Northland man Ty-Ray White talks about getting his prosthetic arm back after losing it while wakeboarding.
It was a case of second time lucky for Paihia man Ty-Ray White after losing his prosthetic arm while wakeboarding in the Bay of Islands.
Mr White was wakeboarding about 200m off Te Ti Beach on Saturday afternoon when he fell and the prosthetic on his lower left arm "slipped off".
The arm, which is made of carbon fibre, did not float and he thought that could be the last he saw of it.
About 15 years ago he was also wakeboarding off Te Ti Beach.
"[That] was the first time I'd had a prosthetic for wakeboarding and was so excited to use it. The first day I used it we discovered a flaw. My arm popped out when I fell off, I watched it as it dragged along on the ski rope before popping off."
Ty-Ray White wakeboarding moments before he fell and lost his prosthetic arm. Photo/Supplied
That one didn't float either. Mr White spent half an hour diving down trying to find it with no success.
He thought Saturday was a case of deja vu. Mr White is a former professional diver and thought the poor visibility and current would make it impossible to find after it came off.
He said it was an "I told you so" moment for his wife Karen, who only minutes earlier had reminded him he was supposed to have a float on the arm in case it fell off.
Mr White admits his "she'll be right" attitude didn't pay off.
His wife put a post of Facebook asking for anyone who might find the arm washed up on the beach to let her know.
Dive Paihia instructors Richard Wales and Adam Scanlon with the missing prosthetic arm after a successful search. Photo/Supplied
The post was spotted by Paihia Dive owner Craig Johnston, who offered to have a look for the arm for free on Monday evening. Visibility was about half a metre, and he put two pairs of divers down in different spots. The plan was to search for half an hour and then resurface and re-assess.
"Right at the end of the search pattern, they were just about to give up and they found it," Mr Johnston said.
The hand part of the arm was dug into the sand, but the neoprene sock on the other end meant it was floating upright.
Ty-Ray White lost his prosthetic arm while wakeboaring in the Bay of Islands. Photo/Michael Cunningham
It was found by one of his dive instructors, Adam Scanlon, in about three and half metres of water.
He said Mr Scanlon was "absolutely chuffed" to find it. He added it was the first arm the company has ever found.
Mr White was born with only one hand but says it has never held him back.
He called in to pick up his arm yesterday afternoon from its rescuers.
He is excited to get back out on to the water, but perhaps with a flotation device this time.
