Colorado Fisherman Recovers Photos From Camera Lost in River for 13 Years

Spencer Greiner holds the camera he found while fishing in a Colorado river in March 2023. Courtesy of Spencer Greiner

While tubing down Colorado’s Animas River in July 2010, Coral Amayi flipped off her tube at Smelter Rapids. After climbing back on her tube, she realized the lanyard that had held her camera was broken. Amayi, now 35, had a good cry, figuring the camera and the photos on it were lost forever.

Coral Amayi floats down the Animas River near Durango, Colorado in July, 2010. This was one of the last photos taken before her camera was lost. Courtesy Coral Amayi