Michael Gaskin, Author at The Ring Finders

This lost silver ring was recovered and returned at Wrightsville Beach NC.

I was out metal detecting on the beach on Sunday 9/24/2023 when I was approached by a nice woman who explained she lost a very special ring. She explained the details of how she lost it and a general area. I handed her a business card and explained that I am a member of theringfinders and that we help people recover there lost jewelry and other items with the use of a metal detector. I agreed to help her if could but it was not going to be a easy search . I told her that it was like looking for a needle in a hay stack since she lost it at the waters edge in the waves and the tide was going out which could have pulled and pushed the ring anywhere. But still I agreed to help if I could. I searched for awhile with no luck. Eventually she and her family had to leave and I told her I would keep searching and if the ring turned up I would get it back to her since we had already exchanged contact info when she sent me a picture of her ring. Later that night when the tide was lower I was still searching and decided to expand my search area since the tide and current could have moved it. I was North of the area where she lost it when I got a strong clear signal in the water. I recovered the signal and it was her ring. I texted her a picture of the ring and called her.  The next day on Monday 9/25/2023 I was able to return the ring and I was very happy to help. I asked why the ring was so special and she explained it was a ring her and her husband had picked out and bought it together while on a trip.

On Saturday 8/26/2023 I was out swimming and diving with my metal detector at the lake when I met a nice family who saw me metal detecting in the water. They explained that a couple weeks earlier that their son had lost a ring on the other side of the lake in the water behind a private rental they had been staying at. I offered my help in recovering the ring and that I was a member of the ring finders group online and that we always love helping people. I also explained my front plate had my number and theringfinders information on my truck in the parking lot.  We parted ways and I continued metal detecting some and when I was heading back to the truck I met her again and showed her to my truck. She took a photo of my info on my plate and we spoke a few minutes more.

The next day I received a call from her son who explained everything and sent me photos of where he was in the water. I agreed to do the search and I called the property Manager to obtain permission to be there. Permission was granted and I went down the very next morning 8/28/2023 to look for the ring. I was in the water about two hours when I found his ring. I sent him photos to confirm I found it and called him. The next day on Tuesday 8/29/2023 we met and the ring was returned. I was happy I could help and he was extremely happy about getting it back.  It’s always a pleasure helping people.

This ring was found and returned at Wrightsville beach NC on 7-16-2023.

On 6-24-2023 I received a message from a fellow detectorist friend Paulie Desarno who lives at the beach about a post he saw on the beach about a lost ring reported lost in the tide. As metal detectorist we love helping people if we can. This post however was very specific which could be good for the the lady who lost the ring or very bad. The reason it was good was it could increase her chance of getting it back quickly if the right person recovered it. The bad thing was it included to much information in the public post which could result in every detectorist in the area flocking there that might find it and keep it. Not everyone is honest. My advice is as soon as you loose something to mark the area and call a professional immediately to help .

Anyway getting to the story. I decided to search for the ring to help return it. I searched the dry all through the night to eliminate that area first and the next morning I was still there working the low tide when a friend of the lady came on the beach and we spoke about the ring. She explained her friend was a little further out in waist deep water when it was lost. This was helpful information because I wanted to find this ring before the wrong person did that might not return it. I searched longer but couldn’t recover it. I decided to keep coming back to look even though I new the ring could have been found by someone else already but being that the ring was in the water there still was a chance no one found it. I made the trip several times over the next several days continuing to focus on the area of interest at low tide with the hope of finding it. After several days of searching I was further out in the water in about 5 feet of water on a sand bar when I got the signal. I was just using my detector and snorkel at this point when I went under to retrieve it. It was a ring fitting the description. I notified confirmed and returned the ring. This was not a easy search since it took a few weeks and at one point was a king tide which could of took the ring away. Several days looking, and over 72 hours of combined searching. The ring was returned and I was happy to help.