Board lost in Tasmania turns up four years later in Townsville
An incredible story from the high seas.
Hobart surfer Danny Griffiths lost his board in 2017 while surfing at Pedra Branca, off Tasmania's south coast.
"On my very last wave of the day, I had to jump off as the wave started breaking towards me," Danny said.
"I always wondered where the board had gone."
Despite the board being painted bright green, Danny was unable to find it ... until now, almost four years later.
The board drifted for around 16 months before being picked up by a pair of fisherman near Townsville in northern Queensland. It's been displayed in their house ever since.
The parents of the fisherman recently visited Tasmania, and by chance, mentioned the fact their sons had found a surfboard to some locals.
"A couple of local surfers clued on that it could have been mine and we joined the pieces of the puzzle together," Danny said.
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
It is indeed a small world .Though I'm not sure that's something I'd be displaying in my house.
Worthy of the hall no doubts...
Masks then?
its a keeper
A testament to the durability of plastics.
Dolphin fish would have loved that thing floating around ......so did he get it back ....would he want it back less sealife?
Lyle Carlson posted a photo of one of his boards lost on a big day in Hawaii. Turned up in Taiwan.
What about the knee board (?) lost from the Northern beaches of Sydney which washed all the way to Lord Howe Island and through the small reef pass into the lagoon where it was found by someone who knew the owner and returned it to them .
Or this 90’s board of Merrick Davis which we found on a beach around here. Presuming it was lost in Sydney it drifted hundreds of kms ( after the barnacles have been stripped ) :
Incredible! Makes me wonder what flotsam floated into isolated indigenous communities and made a stir over the centuries.
The makers of 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' must've wondered the same thing.
Though it wasn't floating flotsam but a dropped bottle.
Hilarious - haven't thought about that movie in years.
Just showed my kids that movie on the weekend! I had forgotten how funny it was. And has many observations on modern life that hold true today, 36 years after the movie was made.
Of course! Never watched it in full, just snippets over the years. Will have to make a point of watching it right thru.
Similar to my board that drifted from Green Island on the NSW South Coast to Lord Howe Island in 1995.
Did you get the board back ?
Maybe it was your board in the story I heard?
Any farkin wonder your losing boards Danny boy you mad bastard
Just saw the wave he jumped off on....I reckon that board hid underwater until he went home, it was thinking “F*ck right off Danny me mate, I’ll take me chances out here, not doing that again!”
My mate found a half a board at potholes with a bit massive shark bite in it. Hung it up on his wall.
but it made surfing that wave sketchier by yourself. Even though it might have come from anywhere.
chris had it in his caravan yes i remember that
Yeah, I wonder what I did with that. That was epic.
Also, one day I was at Potholes and I saw a large fish (Marlin, Mako, Swordfish???) jump constantly all the way to the horizon. I wonder what that was?
Put it up in the pool room
You don't just put things in the pool room my friend; things go straight to the pool room.
Just updated
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-15/surfboard-found-after-16-months-…
must of gone via NZ to Magnetic island ?
That clip certainly sheds some light on the comment “I jumped off because the wave was breaking towards me”.
Good feed of shellfish right there. Bit of white wine and garlic in a seafood broth.....
Sorry I thought this was the cooking channel.
I just heard Danny on an ABC radio interview about that lost board tonight.
He mentioned a scientist from Tassie contacted him and said he could trace the boards travels by the sea life left on it, therefore determine how far the thing actually travelled, also the route.
Then Danny said he still doesn't have the board because the mob who found it are claiming salvage rights and want him to pay them for it's return.
SERIOUS?
So here is a couple of options.
A. Danny has it back on his wall at home and can recall the story a thousand times and it never gets old.
B. The grubs have it on their wall and recall the story of how they found it and traced the owner, but were never giving it back because the bloke wouldn't cough up and coin for a board which was already his.
Citizens of the year right there.
Damn straight Dbearindare, what a bunch of scabs!
DEBEARINDARE. Your last line has had me in fits all morning.
‘Citizens of the Year’ right there.
So true DEBEARINDARE. Thats very poor form from those two fishermen from Townsville, they should be named and shamed. I’m guessing they are prawn fishermen or similar, the greedy pigs of the ocean. Get that board back to Danny ASAP
Prawn fishermen in a small fibreglass boat wearing a fishing shirt :-) ha ha ha that is classic Brad! I'm guessing you are a keen rec fisher that blames all pro fishers for you not catching anything!
Dog act not returning the board to Danny for sure
Well maybe there was two or three prawns on the floor of their craft.!!! I don’t fish fella, too many others do already. When I hear Queensland prawn fishermen bragging about catching 1 million prawns over two nights I’m pretty sure that would be classified as GREED. But am I surprised, no, just another example of way too many businesses in this country that derive their income by the rape and pillage mentality of our remaining natural biological resources but make crying pleas to Governments to open up even more areas to abuse whether it be terrestrial or oceanic. Beef, prawn industry, sandal wood extractors, etc.
Makes me sick to be an Australian often, this so called entitlement.
