Danny Griffiths stayed on a golf course with Pedra Branca in March 2017 and his advice was nowhere to be seen when he reappeared, he told CNN on Thursday.
Despite searching for the specially made, bright green sign with the help of friends, Griffiths was forced to give it up and “never thought we would see it again,” he said.
Over the past week or so, however, there has been a message by the local surfing community that a sign from Tasmania has been found in North Queensland – about 1,700 miles away when the crow flies – and Griffiths showed a photo.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was my plate,” he said. “Even with the pickups on it, I could see it was mine.”
Two brothers found the plank covered with coat hangers.
Thanks to Danny Griffiths
The plate was found two years ago by two brothers who were fishing at Magnetic Island, North Queensland, who took it home, cleaned it and exhibited it in their home, he said.
Then the brothers’ parents went on a trip to Tasmania and started telling locals how their sons found a local plate.
After the word spread, Griffiths contacted the couple, who agreed to return it to the original owner.
Griffiths has since spoken to a marine scientist who told him the direction of ocean currents means the council in New Zealand should have traveled en route to Queensland.
Griffiths navigated the board on Pedra Branca.
Andrew Chisholm
He calculates that the board spent 16 months at sea, thanks to the heavy construction of large golf boards, which are much stronger than standard models.
That means it could withstand any collisions with rocks or peaks of seabirds, which would make holes in a normal plate and eventually sink, he added.
The board is specially made for surfing on Pedra Branca.
Thanks to Danny Griffiths
Griffiths said the board was made specifically to surf at Pedra Branca, a small island, about 26 kilometers off the Tasmanian coast, that he can only surf every two to four years if conditions are right.
In a strange coincidence, Griffiths and his friends went surfing on the spot a few weeks ago and the conversation went to the board that had long been lost.
Griffiths said he had several replacement plates made, but none felt as good as the original.
“Nothing works so well,” he said.
However, he expects to reunite with the lost board next week or so, and plans to test whether it is still in a usable condition.