Gabe Valencia, Author at The Ring Finders

Lost Rind Found in Seaside Oregon

  • from Seaside (Oregon, United States)
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On the Evening of Oct 21st I received a text from Leah and Tabbie about 8:30 in the evening. There engagement ring had been dropped in the sand and were very distraught. unfortunately I was at work and wouldn’t be off until midnight. I explained where I was and asked if I could go look in the morning or after I get off work. They agreed and said they wouldn’t be able to meet me until noon . As the night grew I kept thinking about the couple and knowing that she had just asked her partner to marry her and dropped the ring I knew that they would be too worried to get any rest. I knew what I had to do! I text them and told them I would go look after I got off work! I work about 45 minutes away from where they lost the ring and I still needed to go home and pick up my gear. I told them I would be there about 1 AM. They were very grateful and relieved I would go look that night.

Right after I clocked out I drove home picked up my medal detector and made my way to Seaside. They sent me the cords and off I went. I got to the beach at 12:58 and let them know I was there. They text me back and said they would be there I a minute. Showing me the approximate area of where they had dropped the ring. I set up and started looking, after ten minutes and a pull tab and bobby pin later I found the ring. Leah and Tabbie were very grateful and I was happy to have been able to help them so they could enjoy there engagement again. Good luck to you both it was such a pleasure to help such a great couple.

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Lost Ring Found Canon Beach

  • from Seaside (Oregon, United States)
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It was about 3:15 Saturday June 19th. I am working the beach looking for a lost ring when I get a text from Peter. Peter states that he is in Canon beach and that he has lost his wedding ring. He asks me if there is any way I can get over there to look for his ring. Since I was on a call already I told him that I couldn’t look for it tonight because I had to go to work. I wouldn’t be off until 7 in the morning. So I told Peter that as soon as I get off work I would go to the coordinates that he had sent me.

The next morning at 7am I realize the I had forgotten my scoop at my house so I text peter and let him know I was going to be about 20 minutes late. Peter replied and stated he wasn’t going to be able to meet me until 8 anyways so all was good. I run home walk inside and look at my wife sleeping and I envy her. But I am true to my word and give my wife a kiss and grab my scoop and make a beeline to Canon beach. I stop at the store grab a Redbull and make the 30 minute trip to Canon beach. I hit town and hope that I can find a parking space. to my surprise people like to sleep in while on vacation. Who would have thought? I have no problem finding a spot to park my truck. By this time it is 7:40 I grab my stuff and make my way to the coordinates I was given.  Realizing that I couldn’t have parked farther away if I tried I finally get to the spot. I put my thing down on a piece of drift wood and survey the area. with a sigh of relief not seeing any black sand anywhere close to me I think to myself this should be a piece of cake compared the night before.

I wait about ten minutes for Peter to show up. After introduction I ask Peter to give me a general but narrowed down approximation to where I should start looking. I asked If he had marked it in anyway to know where about it was lost and Peter states “I made a little X in the sand” I kind of giggle to myself and tell myself that is what I get for thinking this will be easy. Peter looks around for a few minutes and says I thin if you start here it should be close. So I ask more question about how far north, south east and west it could be. So about Fifty feet by feet feet area he says “I am pretty sure its in there. I begin to Swing my Equinox 600 with a 15” coil in a 2 foot back and forth marking the area as I go so I know where I have looked. I make a grid so I don’t miss any area I cover back and forth the whole area only getting two hits that whole area. one being a key and the other a tent stake. About a two hours have passed and I keep going back and forth, side to side with nothing more to show.

While I am swinging I keep a eye on Peter because he is walking around looking worried pacing looking for a granola bar wrapper that he saw on the ground really close to where he lost it. Finally peter comes over to me and says I think we are in the wrong spot. I say ok where do you think I should try next? Peter states that he is pretty sure that we need to go south about 20 more feet and gives me an area about the same size as before. I mark the corner where I start this round and get at it. After a couple passes Peter comes up to me and says he has to go check out of his hotel and start heading home. I shake Peters hand and I tell him I am going to stay out here for a couple more hours looking. So off Peter goes obviously dejected and probably more worried about chewing out that his wife had in store for him. So I continue making  a pass to the north in the distance seeing Peter fade out of sight. About 20 minutes pass and people were starting to put up chairs and kids were digging hole real close to where I was going to search. I turn to the south and start swinging about 5 feet away from where a family is now sitting in chairs and digging with there kids I get a solid signal. I take my scoop and take a bit out of the sand and pull up the scoop to sift it and I see it on the ground turned up by the scoop. I reach down and grab the ring ang walk over to where my thing were placed on the drift wood. I grab my phone and Peter had text me about five minutes before with a picture of what the ring would look like if I were to find it. No doubt that this was his ring! I text Peter and told him I found his ring. “Holy S#*t” Peter say then Says “I am turning around I’ll be there in 5”. As I sit and wait I see Peter coming with the biggest smile ever. What a great feeling to make someone smile that big. As soon as Peter gets to me I hand him the ring and he puts it on his finger and gives me a big hug. Words cant express the feeling you get when you can help out someone!

