Ideas on getting my new iphone 7+ out of 7 foot of water?

[Stephen Selph]

I caught my personal best largemouth yesterday while Kayak fishing on a lake here in Oklahoma. I was taking the celebratory photos with it, and the hog made a huge jump. I went to grab it, and my new iphone went with the fish overboard in 7-8 foot of water. It was too cold to go overboard to recover it yesterday, but I have the stump marked so I could hopefully return to get it. I'm only 5'3, so it's going to be fairly difficult to swim in and get it. Applecare won't replace it unless I can bring them the water damaged phone. Does anyone have any ideas on getting it back? It's only a few months old, so I'm stuck in contract for at least a year. I really wanted that photo back, and I've heard of iphones surviving lakes for a few days. 

Thanks for any idea guys.

[SneakyPete]

1 hour ago, Stephen Selph said:

I caught my personal best largemouth yesterday while Kayak fishing on a lake here in Oklahoma. I was taking the celebratory photos with it, and the hog made a huge jump. I went to grab it, and my new iphone went with the fish overboard in 7-8 foot of water. It was too cold to go overboard to recover it yesterday, but I have the stump marked so I could hopefully return to get it. I'm only 5'3, so it's going to be fairly difficult to swim in and get it. Applecare won't replace it unless I can bring them the water damaged phone. Does anyone have any ideas on getting it back? It's only a few months old, so I'm stuck in contract for at least a year. I really wanted that photo back, and I've heard of iphones surviving lakes for a few days. 

Thanks for any idea guys.

Try True Value or Tractor Supply, get a heavy duty magnet with a string. That should work.

[Angry John]

I would snorkel for it.  The 700 would be worth it.  I would do the same for a rod and reel setup.  Have dry clothes waiting and the car warmed up.  

[Smokinal]

srs..I'd swim for it.

[A-Jay]

Do you know Scuba Steve ?

A-Jay

[Darren.]

18 minutes ago, SneakyPete said:

Try True Value or Tractor Supply, get a heavy duty magnet with a string. That should work.

 

Magnet won't work on it unless it has a magnetic

mount on it. I use a magnet mount for my iPhone.

Have to mount a sticky plate, otherwise being

aluminum, no magnetism.

 

For this, he'll have to dive and recover the item

unless he knows someone with an aquatic video

drone and a robotic retrieval arm  

[riverbasser]

Got any buddies with a Jon boat or something? Seems your only option is to swim but at least in a Jon you could dry off and change clothes pretty quickly

[stk44]

Were your photos backed up to the cloud? At least you could salvage the picture...

[Airman4754]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Do you know Scuba Steve ?

A-Jay

 

Scuba Steve, d**n you!

 

There will be divers in your area that you can pay to retrieve stuff. A buddy of mine lost a real high end setup last year and payed a guy $150 to dive and get it.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, SneakyPete said:

Try True Value or Tractor Supply, get a heavy duty magnet with a string. That should work.

If the visibility is fairly good, all you need is a wetsuit and a snorkel. You might want to try a dive shop, there should be someone there willing to do it. I have a buddy who has recovered all sorts of things in 4-30  feet in near 0 vis. If you were closer, I'd do it for you. Good luck.

[bassguytom]

Sorry to hear that. The only way to get it would be to swim for it. Try to find someone that has an aqua view or some other underwater camera so you know exactly where it is before you take the plunge. 

[Sam]

Stephen, I just purchased an iPhone 7 Plus on Friday.

 

Paid another $110 for the waterproof case.

 

Son is going to order the orange floating case via Amazon Prime so if I do drop the phone in the water it will float.

 

I am sorry to read of your experience and may I suggest checking out the orange floating case for your current or replacement phone.

 

As to retrieve it from the bottom, all I can suggest is to X2 the idea of going into the water for it. BUT NOT BY YOURSELF.

 

Have two or three friends with you; tie a rope to your waist and have the guys hold onto you; wear a scuba suit, if possible; wear gloves so you don't cut your hands on submerged structure; have an emergency "pull me to the surface" system worked out; have a good set of goggles; and have a very strong and waterproof flashlight.

 

You know that street clothes will drag you under and you can't hit the water in your swim gear as hypothermia will nail you in a few minutes. You really need to consider renting a wet suit from a dive shop to keep warm along with a sturdy set of goggles and if possible, an underwater flashlight.

