81 year old James Mahaffery and his wife were down from Gainsville visiting their son and they decided to spend some time at the beach. Last Wenesday they headed out to Honeymoon Island and were enjoying the water. James was on his hands and knees playing in the surf when his hand slipped off a rock and his custom ring disappeared into the sand. They looked for quite a while but could not find it. The ring was a custom made heavy silver ring with 2 horizontal bands of gold and had been on his hand for many years. They gave up and a few days later contacted Howard Metts to see if he could help. Howard is member of the SRARC ringfinders team so he made arrangements for the team to do a hunt on today. Six hunters showed up and within 30 minutes the ring was recovered. James son met us at the beach and when Chris returned the ring he called his Mom and she was so surprised and pleased it was a joy to hear her reaction over the phone. A big thanks to Chris Duerden, Howard Metts, Paul Hill, Mark Prue, Stan Flack, and Mike Miller for helping with this recovery.
We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!
We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.
Ammi found us on Ringfinders and contacted Tom with a request to recover a special ring that had been lost under her dock on Lake Tarpon. We happened to be in the area when Tom called to see what we could do, so we headed over to Ammi’s house. We found out that Ammi’s daughter Jen, and a friend Marie, had laid a towel on the dock and Marie decided to put her ring on the towel so it could not be lost. The ring was handed down to her by her father. It had been his mother’s wedding ring and carried a very large sentimental value within the family. Later in the day Marie picked up the towel, forgetting there was a ring on it and sure enough the ring fell between deck boards.
The space under the dock was very tight so Paul went under alone and worked for about 45 minutes before finding the ring right next to one of the support posts. The girls were just overjoyed when they saw Paul holding the ring. Some more big smiles!!!! Way to go Paul.
Brian was having a great Sunday Soccer game until he was headed home and noticed he no longer had his wedding ring. He returned to look for it and even considered renting a metal detector but then he discovered there was a club that offered to recover lost items. He sent an email and Mike Miller responded and then set up a hunt of the entire soccer field for the following Saturday morning. Paul Hill, Howard Metts, Elmer Stennes, and Mike showed up for the hunt. We hunted the entire field and after 3 hours Paul found the missing ring. Brian could not believe the dedication we had in searching for the ring and was very pleased with the result. As you can see by his smile he is very happy to have his wedding ring back on his finger. Way to go guy’s !!!!!!!!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014:
I received a call at work from my wife Wendy this afternoon at around 1 PM. Apparently the message I left with the Lifeguard at Kaimana Beach Park paid off. Wendy told me that a lady named Lisa had called and left her number concerning a lost ring. So after my lunch break I gave Lisa a call and she said, “The Lifeguard at Kaimana Beach Park gave her my card and said I was the “Detector Guy” that found her daughters ring.” First of all I never show or tell the Lifeguard exactly what I’ve found only that it’s a “Ring” or “Bracelet” etc. I politely asked Lisa to describe the ring her daughter Talia lost and if I had it I would gladly return it to them. The ring in question was so unique it only took a few adjectives of description and I knew the owner would soon be reunited with their lost heirloom ring. The Queen Elizabeth crown ring had been in their family for over 25 years and Talia was heartbroken when she discovered it missing after going for a swim with her father and two brothers. She felt the ring come off and made an immediate dive underwater to retrieve it but as usual the sandy bottom consumed the ring on Tuesday, August 5th. After the swim out to the reef flag and back her father and brothers borrowed goggles from the Lifeguard in hopes of finding the heirloom ring in the shallow water where Talia remembered losing it. Unfortunately, after numerous attempts searching with the googles all hope was lost.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014:
This was a typical evening for me on a metal detecting stroll through Kaimana Beach in chest deep water. One of my favorite spots because the Hawaiian sunset is so spectacular from this beach. About an hour before sundown after finding a few clad coins I get a very loud yet growling tone on my Excalibur thinking to myself it’s another Corona bottle cap. But what in my scoop should appear the most unusual 14 karat gold ring that I’ve ever seen. I almost didn’t dig this ring as the crown shape made it sound like a growling bottle cap. A word to the wise “DIG EVERYTHING”. You’re either removing trash from the environment or uniting a family with a lost heirloom. Both are good deeds. I immediately went to the Lifeguard and asked if anyone had reported losing a ring. He said not today but thought the day before a family that frequents the beach regularly had lost a gold ring but he didn’t remember the details. Since he had my card if any reports were made or the next time he saw the gentleman he would give them my contact information. As many of you know timing is everything especially in this hobby. The story behind this ring is Lisa purchased it from a museum for her mother 25+ years ago on a trip to London England. When Talia was visiting with her grandmother her grandmother noticed Talia liked rings (as she was wearing many on her fingers) so she gave the Queen Elizabeth Crown to her. Talia cherished this ring and was devastated when she lost it. As the story goes and as brothers always do they told their mother she lost it while swimming. Lisa and I arranged to meet in front of Zale’s Jewelry store in Kahala Mall to return the ring to Talia. Mom didn’t tell her why they were going to the mall so as you can see in the photo Talia was surprised and extremely joyful to be reunited with her precious ring. They were so grateful to me and made me feel really good as well. That’s the most rewarding part of this hobby.