Thanks for reading until the next find!!

Cheers Gabe

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Lost Ring FOUND, Fort Stevens Oregon

  • from Seaside (Oregon, United States)
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Alex reunited!

Saturday June 19 2pm received a text from Alex stating his wife has lost her ring in the sand near the shipwreck at Fort Stevens. Knowing that this is one of the only beaches here in Oregon that is illegal to medal detect. So I stopped by the ranger station to ask for permission to use my medal detector for the sole purpose of looking for a lost ring. I was told as long as I stay in the area of where the ring. and that after I find the ring I must not use my Medal detector anymore.

I had just woke you when I seen the text from Alex. I work night so no I am not lazy. (Well I am kind of lazy sometimes). I text back and told Alex I would be there in about 30 minutes. I get ready and go. After the ranger station I proceeded to the beach where Alex told me he would be waiting. Sure enough Alex was waiting and waving his arms as he probably knew who I was due to the medal detector in hand. When I get to Alex we started talking about where about and how the ring was dropped. looking over the area I was thinking “This will be easy” It was a area narrowed down to a area of about 10’x10′. Then I turned on my Minelabs Equinox 600 and do the usual ground balance and pick beach 2 mode. All I hear is the 600 going crazy no matter where I placed it on the area. Looking at the sand what I noticed was that the sand was mostly black. So hoping I would get a solid stronger sound if I passed over the ring I started my search in 3′ foot swing. 5 minutes go by and I hit a strong signal. I’m thinking yes this has to be it I start sweeping sand away from where I pin pointed the object and BAM!! A flattened penny like the ones crank the lever and it flattens a penny and put whatever tourist attraction you at. With Alex looking on in obvious excitement when I started to dig. Only to see the look of disappointment. He says that was my sons in a sad tone. So I hand it to him and told Alex to give it back to his son. After about 2 hours of sweeping the area back and forth to and fro I had only one other hit strong enough to differentiate from all the cackling of my new enemy Mr. black sand. Turned out to be a nail. Alex stated he had to leave and go back to where he was from. I told him I would continue to search and stay in touch whether I found it or not he reluctantly left as I continue to search the area.

Within the time I was searching I received another call for a lost ring. I told that person I had to work and would meet him first thing in the morning after I get off work. After looking for Alex’s wife wedding band another hour with no luck I had to leave to get ready for my 12 hour shift. I text Alex and told him I did not find the ring but I would be back the next day to continue to look.

The following morning After working all night in my hospital I go to the other guy that text me the previous evening. That is my next story and I don’t want to ruin that plot. After getting home I decided to get some very much needed sleep to recharge. When I woke up maybe 2 hours later I couldn’t get Alex’s look of disappointment out of my head so I grab my sand scoop and decided I was going to go give it another go. So I head back to the place I had searched the night before. Getting there and looking down I was reminded of all the distorted sounds wailing from my 600 into my headphones. determined not to let the black sand win I took to my sand scoop and started from what I thought was the most likely area and started scooping and sifting through the heartless black sand. Every few scoops sweeping with the 600 to maybe get that sweet sound of something solid. with the wind picking up and sand hitting me in the face it felt like I was getting sand blasted. For 2 1/2 hours of endless scooping and sweeping I get a weak but different sound. As I try to pin point it down I narrow in to what I feel is close to the spot. first scoop I hear a duhl rattle in the scoop with excitement in my stomach I look in the scoop to see two pieces of plastic. bummed about it I tell myself at least it wasn’t medal. I take another scoop nothing but a stick, third scoop empty! As I go for another scoop I see a slight shine. Could it be? Please let this be it. I grab the sand and shiny object I feel something in my hand. It is cold and round. I look in my hand a YESSSS!!! there it is a beautiful little wedding band with rows of diamonds. After dancing a little jig I grab my stuff with the ring safely in my pocket checking ever two steps to make sure the ring was still there. I make it to my truck. taking out the ring again to make sure I wasn’t dreaming due to sleep depravation. Yup its real.

When I get home I text Alex and ask him if his wife had a small finger because it barely went to the first joint on my little finger. He text me back and asked if I had any luck. So I took a picture of the ring and asked if “this look familiar?”. I had just sent the text and almost immediately he texts back with a “YES HOLY CRAP”. Alex was so thankful and told me that his wife was crying, she was so happy and relieved. Alex also told me that his 5 year old son said he was going to name his first child after me! that cracked me up.

All in all it turned out to be a great day and I can’t wait till It is on the finger of Alex’s wife!!

Cheers!! Gabe

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