Through a Crack in the Pier
I met Bob on Friday, July 17th, 2026, to look for his lost wedding ring. Earlier that week, while Bob was visiting family near Lake Geneva, WI, he took a walk down to the pier. For reasons I fail to recall, he took off his ring to keep it safe, and somewhere between leaving his finger and setting it on a table, it found its way between the boards of the pier and into Geneva Lake.
Before donning my diving gear, I listened to his story, and together we assessed which section of boards the ring most likely fell through. To aid me while under the pier, I found a washcloth among some cleaning supplies that I fed down through the boards, held above with the leg of a chair. Once under the pier, I could look for the washcloth to pinpoint the search location.
The pier was expansive and stretched far out into the lake, making the dive deeper than I normally have to go. My breathing device only gives me ten feet of diving depth, but once I got to the search zone, I was able to reach the bottom.
What first struck me were the dozens of fish under this pier.
A fisherman’s paradise. All kinds, sizes, swimming near and far. The larger ones were not used to a human-sized fish in their territory and (thankfully) kept their distance. I guess I wouldn’t be alone for this search.
The bottom was free of seaweed and had a hard-packed gravel bottom. This was great news and made for a quick search. I dug a few targets, just to make sure I wouldn’t miss the ring, and within about 30 minutes I had the ring snug on my finger.
When I surfaced, Bob was up at the house having dinner with his family. I texted him, “I think I have something that belongs on your finger.”
In a few minutes, I could see Bob’s eager smile from a distance, and I was so pleased to return it where it belonged.
If you or someone you know has lost a phone, ring, or other jewelry item, please call. The smiles I enjoy when returning lost items are one of the best parts of what I do.
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