SOUTH PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Walking down South Ponte Vedra Beach,
there it was: a GoPro camera that had washed up after what appeared to
be a rough journey.
Shells and sea life had attached themselves
to the plastic case, which, after taking up residence on the bottom of
the ocean, was no longer waterproof.
But after cleaning the camera's SD card with alcohol wipes, the seven-month-old files popped up on the computer screen.
SLIDESHOW: Facebook helps reunite surfer, lost camera
Using a still frame of the video trapped inside and the hashtag #WhereDidItGoPro, the Facebook community sprung into action.
Within
just one hour, fans of First Coast News on Facebook had not only
identified, but also tagged the mystery surfer captured on the screen.
Andy Walker said he never expected to see the GoPro again.
"I walked the beach a little bit hoping it would brush ashore, but I knew better than to get my hopes up," Walker explained.
Camera in hand, Walker said he was shocked at how well the GoPro had held up.
"Seven months in the ocean, four hurricanes. Yeah, I mean, I'd say it's in pretty good shape," he laughed.
Walker said he was not sure how the camera fell off his surfboard on April 4,
2012. However, looking back, he believes the surface of the vintage
surfboard he was using that day was too rough for the camera to stick
well.
"This board's cursed," Walker joked. "I mean, $500 was kicked off of it."
However, that will not stop Walker from trying to catch waves on film in the future.
When GoPro heard the story of Walker's long lost camera, the company sent a brand new one.
"I need to send GoPro a very nice thank you," said Walker.
First Coast News