Scuba Diver Finds Woman’s Missing $9,500 Wedding Ring After She Lost it in California Lake

Diver Michael Pelley called it his "deepest dive yet"

A scuba diver found a lost treasure at the bottom of a California lake earlier this month.

A woman named Jennie recently lost her $9,500 wedding ring in the depths of Bass Lake, about 14 miles from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park in California. Devastated, she searched for divers who could help her, and came across Michael Pelley, better known as “Merman Mike,” who is famous for documenting his journeys retrieving people’s lost belongings underwater.

“It’s very sentimental to me — we’ve been married for 10 years,” Jennie said in a July 10 video posted to Pelley’s YouTube channel.

Pelley took the camera with him as he submerged himself into the murky green waters, where it was clear just how unclear his view was.

“Almost immediately after I reached the bottom of the lake, I realized how difficult the search was going to be,” Pelley wrote in the caption of the YouTube video. “The silt had immediately clouded out the area and I was in almost zero visibility.”

He continued: “After a while of searching I knew I had to go back up to the surface and come up with a better plan, but unlike my normal dives, I wasn't able to just slowly ascend to the surface."

Related: Groom Drops Bride's Ring in Lake During Wedding — But Recovers It Thanks to Scuba-Diving Stranger

Bass Lake is man-made and the area Pelley was searching required him to go 45 feet deep. Because of this, Pelley said he had to do 3-minute safety stops after swimming 15 feet.

When Pelley — who dove down at least twice during his search — swam back underwater, he removed his glove and searched with his hand, feeling his way through the bottom.

"After pulling a couple of sticks and cans out of the thick silt, I finally pulled out what I thought was going to be another bottle top or pull tab, but instead I was looking at a giant diamond," Pelley said. "It was the wedding ring!"

"I was beyond excited, especially because I knew how slim the odds of me actually finding it were," he said.

On the screen of the video, Pelley described how a “huge surge of adrenaline" required him to steady his hands and prepare for the 3-minute safety stop.

When he finally emerged from the lake, Jennie and her friends and family cheered with joy.

“I can’t believe it, that’s awesome,” Jennie remarked, clapping and repeatedly thanking Pelley. He jokingly responded, “Trust me, after seeing the bottom, I almost can’t believe it.”

Under the video, which has garnered nearly 14,000 views, Jennie expressed her gratitude once again, commenting: “Sooo amazing! You guys rock! I can’t believe you found it under that dark water. I’m so appreciative! Forever grateful ❤️.”

He also shared the happy news on Instagram, calling it his "deepest dive yet."

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Pelley noted that during each of his searches, he also tries to gather as much trash from the area, so after Jennie left with the ring in hand, Pelley went back down to feel around for garbage to dispose of properly.

“You can’t just go for the treasure, you have to go for the trash too,” he said in the video.

In the caption, Pelley shared that he found sunglasses and a broken phone, but the true highlight of his day was helping Jennie get her ring back.

“I couldn't be more happy about the outcome,” he said.

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