Mike Vink and his wife Joanna were enjoying time on their boat on Sydney's Parramatta River when Ms Vink's antique diamond engagement ring slipped into the water.
The treasured ring, which is more than 100 years old and has been owned by the couple for more than 40 years, quickly sank into the river's murky depths.
"We have been married for 40 years and it's been with us right from the start," Mr Vink said.
"It fell and bounced onto the floor … it could have gone either way … unfortunately it flipped into the water.
"To lose it after so many years off the back of the boat was just gutting."
That was in 2021 and, after several failed search attempts, the couple had given up hope.
Now though, nearly two years later, the ring has emerged from the river's muddy floor.
"The significance is too much to describe … we are that connected to it," Mr Vink said.
Braving bull sharks
Fresh hope in the quest for the ring recently arrived in the form of Great Lakes metal detectorist Nick Richards.
He specialises in finding lost jewellery and over the past 20 years has recovered an estimated 400 rings using scuba equipment and a metal detector.
Through the grapevine he heard about the lost ring in the Parramatta River.
"I just thought, 'I have to search for that ring … I can't leave it there,'" Mr Richards said.
When the ring was first lost in the Fivedock Bay area, Mr Vink organised for scuba divers to search the area.
"I knew how special it was to my wife," he said.
"My wife took a picture of the exact location when she lost it."
The initial search, plus two other subsequent searches, proved unsuccessful.
When Mr Richards reached out, Mr Vink said he was happy for another "brave" search to go ahead.
"The Parramatta River is quite silty, murky and full of bull sharks … a lot of divers aren't comfortable diving in those conditions because you could possibly be attacked at any time," he said.
Mr Richards said knew the Parramatta River would bring challenges.
"If you ever get an invitation to go scuba diving in the Parramatta River, don't go," he said with a laugh.
"It is not pleasant at all, very muddy and very dark and you cannot see your hand in front of your face. I would imagine the bull sharks know exactly where we are.
"There are other little things that nip, and I don't know what they are … it's not everyone's cup of tea."
A six-hour search
Mr Richards began grid searching the riverbed, with assistance from another diver, Stuart Allan, who lives on the Hawkesbury's Dangar Island.
"We did a search methodically covering every square inch of a search area that was about 20 metres square," he said.
"I was with a mate, known as Dangar Stu, who is the only other person I know who is equally as comfortable as me under water in those conditions."
After about six hours, Mr Richard's metal detector told him to "dig this one".
"You are listening for a specific low tone which indicates yellow gold," he said.
"When you get that tone you know it's somewhere in a 10-inch circle and then you sift through the mud until something ring-shaped slips onto your finger.
"The ring had sunk about 10 inches into the mud with the crabs, which was no surprise.
"I can't describe the feeling after six hours of searching when you actually find what you are looking for … that's what it's all about."
'An emotional time'
Mr Vink and his wife were overjoyed when they heard the news.
"It's been such an emotional time ... even now I am still emotional about it, we still can't believe that the ring has been retrieved," Mr Vink said.
"It's like an heirloom has been restored to our family … we want to pass this ring on to our daughter."
Mr Richards, whose costs were covered by the Vinks, said their happiness was all the reward he needed.
"They told me they hardly slept a wink they night after I found it, they were so excited and happy," he said.
"If you can do that for someone, that's what it's all about."
