photos/23/0815-18_WyomingVan/0815-16_WheatlandRes3/
By Alan Silverstein, ajs@frii.com (page updated Sun Mar 9 14:33:54 MDT 2025)
Parent directory/folder =photos/23/0815-18_WyomingVan/0815-16_WheatlandRes3/
While out kayaking on Wheatland Reservoir #3, WY, I found an orange blob washed up on the east shore that turned out to be a lost GoPro camera (~$300) in an orange floatie (~$30). Apparently lost 230805.1401, and found by me 230816.
Despite chatting with the GoPro company (no way to ID the owner, not reported lost by them) and posting some of these images to a Colorado windsurfing group on Facebook, I was not able to locate the owner and return the unit to them.
Here are some screen grabs via PC => Paint from ~9 min MP4 movies (chapters) from the GoPro 256 Gb microSD card.
A: GX010018, 220728.0944, first video (next just on shoreline) B: GX010022, 230716.1757, first of new year, face up inside house M: GX010023, 220805.1352, setting up at Wheatland Res #3 N: GX020023, 220805.1401, running + loss of camera (later all underwater) (5:21 sound of splash) P: followup images taken at home
Dateline:
230805.1406 windsurfer (really wingfoiler) lost GoPro
230816 found GoPro 10 Black ("Hero") on E shore Wheatland Res #3, WY
230822 chatted with John Ericson at GoPro, see below, but no luck
Serial C3464250193821 (inside battery compartment)
Study:
https://community.gopro.com/s/article/GoPro-Camera-File-Naming-Convention?language=en_US
https://community.gopro.com/s/article/GoPro-Camera-File-Chaptering-Information?language=en_US
From email to Paul:
...I realized I can pull the 256 Gb micro USB card and using an adapter,
plug it into my phone or PC. It's full of videos! I count 26. Dates:
7/28/2022 (3)
8/28/2022 (4)
9/13/2022 (5)
9/22/2022 (1)
10/6/2022 (6)
7/16/2023 (1)
8/5/2023 (6)
So let's see, 7 different dates, most recently 11 days before I found it
on 8/16.
It's unethical and creepy to view other people's private recordings,
except in this case to try to ID them and even return the unit. Only
had time for a quick sample so far, looks like it was mounted right at
or below waterline for watersports, but one video is looking up at a guy
in a living room...
[Realized later it was mounted upside down to the underside of a
hydrofoil windsurfing board! A wing foil.]
Most videos are about the same size, 3.8 Gb ~ 8.5 min, as if they turned
it on and forgot about it, and it maxed out. [No, ran continuously and
created "chapters".] Not playing smoothly (MP4) on my PC (sigh), will
try on phone [no joy, wants to force a format, won't view]. ...fell
off, 230805 about 1401 pm (second video chapter that day, GX020023),
early part shows upside down board and water, later looks into green
lake water. [5:21 sound of splash!]
---
From: GoPro
Date: 22 Aug 2023 19:49:40 +0000
Subject: Nice Chattin' With You! [edited to simplify]
Hi Alan Silverstein,
Thanks for chatting with us! As requested, here is a copy of our recent
conversation for your record, should you need to reference it in the
future.
...
Long chat, gave him the serial number (no registration, no report of
lost camera), etc.
...
Image files (Kb): (click on any image for next)