Fair enough. Same goes for beaches and waves being pillaged. At least licenced operators pay for the privilege. Tradgedy of the commons
Andrew P. All cool mate, everyone’s got an opinion, including you and me. I’m guessing you are a professional fisherman. Out of interest only, where and what do you catch ? Are you affected by or fish under the Fish Quota system ?. Would be interested in your response. Brad
No mate, I'm not a pro fisher. I'm a surfer, a scientist and a keen rec fisher aware of the industry and the huge range of ways it is viewed by the public.
In other countries commercial fishers are revered for their work ethic and bravery to provide seafood to villages, towns, cities and countries; in Australia, not so much!
Andrew P. Agree, sad in a way, but when see large fishing vessels, huge super trawlers in the South Pacific off our coasts or anywhere, owned and skippered by Australians, not making land for 4 months and have basically vacuumed everything in their path ( including by-catch) its any wonder the general public are up in arms. Our way of life and standards is also driving this pressure on fisheries and fishermen who in reality are just supplying the demand. But it comes back to greed and poor foresight to the future with respect to the longevity of species and the fishing industry. To add to this, one of these super trawlers was busted with a enormous shit load of ‘charlie’ on board that it had received from the East Pacific. How much money do the owners of these businesses or people need ? Can’t spend the folding stuff whilst in gaol !!!. This example of providing food to Australians is just one of the thousands of businesses who are legally or illegally exploiting the natural resources of our country.
Good chatting with you, all the best.
Northern Australian Aborigines surf-rafted Island currents to trade with China for 5,000 years
Tassie Aborigines surfed Reed raft Canoes on currents to pioneer South America-Reed Surf Craft.
1,200 bc Nth American Cedar driftwood washed up & shaped Hawaiian Olo / Alaia / Paipos.
Without said currents floating these life giving rafts, there would be no Surfing History.
Surfing has to start somewhere other than the front of Surf Sticker Album... well, we can still dream!
Life giving Natural Timbered FADS nourish the Oceans & Refurbish Coastlines.
Once common driftwood rafts would trawl healthy ecosystems...supporting Sharks further offshore.
We now concrete & clear Shorelines of timber...this starves estuaries & hastens erosion of shorelines.
Widely argued that Ocean shortfall of Life Giving FADS draws Sharks to endless fisherman's FADS
Naturally drawing Sharks closer to largest populations to hook up with Govt inshore FADS infestation.
Govt's infest & bait 1,000's of FADS from 10km out > every 1km > litter the shoreline & up to the Weirs.
Our new Plastic Debris only supports resilient bully marine pests that devour ecosystems from A > B.
Today's bland toxic Ocean Debris can least support a host Shark or anything much at all.
What looks like a surfboard supporting a marine ecosystem is actually a deadly mobile killing machine.
Whales breach & Slam hard & even bump boats + scratch on Shark nets to remove these parasites.
Dolphins surf waves & boat wake & fly & flip to remove these parasites...(Sure! They make it look fun!)
Basher technique...The pod speed loosens the barnacle then pull out & breach & Slam shakes it off.
Bull Sharks & others also fly, twist & Flip & Body slam to rid these pests.
Rays fly High & Body Slam so hard to rid pests...You'll see Rays Strung up in nets cleaning undersides.
Sharks will pry out infected teeth on propellers, rudders & fins...often in motion if need be!
The aim is to use the opposing force as Humans do with ye old school String tied to Door handle trick!
Also chomp down hard on surfboard / craft Foam to release a parasitic tooth...
Sharks will often clasp onto flippers to use Human counter weight to pull out a parasitic tooth.
So each type of Marine craft/ Buoy interaction accords to rid or sharpen different sets of teeth.
Sure! Sharks grow plenty of teeth but a loose tooth allows the parasites in...it's gotta go!
In the past this proved difficult...but now....
Mankind builds a Mega Medicare Dental Clinic for Marine Mega Fauna...surfers make nervous dentists.
Perhaps tbb had better not frighten punters with further detail...the words are jumpin' off the page!
tbb is not fooling you & can show how Dolphins clean barnacles as they bow surf...(There's a trick to it!)
As with the Wave Surfing, they can remove the whole lot in just one bow surf & bash session...
Sure Ok ...Only a bodybasher would know these secrets ...shh! exclusive to #1 swellnet.
Also that Sharks leave Teeth in Boats & Boards because that was the plan & why many do just that.
So Long! Thanks to basher Obama for the Dental Plan.
Pause!
tbb is in no way explaining away Shark Attacks...just the Govt sponsored Human / Shark symbiosis.
Actually most of the clues are buried in our earliest News Print...
"Sharks biting Rudders!" Sharks hangin' 'round Jetties / breakwalls & the Sharks married into the family!
A cross ocean Paddler needs to clean the hull every 4 days or they grind to a Halt.
As they do this...their abundant seafood Cocktail attracts attention & then sharks circle!
This concentrated mass release of new pungent exotic scents naturally attracts a host of critters.
Paddlers often have fresh food on board & often seawater engaged to preserve it (To reduce weight!)
So this scent also permeates & attracts Pet Shark/s & more & here's a few more!
That's not how you use the Oar!
This board drifted from Hawaii to Philippines 8,370 kms
https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/lost-surfboard-floated-hawaii-philip…
Found a body at sea once... sad, but it had some really good crayfish on it.
I thought tow boards sink