastian was very careful to back up the contents of the SD card before he had handed it over to Jimmy. “That card seems to be a little unlucky,” he said with a smile.

Jimmy is delighted to have his precious memories back — he never thought he would ever see those bittersweet photographs ever again. Thankfully, fate played a hand in getting them back to him. Jimmy really is one lucky man!