August 20, 2026
An early morning text led me to a rushed and very educational return. First for the rush: I had arrangements to play chauffeur for my daughter’s morning meetings. That was the easy part, one phone call and the time change was made. Next was parking and getting into the town park before 9AM. No street parking, I tried a private condo and could not obtain permission. So I went back to the locked gate to the park and what luck, a worker had just unlocked the gate and I was in. But could I get out let alone without a ticket. The employee said I was on my own and good luck. I parked and put signs on the car asking not to be ticketed or towed. I thought it was to be a fast search, find and return.
Shayan and Lauren met me explained what happened and I started my search where Shayan had put his shoes back on after about 40 minutes on the beach. A quick search of the beginning of the path and the path to the beach I found nothing. Next a line from the path to the area were the two sat for a half an hour or so before heading back to the parking lot. It was a narrow search, but I thought the sitting area would be the area the ring was lost at.
At the sitting area I gridded east and west then north and south, and then enlarged the area both along the beach and the distance from the high tide line. Still nothing. It was time to widen the width of the walk area from the beach to the beginning of the path from beach to parking lot. Still nothing. Another detectorist showed up to enjoy his hobby in the water but he did join in on the dry sand search and yet another fruitless effort.
Back to the path from the beach to the parking lot, still nothing. I was about ready to end the search and get on with my other commitments after one last swing over the area were Shayan thought he lost the ring nope, not a signal. I had given up but my last swing was over the paved parking lot that did not have a half an inch of sand on it, most of which Shayan may have spread out when he was searching with a kitchen ladled the previous night while looking for the ring. Well I should have checked that area more thoroughly when I first arrived, but I listened to my instinct and headed to where the most time was spent. Shayan was correct he had lost the ring while putting on his shoes, and I had not covered all the area. I just could not believe the ring was there but when I looked down I could see the ring of sand just barely covering the ring. Search was over and I felt bad about not finding it previously. Here is where the saying “If you miss it by an inch or a mile, you still missed it. At the end it made no difference and the lost item was found and returned. Shayan and Lauren left after a long embrace and with smiles on their face. As for me…no ticket and a Thank You form the gate attendants as I left.
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