DEAR News Of The Area,

THE most inspiring bit of altruism happened to us this Sunday.

On Saturday I was swimming at Pilots Beach when I felt my three gold wedding-rings slip off my finger in 1.5 metres of water.

My wife and I were devastated as we thought this was the end of my rings after 15 years of marriage.

Strangers on the beach came over to help us when they realised we were in distress, but there was little any of us could do as the rings were generally sand-coloured.

We enquired about renting a metal detector, but everything was closed for the weekend by then.

One friend borrowed a metal detector from a neighbour, but alas its boom was too short to operate in water 1.5-plus metres deep, and was probably not designed to work below a salt-water surface.

Then I found Nick Richards, who operates from Foster and works the entire NSW North Coast area.

I was amazed and delighted when he said he could be at Pilots Beach at low tide (1pm) on Sunday.

There was no talk of a fee or hourly rate.

He arrived on time and started ‘sweeping’ the area I had tried to keep track of by sightings to the shore.

We were immediately comforted by his calm and confident attitude to the task.

Within minutes he had found a ring, but it wasn’t mine!

Not deterred, he kept sweeping for one and a half hours, gradually covering a larger and larger area.

Eventually he found all three rings, one after the other within a five-minute period – my bearings had been a little off in my distress the day before.

We couldn’t believe it!

Nick still wouldn’t accept payment from us.

The best we could get from Nick was a promise of a lunch date sometime when he’s passing Laurieton in the next few weeks.

Blessings on this kind-spirited and gifted man.

Sincerely,
Chris STANTON,
Camden Haven.