Sharks and wahoos making off with an engagement ring became a real concern for Byford resident Craig Singleton when he proposed to his girlfriend Caitlin Baptiste on November 4 on Cocos Island, nearly 3000-kilometres north-west of Perth.
Mr Singleton said he was more concerned about the wahoos than the sharks.
“They have razor sharp teeth and are aggressive fish,” he said.
“I put the ring box in a specially made canister at the end of a fishing line and I set the line off to make it look as though a fish was on the end of it and had Caitlin reel it in.”
Mr Singleton said he was worried that the wahoos would slice through the leader, which would have caused the canister to fall to the bottom of the ocean.
“Luckily I kept the ring in my pocket just in case the wahoo got at the canister,” he said.
“If they did slice through the leader the canister would be at the bottom of the ocean and she would have been reeling in nothing and the box would have been lost.”
Mr Singleton said despite the risk of sharks, wahoos and losing the canister to the bottom of the ocean he would have still proposed on a boat as he and his girlfriend shared a love for the sea.
Ms Baptiste said she had no idea what was happening.
“It was all a big surprise,” she said.
“It wasn’t really something I thought about until after we got home.
“I was in shock and very surprised and since we had no phone signal in Cocos, I couldn’t tell my best friends until I got home.
“At least no wahoo or sharks got away with the engagement ring.”
The couple met in 2013 at Shenton Park Hospital when Ms Baptiste was recovering from a broken back after a horse riding accident and Mr Singleton was recovering from a motocross accident.
They are saving for a boat of their own and their upcoming wedding.
