Edward Duffey, Author at The Ring Finders | Page 3 of 6

Lost – iPhone – Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks (OBX), NC – FOUND !!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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I missed a call from Gary at about 4:30 pm.  But he left a message that said that his son had lost his iPhone on the beach.  After a bout of phone-tag I finally reached him and headed down to Kill Devil Hills.

When I arrived, I met Brian, the 19-year-old college student who had lost his phone.  Of course I realized how important this was…friends, pictures, class information…it was all on that iPhone!

As we walked down to the beach, Brian pointed out a lifeguard stand that was about 100 yards away.  He said he thought he had lost it between where we were and the lifeguard stand.  Lots of sand!  I asked him when he lost it and he replied about one in the morning.  Someone, including another detector, could have found it!

He thought he had lost it close to the stand, so I didn’t fire up the Deus 2 until I got about 50 yards away.  I got a few hits as I searched south to the stand, but they didn’t pan out and I didn’t even bring my scoop because I didn’t want to damage the phone.

Brian said he had walked from the stand in an arch, so I followed his lead as I started back north on the beach.  I got a hit, loud and identical to my test on my

iPhone.  It was Brian’s iPhone!!!

Friends, images, class information all found on the beach!  Dad and Son happy!!!!!

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Lost – Men’s Gold Wedding Band – Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, NC – FOUND!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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I received a call from Corey who said that he had lost his gold wedding ring on the beach.  He told me that it was not in the water but a storm was looming so that could change fast, so I hurried down to his beach access.

When I arrived, he showed me an area of beach that he thought he lost the ring in.  It was large, and the water was just on the edge of the section.

As I fired up the D2, Corey told me that his wife, Livia, is from Italy.  They had gotten the ring in Rome, and it had the inscription Livia & Corey “per sempre” (forever).  When I heard that, I knew how special it was.  I had to find this ring!

One the first pass, I found nothing; not even a pop-top.  Shortly into the he second pass…bling!  As I moved the coil over the ring Corey and I both saw the gold shining out of the sand.  It was the target!

Joy on the beach!

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Lost – Mens Platinum Wedding Band, Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, OBX, NC – FOUND!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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I received a call from Anthony.  He told me that he was in an ocean front rental and had lost his platinum wedding band.  I asked him the normal questions about, was it in the water, does he know when and a general location?  His answers were all good.

I assured him that if it was not in the water, we had an excellent chance of finding the ring.  I told him that I would arrive in less than 30 minutes.

When I arrived, Anthony showed me an area of beach that he thought he lost the ring in.  It was about 30 yards by 10 yards.  I fired up the Deus II and as I normally do, I started at the beach side and did sweeps working up to the area where he had chairs.

One the first 30-yard pass, I found a can.  The second pass…nothing! On the third pass I got a good hit number for a ring.  He said that was a good spot.

Sure enough, the ring was in the scoop!  Anthony and his party were overjoyed!!

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Lost – Men’s White Gold Wedding Band – Kill Devil Hills, OBX, NC – FOUND!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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I received a text at 1pm Saturday.  A lady said her husband had lost his wedding band – on the beach – possible in the ocean.  I texted for her back and asked her to call.

Whitney called shortly after and said that her husband lost his ring.  He was almost sure he was in the surf when he lost it.  I asked the normal questions about where their chairs were and the areas they were in the ocean.  They knew the chances of finding the ring if it is in the water is much less.

I had to find it today, if I was going to, because we were forecast a tropical storm off the coast soon.  I ask Whitney if she could sing?  Her husband Justin said yes, she sings well.  I said, “We might have to have a song if I find the ring!”

I started in the dry sand hoping that he had lost it there but didn’t know it.  No such luck.  As I moved into the water, I was more intentional about covering every square inch.  Finally, I had a good hit.  I scooped but did not manage to get it.  Waves pushed me from target over and over.  I dug and dug with no luck.  I wasn’t going to give up on this.  After about 10 minutes on target, I had whatever it was.  I moved the scoop to the shore to inspect it.  It was a ring!

I went up to Whitney and said, “I really like the song, I Will Always Love You.”  Justin said, “Did you find it!”  I said maybe, do you have a picture?  As Whitney got her cell phone, I showed the ring to Justin.  Shouts of joy filled the beach!!!

