150th Ring Return on Cape Cod - Found on Chatham Lighthouse Beach

June 2, 2023

Emmie was enjoying her second day vacationing on beautiful Cape Cod. The sun was bright, the wind was light, and the temperature just right for a perfect day on the beach. Wanting to keep her wedding band clean and safe while she applied sunscreen protection she removed the ring and placed it in her pant’s pocket. She removed the pants and placed them into the safety of a beach wagon while she sun bathed. When it came time to put the pants back on…the ring was not in the secure pocket or wagon.

A call to J&E Enterprise to rent a detector was placed. Eleanor of J&E advised Emmie it would be better to have an experienced detectorist do the search and gave Emmie my phone number. Within the hour I was on the beach and in a search mode. I detected the area parallel to the water and then perpendicular with not a signal from the ring. I then searched in a diagonal pattern. Again, no signal. Another diagonal perpendicular to the first was about 50% complete when I heard an iffy signal. A signal, the result caused by a beach chair in close proximity to another signal. I reduced my detector’s sensitivity and interpreted its visual display as a target of interest and decided to take a scoop. From under a piece of seaweed a brilliant glimmer could be seen as a ring of diamonds slipped into the scoop.

That was the end to my searching and the beginning of the ring return. I kept the ring in the scoop as I love to see the emotions of the owner as they remove it and place it back on the finger where it belongs. Emmie had gone to the car and was on her way back. That gave her “friends” and husband time to conjure up a plan for the return. I would be handing out cards to those around, all except one for Emmie. I had a special Thank You card for her. This return was a special moment for both of us. For Emmie as she was to be reunited with her wedding band of two years and for me because it was my 150th return since joining TheRingFinders in 2011. Emmie’s card had a Thank You note on the reverse side and a Carpe Diem (Seize the Day) token made by another metal detectorist, Jim Wirth. A more perfect return I could not have hoped for on my 150th return.

Many photos were taken, thanks were given and received. Of course a few stories of past returns kept everyone’s concepts of metal detecting intriguing. Everyone could now leave the beach in a joyful spirit. The beach goers headed off to a lobster feast and I to a peaceful ride home. I took the time to reminisce over the past 12 years of putting smiles on the face of so many and how fortunate I am to have done so. What a perfect way to live in vacation land and enjoy retirement. Thanks to all those who have trusted in me. Yes, it really has been my pleasure to help when one needed my expertise the most. Again; Thank You all.