Danny Griffiths was released on bail at Pedra Branca in March 2017 and his board was nowhere to be seen when he resurfaced, 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.
However, over the past week or so, word was circulating through the local surf community that a Tasmania sign had been found in North Queensland – about 1,700 miles away as the crow flies – and Griffiths was shown a photo.
“As soon as I saw it, I knew it was my board,” he said. “Even with the barnacles on, I could tell it was mine.”
Two brothers found the plate covered in barnacles.
Thanks to Danny Griffiths
The sign had been found two years ago by two brothers fishing off Magnetic Island, North Queensland, who took it home, cleaned it up and put it on display in their home, he said.
Then the brothers’ parents took a trip to Tasmania and started telling the locals how their boys found a locally made plate.
After the news spread, Griffiths contacted the couple, who agreed to return it to its original owner.
Griffiths has since spoken to a marine scientist who told him the direction of the ocean currents means the sign must have traveled through New Zealand on its way to Queensland.
Griffiths imagined surfing Pedra Branca on the board.
Andrew Chisholm
He calculates that the board spent 16 months at sea, thanks to the heavy duty construction of large corrugated iron, which is much stronger than standard models.
This means it would have withstood any impact with rocks or seabird pecking, which would have made holes in a normal board and eventually sink it, he added.
The board is specially made for surfing Pedra Branca.
Thanks to Danny Griffiths
Griffiths said he had the board made specifically for surfing on Pedra Branca, a small island about 16 miles (26 kilometers) off the Tasmanian coast, where he can only surf once every two to four years if the conditions are right. .
By some strange coincidence, Griffiths and his friends were surfing the spot a few weeks ago, and the conversation turned to the long-lost board.
Griffiths said he had several replacement boards made, but none felt as good as the original.
“Nothing worked that well,” he said.
However, he expects to be reunited with the lost board in the coming week and plans to test whether it is still in a usable condition.