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Lost – Lady’s Silver and Gold Ring – Kill Devil Hills, NC, Outer Banks (OBX) – FOUND!!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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At about noon on Tuesday, my wife Myrna got a phone message from JoAnn.  She explained that her daughter had lost a very important ring on the beach. (Given to her by her father).

I called JoAnn.  I asked her the usual questions about if it was in the water and if she knew the general area in which it was lost.  It all sounded good.  One problem…I was in the D.C. area visiting my daughter and her family?  Normally, time is of the essence…tides, weather, birds and people…you never know what will happen.  I told JoAnn that I planned on being back by around noon on Wednesday.  She was ok with that.

We got home around 1:30 and I called JoAnn immediately and planned to meet with her shortly.  I met her on the beach, and she introduced me to her granddaughter, Sloan (owner of the ring) and her friend Clair.  They showed me the search area which was larger than I expected. (About 50 x 30 yards)

I fired up the Deus II and began a 50-yard run along the towel line.  I completed the first sweep and started about 6 ft west of the first sweep.  About halfway back I got a great hit.  I found a sterling wave ring that did not fit the description of the lost ring.  Shortly after, I found the ring in question.

As I walked back to JoAnn, she let me know that they had lost two rings.  I asked JoAnn to call Sloan because I had a few more questions.  When Sloan came back, I asked her to describe the ring more thoroughly.  As she described it, I raised it up in myhand.  When she saw it she gasped…”? You found it.”  I said I found both rings!!  🙂

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LOST – Men’s Gold Chain with Pendant and Silver Ring – Kill Devil Hills, Outer Banks, FOUND!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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Sunday morning, I got a Facebook Message from Jordan.  He said that while he and a friend were on the beach yesterday, he had lost his gold chain and a ring.  He couldn’t meet with me because he was at work.

I asked him about the location, and he said that it was about 75 to 100 north of the Avalon pier.  I told him that I would check it out.  When I arrived at the beach it was so crowded that I had a hard time finding a parking spot.  When I parked and went to the beach it was so packed that I couldn’t really cover the area that I thought it might be.

I decided to come back around 6pm when people would be leaving.  I covered the area Jordan told me about thoroughly.  I decided to go nearer to the pier just in case he was wrong about the location.  Just then gentleman approached me.  He said he had lost a gold chain yesterday while wrestling with his friend.  I asked, “Was it Jordan?”  He replied, “how did you know that?”

I let him know that Jordan had contacted me this morning.

He showed me an area about 20 yards from the pier that he thought they were in yesterday.  It wasn’t long until the XP Deus II fired a strong 81 and I saw the glint of a gold chain in the sand.  Randy and the friends he was with were jubilant!!

Not long after, I found the ring only a few feet away.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

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Lost – Lady’s Gold/Silver heirloom ring – Outer Banks – FOUND!!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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It was Friday afternoon around 6pm when I got a call from Rick.  He told he that his wife, Dawn, had lost her ring a few hours ago on the beach and they were very certain that they knew it’s approximate location.  As usual I ask if it was in the water, and he replied that it was in dry sand.

I arrive at the Location about twenty minutes later.  As I met Rick and Dawn for the first time and he said, “I’ve been thinking since we spoke and we lost it a few hours ago, I’m really not sure the tide hasn’t risen above it.”

We went down to the beach and Dawn led the way to where she thought she had lost it.  I fired up the XP Deus II and swept as I followed them.  After I had only gotten a few steps I got a great hit in the wet sand (81!)  I scooped it up, sensing that it was shallow, verified that I had it and continued with Rick and Dawn without missing a beat.

We went on about 30 yards and Dawn turned toward the dune and said, “It’s somewhere in this dry sand.  I asked her if she had a picture?  She got her phone out and started going through her images.  While she did that I reached in my scoop and behold…a ring.  Just then, she showed me her image of the ring.

I held up the ring from scoop and said, “That sure looks a lot like this one!”

Dawn and Rick were very happy to have their ring back!

