Three months after a rogue wave knocked Paralympic champion Chris Bond off his feet, taking one of his waterproof prosthetic legs with the surf, a new mystery is in need of solving.
The two-time wheelchair rugby gold medallist was having an afternoon dip at Kings Beach in Caloundra last November when he lost his $15,000 prosthesis.
The Sunshine Coast community rallied around him — from divers, surf life savers, and even the coastguard — after his plea for help went viral online.
It is now part of the daily routine for locals to keep their eyes peeled for Bond's leg during beach visits.
So when Eve Clifford contacted Bond about a prosthetic leg found outside the Kings Beach shop she manages, the emotions ranged from joy to disbelief.
However, when Bond came to inspect the leg, it turned out it was not his.
Bond said he was hopeful because the photo sent to him had the same brand of foot.
Bond will drop the leg off to his prosthetists in the hopes they can track down the owner.
In the meantime, he will receive his new waterproof prosthetic replacement tomorrow to be able to get back to the beach with his young daughter.
He has not lost hope that maybe, one day, his leg will wash up.
“It’s probably too late to salvage now, I’m guessing. But would be nice to see where the journey ended," Bond said.
And for Ms Clifford, the experience has left her with a great yarn.
"Like, how's it ended up in the bushes, the front of my shop?"
