Stephane Coutu, Author at The Ring Finders

Lost and found Rolex watch in Rideau river Ottawa

  • from Cobourg (Ontario, Canada)

Today was a very special recovery and a four weeks in the making. Chris was swimming in the Rideau river. As he slowly let himself go from the ladder off the back deck, the clasp of his heirloom Rolex watch came undone and watched in horror as the watch slip off his hand and sank into the water. This special watch was purchased by his mom, and given to his dad to celebrate his retirement after 33 years of loyal service with the Canadian Navy. It was given to Chris when his father passed. After having Scuba divers try to find the watch, on three separate occasions and some with underwater metal detectors, he started to loose hope of ever seing his watch again. Fortunately, he was able to put me within a twenty foot radius of where he believed the watch had fallen into the water. Unfortunately, had to deal with about five inches of silt which brings visibility to zero once you start swinging your coil. But, after finding multiple various metal items, I was finally able to feel the watch with my fingers under the coil of my detector. After surfacing, I was able to give Chris his father’s watch and get it back on his wrist. He was extremely happy and emotional and was a great moment for all. Another happy and special recovery. Life is good!

 

Lost and found gold ring at Buckhorn lake in Ontario

  • from Cobourg (Ontario, Canada)

My travels today took me to Buckhorn lake area. Received a text from Gerrard about Katie loosing her gold ring, with opal, last weekend at the family cottage during a bachelorette weekend party. She was swimming in only about three feet of water when all of the sudden, she felt her ring slip off her finger. Once I arrived at the cottage, a lady that was there last weekend was able to direct me in the water to where she believed Katie lost her ring. I turned on my underwater metal detector, did a couple swing and right away I heard a great signal. Looked in my scoop and there was her ring. No Scuba diving, no weeds and hardly any silt to contend with. The best part, Gerrard is headed back home to Hamilton this evening and will be returning the ring to Katie. She has no idea that he contacted me or the fac that her ring has been found. Another great recovery. I wish they could all be this easy. Life is good!

Lost and found diamond ring at Eels Lake Ontario

Today’s excursion took me to Eels lake near Apsley, just south of Bancroft. Received a call from Shayne last week about his girlfriend Lisa loosing her diamond ring while vacationing at a campground. While on the floating dock, Shayne threw Lisa into the water and then both watched in horror as the ring flew off her finger and into the lake. The issues were; the floating dock moves quite a bit from its anchor point pending on wind direction, dense weed bed and about one foot of silt under the weed bed (typical for lake conditions in the area).  The good news is that it was in only ten feet of water and they both saw the ring go in. After a two hour search, constantly ripping weeds off my detector coil, I finally heard that sweet gold tone, amongst other metal signals. After coming up about four feet from the bottom, due to zero visibility due to silty conditions, I saw and confirmed that I had the right ring. Lisa was so happy to be reunited with her grandmother’s ring, whom has passed since she’d given it to her. Another happy ending. Life is good.

Lost and found diamond 18K gold wedding ring in Fenelon falls Ontario

Today’s recovery took me to Felenon falls/Bobcaygeon area. Received a text from Johnny about loosing his newly custom made diamond 18 K gold wedding band last weekend. Johnny had some diamonds from his late grandmother crafted into his new wedding band. He and his bride of only one month, were at a family cottage and went for a swim in the late evening and noticed that his wedding ring was missing at around 2AM. Retracing his steps and looking at selfies from the evening, he was pretty sure that the ring would be either under the dock, where they sat and watched a meteor shower for a while or in the water where he dove in a couple times. Desperate, he even had purchased a metal detector and detected around the property to see if the ring had fallen off during the evening. After meeting up at the cottage and getting oriented, I put on my Scuba gear and grabbed my underwater metal detector. Water being just over 12 feet deep, and after only about 15 minutes search, I was able to locate his ring in about one foot of silt. His reaction was priceless and heartfelt as I surprised him with his ring once I surfaced at the dock. Another great recovery. Life is good!

