Find My iPhone Does Not Work Underwater
As one of my COVID-19 purchases, I bought a tiny sailboat for Eastwood Lake, the private oasis in my neighbourhood. My sailboat was christened “The Bathtub” both for its small size and the frequency that I get soaked in my quest to learn sailing techniques.
As the winds of tropical depression Sally passed through Chapel Hill, I had one of my many “learning opportunities,” the joy of finding out how fast a sailboat can flip, tossing my person and my iPhone yet again into Eastwood Lake.
Alas, this time I surfaced safely, but my mobile phone did not. I dove frantically for the bottom to find my beloved phone, ignoring my slowly sinking boat. Kayakers came to rescue me, and hearing about the real tragedy, my iPhone, shared in my sadness.
30 minutes later, I’d righted my boat, bailed out the water, pulled in my sails, and paddled to shore. iPhone still lost.
That’s when I had a flash of inspiration: I could use Find My iPhone to retrieve my phone! Quickly I went home to try, and from the title of this post, you know the result. Find My iPhone doesn’t work underwater. Nor does blindly cast netting for your phone in a great expanse of choppy water.
Still, there is hope my phone could one day emerge from its watery grave. My trusty assistant is on the lookout! I’d love if you’d keep an eye out for it too. And learn from my mistake – get a floating case for your phone.
LOL, Wayan, thanks for this hot tip.
In exchange, looking at the photo, can I suggest that when you solo a sailing vessel, you need to get an extender bar for your rudder and you need to sit approx halfway towards the front of the boat and still steer while working the sails. This will help you not tip.
I’m not much of a sailor, but I learned a few things at summer camp many years ago and like to help when I can.
Now I guess you can get the new iPhone that’s set to come out shortly.
Yes, my iPhone has been to the bottom of the Dordogne River is France while I was kayaking. However it was in a water proof case inside a ziplock bag and more importantly the water was clear and only 3ft deep on that gravel bank so I still have it.
You could use a metal detector to find you iPhone 😉 Basically treasure hunters are using the same trick to find sunken ships.
Hi Wayan, sorry to hear about your iPhone’s excursion to the seabed. Should you need a new phone, allow me please to draw your attention to the most sustainable product to date, the Fairphone.
That is too bad about your Iphone, but we learn from our mistakes. I dropped one into the toilet out of my pocket at a public bathroom a few years ago & I know it isn’t fun.
Take it as a sign from God…time for a new one
Ouch, that hurt losing your phone! Now to purchase the latest version? Perhaps get a waterproof case, too.
Next lesson: car keys sink fast