 

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Lost Diamond Engagement Ring – Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NC – FOUND!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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I got a call from Maeva on Thursday morning around 7:30 am. She said that her sister, Bianca, had lost her wedding ring on Hatteras Island and needed help.  She said that they had to leave to go back to Canada today and they really needed my help right away.

I told them that Hatteras is a no-go for metal detectors and is administered by the National Park Service.  I would have to get permission and probably be observed by a NPS employee.  They understood.

As I drove, I called the NPS and explained that the ladies from Canada had lost their ring and had to return home today.  I met with Maeva, her sister Bianca and their mom Nathlie.  Bianca, who owned the rings, told me that they lost 3 rings.  One ring was found immediately near the parking area.  The other two were a wedding set but the one they really wanted was the engagement ring with the most diamonds.  They showed me the area that they had been in from the parking area to the beach and explained that they thought they lost it when she opened her purse.

The NPS contacted me and arranged for Mark to supervise my detecting.  I began at the area the ladies had found one ring thinking the others would be close.  No such luck.  The area was target rich with lots of trash items, but after about 30 minutes I had a good hit.   It was the engagement ring!

Later I Facetimed Bianca.  I told her that I had good news and bad news, which do you want first?  She said give me the bad news.  I said that I had only been able to recover one ring.  Then I moved the camera to show her the engagement ring.  She was ecstatic!

Thanks to NPS employees Mike and Mark who made this recovery possible!

UPDATE:  Shipping this ring to Canada was complicated…complete with the owner being taxed for what Canada thought was a purchase and me having to make a statement that I was simply returning a lost possession.  I took nearly a month to make it home.  

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Lost Lady’s Diamond Engagement Ring – Southern Shores – Outer Banks, NC – Found

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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Tyler texted me around 9:30pm on Saturday.   His message was, “my fiancé is in the Outer Banks and lost her engagement ring today.  Would you possibly be able to help?”  I answered, “possibly, please have her give me a call.”  He said that she probably would not call until tomorrow.  I explained that in OBX, tides and weather move things around so the sooner the better.

Joanna called a short time later.  She explained that she was in the water at close to high tide and a wave hit her, knocking her over, and the ring was gone.  I met Joanna at the rental the next day and we walked to the beach.  I explained that in the Outer Banks wave action and energy is tremendous so the chance that I find it after two high tides is rather remote.  She understood.  Joanna went back to the rental to pack-up since they had to leave early.

As is my custom, I prayed.  Then, I began the search.  I fired up the XP Deus II and started where she said they put their items down.  I continued to the waterline and the surf was rougher than I expected.   I decided to go as deep as I could at the exact spot she thought she lost her ring.

I got an immediate hit.  It was a 41.  Could it be?  Fighting the waves I dug the first scoop and a second.  Nothing.   A big wave crashed around me.  I took a third scoop and the signal disappeared.   I had whatever it was.  As I spread the sand over the beach a beautiful diamond glistened in the sand!

I texted Joanna that I needed her to come back to the beach because I had questions about exactly where it was lost.  She said that she would as soon as they finish packing.  I hooked the ring to a clip for safety and waited.  When she appeared I asked her to describe again how she lost it and where while I videoed her.  When she finished I unclipped the ring and said, “Does it look like this?”  TEARs of Joy.  As we walked back to the rental house Joanna’s friends came out and shared in the celebration.

 

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LOST – Men’s Tungsten ring – Kill Devil Hills, OBX – FOUND!!

  • from Ponce Inlet (Florida, United States)
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Late Tuesday afternoon I was driving north to Corolla when I received a call from Austin.  He had lost his wedding ring in the sand in Kill Devil Hills.  I told him that I was about 45 minutes away but I wanted to try to find it anyway because you never know.  In my experience, the sooner you look for a lost item, the better.

When I arrived, just after seven, it was completely dark and no moon.  Austin took me to the beach and it was pitch black.  Luckily, someone in the apartment building we were in front of cut on their flood lights.  Also, Austin had marked the spot where he thought he lost it.

This is the first time I had used the XP Deus II on a ring recovery but I had about 3 weeks of using it under my belt.  I fired it up and almost immediately I got a hit.  But whatever it was went right through the scoop.  I had another pass and got a great hit.  Voila!  It was the ring!  Austin was very happy, as was I.

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