News
Diver finds lost ring and returns it to owner – nearly 40 years after it was lost
Diver Brian Tovin swam deep into South Carolina’s Cooper River in search of fossils and relics. In 40 feet of murky water, fighting the current, something shiny caught his eye.
“Without even shining my light on it, it was clear that it has weight to it, and it was metal or gold,” Tovin said.
“And when I shined my light on it, I said, wow, this is the first time I’ve ever found jewelry underneath the water,” he said.
But it was more than just jewelry. It was a ring that had become the “stuff of legend” since the owner lost it nearly 40 years ago.
“I held onto it for the rest of the dive. I just didn’t want to lose it,” Tovin said.
Inscribed on the large, gold ring were the initials RLP and the date 1974. The ring also displayed the name of a nearby school: the College of Charleston. With those clues, Tovin’s journey to return the jewelry began.
Tovin first called the college’s alumni association. The college determined that only two people who graduated in 1974 had those initials, and one was female.
Now, Tovin knew who he was looking for: Robert LeVaughn Phillips.
After searching on social media, Tovin eventually connected with Robert’s son, Eric Phillips. Tovin quizzed him to make sure he had tracked down the rightful owner. Phillips e-mailed a copy of his father’s diploma, and Tovin was convinced he was in the right place.
Tovin soon learned that like so many other things in life, this very simple college ring — lost for so many years — had more meaning to it than many will ever understand.
“My dad was a storyteller, kind of a used-car salesman at times,” Eric Phillips said.
“He kind of has some of the same jokes, but he talked about the ring all the time because it came from his mother, and you know it’s just one of the stories that just epitomized a season of his life.”
Robert Phillips was boating on the Cooper River with his future wife, Nancy, when he lost the ring in 1974 — just two weeks after he got it.
“He was very upset and hated to tell his mom that he lost it,” Nancy Phillips said.
“Losing it in the river, we never thought we would never, ever, ever see it again.”
Growing up without his father in his life, Robert Phillips was determined to succeed on his own. He graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in business administration.
The ring, a symbol of all he had accomplished, was his mother’s last gift to him before she passed away from pancreatic cancer.
Tovin hoped he could return the cherished ring to Phillips at his home, but Phillips — now fighting cancer — was not there. He was rushed into surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston last weekend for brain surgery.
That setback didn’t stop a reunion 39 years in the making. A few days after Phillips’ operation, Tovin met Phillips in the hospital. With his family by his side, Phillips sat in a hospital chair. His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was full of life as a stranger returned a part of his life to him.
Down on one knee, Tovin opened up a ring box to reveal Phillips’s lost treasure.
“I was down there fighting strong currents and alligators trying to get you your ring back,” said Tovin, as Phillips smiled.
“And I’ve got it here, and I know this is going to look like I’m proposing to you, so please don’t tell my wife, OK,” he said, as the room erupted in laughter.
“Wow. That is awesome,” Phillips said.
Then, Phillips began to tell Tovin and everyone the story that his family has heard endlessly — the story of the lost ring.
“I was on the back of the boat. And I decided I needed a beer,” he said softly.
“I pulled the pop top and when I did, my finger got caught in the pop top, and it went with it,” he told Tovin.
“I guess I have to go have it sized now, don’t I,” he added with a grin.
“You’ve got a lot of years left. So, you’re going to be wearing that ring,” Tovin responded.
With his wife and two children watching this reunion of sorts, they all felt this ring would give their patriarch the comfort he needs right now.
“No matter how much time he has with us, we’ll always have that ring. And it will always signify a good season of our life and a good memory of our father, and the fact that he got to share in it before he left us,” Eric Phillips said.
In some ways, this decades-long loop of life has been closed, and a new story — one that the Phillips family will be telling for generations — has been written.
“Thank you Lord that I got it back,” Robert Phillips said.
“I had a nightmare the other night that I lost it again,” he said.
“No more beer cans,” he laughed.