 

Lost and found huge gold wedding ring in Cloyne Ontario

My travels today took me to Cloyne area in Ontario. Received a phone call from Joan about her son Vince having dropped his huge white gold wedding band while swimming with the kids two days ago. The issue is that it was dropped at a rental cottage, about 30 feet away from the dock, where it is full of weeds and silt. The other issue is that the ring was sitting in about 6 to 7 feet of water. After sweeping most of the weeds away, with the detector, and removing all unwanted trash signals, I finally heard a very faint signal which turned out to be his ring. The ring had been pushed in deep into the silt. Four hours of searching which was well rewarded by Vince’s priceless reaction and that of his family as well. Great recovery. Life is good!

https://youtu.be/gT-bcdk57a0?si=9pApz8ic416iI0Xy

Lost and found gold wedding band Sandbanks Provincial Park

Received a text from James yesterday about having lost his gold wedding band, on Monday, while camping at a Sandbanks Provincial Park camp site. While tossing a ball back and forth with his friends, he went to catch the ball and felt his ring being knocked off his finger. This was right at the edge where sands stops and weed beds begin. James went and purchased a metal detector and tried to find his ring. Unfortunately, cheaper metal detectors cannot be submerged (the head portion) deep enough for his recovery. After arriving at the camp site, quickly Facetimed with James to get further details. 30 minutes later, found the ring and it’s now in the mail to Ottawa. Life is good.

Lost and found Samsung cell phone at Sandbanks Provincial park

Received a text from Alyssa yesterday about her having lost her new Samsung cell phone while swimming at Sandbanks Provincial park the day before. She had the phone within a protective water proof case and lanyard but it tore off when she got pounded by a big wave. The first issue is that both days have been very windy, with high waves, and sand bars at this location do travel quite quickly, possibly burying her phone deep in the sand. The other issue is that Alyssa could not be there to show me where she had lost it, being in the GTA area, which makes the task more difficult. However, with the magic of GPS and a quick video conference with her while at the beach, we were able to narrow down the search area considerably. Fast forward two hours of searching, I was able to recover her phone. Even better, the phone was still on and in perfect working order. I will be shipping the phone back to her first thing Monday morning. Another successful story. Life is good.

Lost and found wedding band at Roblin Lake Ontario

While conducting a successful ring recovery at Roblin lake earlier this week, I happened to find a wedding band. I decided the next day to post pictures of it on our local Facebook page just in case it was lost by local folks. Well, within 5 minutes of post being active, I had found the rightful owner of the ring. How did I know? There was a special inscription inside the band and they knew what it was. Met them shortly after and returned the ring. Life is good.

 

Lost and found silver ring at Roblin Lake Ontario

Received a text from Hope late this afternoon about having lost her silver ring while swimming with her three young kids yesterday. This ring has immense sentimental value as it was given to her, from her fiancé, whom suddenly passed away last year. We met at the lake within the hour and both went in the water where she estimated having dropped the ring while playing with her kids. Although there were many signals, we were able to reunite her with her precious ring within 40 minutes or so. She was extremely happy and surprised to have her ring back on her finger. One of my most favorite recoveries thus far. Life is good.

Lost and found diamond engagement and wedding rings at Buffler’s beach Ontario

Received a text bright and early this morning about a young lady having lost both her rings yesterday. Oli and his wife Selam were at Buffler’s beach yesterday, enjoying a beautiful day until disaster struck. While playing volleyball in the water, Selam felt both her diamond engagement ring and wedding band fly off her finger, when hitting the ball while being about knee deep in the water. This happened at noon. They frantically searched till 7PM with no luck. After a few of my usual questions, I headed to the beach and met with them. With Selam standing where she thought the rings came off, I started gridding the area and within 40 minutes or so, was able to locate both rings for her. The rings were actually about 25 feet away due to the swinging motion while hitting the ball and only about 1 foot apart laying in the sand. She was so genuinely happy and very emotional and, after some tears, asked for a hug which I gladly shared with her. Lovely young couple and so happy I was able to reunite them with their lost rings. Life is great!!!