Valentine’s Day ring return

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On February 13, I received a text message from Lauren who had lost her three rings (now fused into a single piece) either “in the water, on the beach, on the path up from the beach or on the grass in the picnic area. Can you help?”

My initial reaction was, well at least she’s honest; no idea where really but I like a challenge.

A look at the tide chart for the next day revealed that the best time to search the water was about 1300 the next day which was Valentines Day. This necessitated an early start for work at 0400 so I could get to Salwater Lagoon at low tide.

I met Paul, Lauren’s husband, at the creek that connects the lagoon to the sea and discussed the situation. We decided that the ring was most likely in the creek and a search area was marked out.

I did a comprehensive search of the area and came up with nothing so I started on the “dry” sand where the couple had been based the day before and again nothing.

Up the path to the beach and the picnic area and still nothing and the look on Paul’s face said it all.

Paul had to leave but I told him that failure was not an option and that I was far more confident that the ring was in the creek.

On returning to the creek I re-covered the initial search area and then extended the area upstream where, about four meters from where I had searched earlier, the Minelab Excalibur II screamed at me and a few minutes later I felt the unmistakeable round, solid object buried about eight inches in very soft sand.

I did what I do a lot when I find my targets and the owners are not with me and sent a photograph to both Paul and Lauren. I’m told that Lauren, who was visiting her Mother in hospital at the time, screamed when she saw the photograph.

Lauren and Paul mad a donation to their favorite charity that funds research into cancer in kids. A great result for everyone and another pair of satisfied Ring Finder customers.

Lauren and Paul arranged for he Manning River Times to do a story on the find which ran the next day and again in the Great Lakes Advocate a week later.