After recent rain mid May 2019, a young boy swimming near the steps into the thermal pool at Dalhousie Springs found a perfect pearl. Visitors may have noted old mussel shells about this location but never before has there been a record of a pearl being found!

The real story is that a lovely lady and her husband were stranded at Dalhousie Springs due to road closures following local heavy rain. They went for a swim, as one should when stranded at this idyllic location, but unfortunately one of her precious earings was dislodged and fell to the bottom of the spring near the steps into the water. The water there is over 2 metres deep and the bottom is covered in plant material so all appeared to be doom and gloom!

FOS members heard about this tragedy and spread the word, hoping that someone might have a swimming facemask and necessary aquatic ability to do a search for the proverbial “needle in a haystack” .

A family with a young boy “fish” (about 12 yo) undertook to do a search. After a few dives he proudly rose to the surface with the lost pearl earing. The owner was overjoyed and most appreciative to have a matching pair again. The boy “fish” was rewarded with chocolate and some holiday money for his sterling effort.

Lynton Huxley