Source: http://www.wptv.com
Photo: Tim Sheerman-Chase
Shells of the World: A Natural History by M.G. Harasewych
Shells of the world is a guide to the world of marine, shelled molluscs. And what a varied and interesting world it is. Some of my favourite things to find on a dive are detailed in this book, including disco clams (or Electric File Clams as they are correctly names), the cephalopods, giant clams and sea hares. There are also many on my wish list, top of which is the Nautilus.
Each chapter provides a detailed description of the species, along with beautiful images. You can dive deeper and discover where they live, both with global distribution and the habitat they prefer. Learn about their diet, reproduction and diversity.
Having dipped in and out of this lovely book over the past few weeks, it has inspired me to learn more about this group of animals that we see on most divers, wherever we are in the world. Some of the shells are incredibly intricate and beautiful. I have always agreed with never collecting, or touching, marine life. The description of a certain set of cone shells should be a warning to those that are happy to pick up marine life! One of the cone shells has a local name called the cigarette snail. Why? Because once the venom is in your system from this animal, you only have time to smoke one cigarette before the affects of the venom are fatal!
What the publisher says:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals with a remarkable natural history and a rich fossil record, and their shells are prized for their breathtaking variety and exquisite beauty. Shells of the World provides a wide-ranging look at the incredible diversity of marine mollusks. An informative introduction outlines the lineages covered, followed by a directory section, split into classes, that profiles a broad selection of different taxa to give a sense of their sheer numbers and variety.
- Features hundreds of beautiful color photos, depicting both the live animals and their shells
- Discusses mollusk evolution, anatomy, life cycles, behavior, and ecology
- Describes unique characteristics, distribution, habitat, and size
- Provides valuable insights into the conservation of the world’s marine mollusks
- Ideal for malacologists and shell collectors everywhere
About the Author:
M. G. Harasewych is research zoologist emeritus and former curator in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he is the author (with Fabio Moretzsohn) of The Book of Shells: A Life-Size Guide to Identifying and Classifying Six Hundred Seashells.
Book Details
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Hardcover
Price: £25
ISBN: 9780691248271
Published: 9th April, 2024
Stahlsac dive bags and travel luggage are built for our community of divers, surfers, kayakers and outdoor explorers who need bags that are constructed with durability, toughness, and 
the highest quality the industry has ever seen. We were founded by one man determined to build better watersports and dive bags, and today, that mission is carried on by many. Adventure doesn’t just present itself; it requires discovery. When we design dive bags, we make sure they are tough enough for you to explore in all conditions—warm and cold, wet and dry—to the nearest and farthest reaches of the earth. And for those times you want to push the boundaries of adventure, Stahlsac dive bags make sure you can truly GO ANYWHERE.
Abyss Duffels
Made to be your partner-in-crime on every adventure, Stahlsac’s Abyss Duffels protects your gear from Mother Nature’s worst. Tough and 100% waterproof with double-TPU nylon material that shrugs off daily wear-and-tear, and RF-welded seams further boost the bag’s potential for lifelong exploring. Get Wet. Get Lost. Go Anywhere with Abyss.
- A weatherproof duffel for trips, travel, and adventure
- Ultra-durable double-TPU nylon protects your gear
- Material repels water and keeps your equipment dry
- RF-welded seams are flush, tough, and waterproof
- Removable straps transform duffel into backpack
- Zippered internal stow compartments carry essentials
- External zippered flap is easy to open and close
- Welded external handles make transporting a breeze
Panama Mesh Backpack
The most copied design in scuba diving, the Stahlsac Panama Mesh Backpack is the “original” design and features two high-density foam padded shoulder straps, extra durable polyester mesh, duffel bag handles and our unique zippered dry pocket inside that combines with a wet pocket outside. The bottom’s built from reinforced 18-gauge PVC nylon to combat the wear and tear of your active coastal lifestyle, and, as a bonus in every bag, we supply a 12″ x 12″ mesh drawstring satchel for extra stowing utility. Pack up your beach kit and go.
- Density foam padded shoulder straps
- Outside wet/dry pockets
- 2 Carry handles
- Tough, snag-resistant polyester mesh
- Reinforced PVC bottom
For more information about Stahlsac bags, visit www.stahlsac.com/dive-bags.
Sea & Sea is the home of Stahlsac and other leading diving brands in the UK.
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