When someone, whether a hedge fund manager or a fashion influencer, accidentally drops a Rolex in the water on their way to Sunset Beach, they call Cole Tallbury, or rather, Trevor Barry. He’s the go-to guy for recovering lost items in the waters around Sag Harbor.
Over the past two decades, local divers have retrieved a range of valuables from Gardiners Bay to Noyak Bay. We’re talking everything from phones and credit cards to wedding bands, sunglasses, and even a $20,000 Rolex. Quite a haul, right?
“I don’t really market my services,” Barry, 59, mentioned during our chat. “All Harbor Masters and Dock Masters know who I am, but I make sure to introduce myself to some of the new boat crews every summer.” It seems his reputation precedes him.
Though other divers work in the Hamptons, Barry, who grew up in Sag Harbor, is well-known and respected in the local boating community. “Sag Harbor is the heart of boat space in the Hamptons,” said a local marina operator, who has called on Barry multiple times to help. It seems he’s indispensable when someone goes overboard.
Barry usually gets around ten requests for help each week. Timing can be crucial, so whether it’s 5 AM or 10 PM, he’s ready to hop in his 22-foot Boston Whaler to search for lost treasures.
“I’m available around the clock. The only time you won’t find me is when I’m already underwater,” he chuckled. “From June to September, I don’t take any time off, and my dives usually last just around 20 minutes.”
Barry operates solo and uses only essential gear: a basic scuba kit, a wetsuit, and underwater metal detectors.
Most of the time, he relies on keen observation and some basic calculations. He assesses where items were dropped based on given details, then raises a buoy flag to signal nearby boats to steer clear of the area. Typically, he doesn’t have to dive deeper than 15 feet.
If successful, he charges around $200 for locating a lost item. Interestingly, some clients are more than happy to offer more if the item holds sentimental value. On the flip side, if he can’t find anything—which has only happened once in five years—he charges $100. That one time was a small piece of engine equipment that was lost to the current.
Barry is somewhat secretive about his annual earnings from this venture, mentioning that it’s lucrative enough that he doesn’t feel the need to work winters in Florida. “Let’s just say I’m on the forefront of trickle-down economics,” he remarked, smiling sheepishly.
His family has been involved in the marina since the whaling era, so it’s no surprise that the ocean runs in his veins. As a child, he was fascinated with the sea and even drew maps of the underwater terrain in Sag Harbor, which once decorated his fridge.
Between retrieving lost items and conducting inspections, he finds himself diving almost daily, estimating he spends about two weeks underwater each year based on his air tank usage. “I’m doing exactly what I set out to do,” he said. “Life has led me here in a rather unusual way.”