 

What concerns me is that although you did mark the exact place the phone went overboard, will any current move the phone down stream? An iPhone is not heavy and since it is flat, unless it gets stuck in the mud or in some structure the iPhone may be yards away where it went into the lake.

 

And guys, lakes do have current. Not as strong or pronounced as tidal rivers, but lakes have current.

 

Good luck finding the instrument and please let us have your report on your adventures trying to find the iPhone.

 

Safety first. Always, safety first. You can always purchase another iPhone but we can't have another Stephen.

[DogBone_384]

Try taking a fishing net attached to a broom stick long enough to reach the phone and try to scoop it up.

 

Best of luck. I lost a $350 spinning setup last Summer so I feel your some of your pain.

[IndianaFinesse]

Swim for it, heck I swam in 40 degree water for a 75¢ ned rig.  Definitely worth getting cold and wet for a $700 phone, IMO.

[Bigchunk]

A magnet will ruin the screen 

[Jaderose]

A little too late now, I guess but why would you take a $700 phone in a kayak?  I have a 20 dollar flip phone and it stays in the truck

[lonnie g]

sorry for your bad luck. get a good set of googles, sounds like you are going swimming. if you do retrieve it. turn it off, put it in a bag of rice for a day or two before trying to recharge to retrieve pics. congrats on the PB.  now the story for the grandkids is going to start out by saying "let me tell you about my $700.00 bass" hope your year goes better.  

[MassYak85]

 

Sorry to hear about that OP, but I'd say get a long net like @DogBone_384 suggested and try to scoop it up. It sounds like it's not too deep and that you know the exact spot more or less. Beyond that it sounds like a strong magnet or diving gear is your best option. 

[S. Sass]

I would have already been in the lake and tried my best to come out with my phone. But I almost always have a partner with me. It's just quicker to get it over with. If you're scared get a friend or 2 to tie a rope to you or you him. Offer to pay him $100 if he brings it home and don't tell him but if he sincerely tries but can't get it toss him a good meal and $50.  

  

I had a friend that lost his in a couple feet of water and we called it and he found it by the vibration. But we knew where it was within 8ft and it hadn't been left for a day to soak.

 

I am so glad I no longer have a contract. I've been off contract with Verizon for about 6 months and its great. 

 

51 minutes ago, Bigchunk said:

A magnet will ruin the screen 

I think he is already planning to warranty it out but just needs the phone to turn in. 

 

5 hours ago, Stephen Selph said:

Applecare won't replace it unless I can bring them the water damaged phone.

 

[Fun4Me]

1 hour ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Swim for it, heck I swam in 40 degree water for a 75¢ ned rig.  Definitely worth getting cold and wet for a $700 phone, IMO.

 

 I'm glad I'm not the only one that will go in after a cheap bait.

[Montanaro]

So...you catch a personal best and you just happen to lose your phone.

 

Very convenient.  It didnt happen if you cant provide pics! 

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, Mosster47 said:

There will be divers in your area that you can pay to retrieve stuff. A buddy of mine lost a real high end setup last year and payed a guy $150 to dive and get it.

 

Wow $150 to retrieve a combo? That diver must of dived deep or dived in a dangerous area to charge that much.

[S. Sass]

Just now, soflabasser said:

 

Wow $150 to retrieve a combo? That diver must of dived deep or dived in a dangerous area to charge that much.

If it was a $700 combo Id pay a $150 to get it back. Of course I doubt Ill ever own a $700 combo to lose. 

[soflabasser]

1 hour ago, IndianaFinesse said:

Swim for it, heck I swam in 40 degree water for a 75¢ ned rig.  Definitely worth getting cold and wet for a $700 phone, IMO.

A good wetsuit will keep you warm in 40 degree water.

2 minutes ago, S. Sass said:

If it was a $700 combo Id pay a $150 to get it back. Of course I doubt Ill ever own a $700 combo to lose. 

I will galdy jump in if I dropped one of my combos in the water,especially if it's a expensive combo!

[slonezp]

Depending on the size of the lake, a few....maybe more than a few....truckloads of rice dumped in the lake will absorb the water. Once all the water has been absorbed into the rice,you will be able to simply walk over to the phone to retrieve it.