I received a call from Kellie last night at about 6:30 about losing her ring in the surf at the beach. She explained how this ring had an extreme sentimental value to her because of personal circumstances in her family. Well I looked at the tide charts, and realized that it would not be good to go at that time because the tide was rising, but arranged to meet her and her husband Anthony at the beach this morning, at 12:00 AM. We got to the spot, and Kellie had told me how the current was very strong when she went in. She had been about waist deep when the ring came off, so I knew that with the lower tide, and the weight of the ring, I would be able to get into the area the ring had settled in. They had a real good idea where the ring was lost, and even had a landmark (someone had dug a hole in the sand), from which I began my search at about 12:15 AM. I know this beach, and the current flows like a river that runs parallel to the beach with such power that it is hard to stand against it at times. I began my search working up and down the slope, and off into the direction the current was flowing, figuring the ring would have been carried in that direction as it sank. Well about 45 minutes later, I received a good signal down at the water’s edge, and in one scoop had her ring. They had gone to the lifeguard tower to wait, and as I walked up the beach I saw Kellie jump down and hurriedly come my way in the darkness. She was overwhelmed with joy at the sight of the once lost ring, and she and her husband were so thankful. What a pleasure it was to be able to return this joy to them. Kellie was referred to me by Stan Ross (fellow Ring Finder).
If you lose your ring or other metal item of value, call as soon as possible. I will work hard to help you find what you thought might never be found again. I search, Beverly Hills, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Venice Beach, and all parks, yards, gardens, and ponds (to 5 foot depths) in all of Orange County, all of Los Angeles County, and Ventura County.
I got a call from Mark and Rachel, owners of the All Star Value Inn in the Wisconsin Dells. Rachel said that her husband had been playing volleyball the night before with friends. The court was recently redone and was part of their property in the Wisconsin Dells. He did not remember it specifically flying off, but does remember having it on throughout the match. Rachel said that he even thought to himself, “I should probably take off my ring so that I don’t lose it”. Famous last words, right? Seconds later, while about to serve, Mark felt two of his fingers rug together and there was no ring on his finger.
The good news is that they were the owners of the court, but how would they find it? Mark had plans to rent a metal detector and find it himself. However, he would have found out that operating a metal detector isn’t as easy as it might seem. The average person wouldn’t believe how much junk is located in the ground, even in a freshly redone volleyball court. Rachel went on Google and searched for “Rent a Metal Detector”. One of the pages she found was www.TheRingFinders.com, and there just happen to be someone specifically located in the Wisconsin Dells area. She sent a quick email to me, and I immediately responded. I set up an appointment the next day to take a look.
When I arrived, Mark and Rachel were having a friends and family picnic right next to the volleyball court. My son and daughter were along for the hunt. I started the hobby of metal detecting and ring finding as a way to spend time outdoors with my kids. They love the hobby, and love helping others find what was lost. My daughter was first on the metal detector. We found 4-5 pieces of trash: a pop top, a Matchbox Car, some small metal objects, and a nail. The mosquitoes were pretty bad that night, but we kept on hunting.
All of a sudden we got a pretty strong signal from the metal detector, which is usually a good sign. My daughter reached down, grab a fist full of sand and pulled out Mark’s ring! We walked over to the picnic table and handed the lost ring back to Mark. Everyone was surprised that we had found the lost ring, and so quickly. Mark’s ring had a unique inscription on the inside, “P.S. I Love You”, so there was no question it was his. My daughter was probably the most excited, as it was her first lost wedding ring recovery all by herself.
Mark and Rachel were generous with their reward for finding the lost ring. They then asked if we had eaten anything that night. I responded no, and that we had to head back home as my kids had started school already. She asked if we had ever eaten at the Top of the Rock on the strip in Wisconsin Dells, which was their favorite place to eat. We had never been there, so she called the restaurant and opened a tab with our name on it. She said, “Order whatever you guys want and put it on our tab”. What a cool reward. We felt like celebrities when we walked in. The manager of the restaurant practically greeted us at the door, “You must be the people who found that lost ring”. We responded yes, and he showed us to our seats. After a nice dinner, the kids and I headed back home.
So remember, don’t waste your time figuring out how to rent a metal detector, just rent a Ring Finder!
I had been out metal detecting Huntington Beach, CA, and was on my way home when I happened to return a call I had received while my earphones were on. I contacted James, and he told me how he had been out for a swim yesterday, and was coming to shore when the wave action in the shore break caused his ring to slide off. In a panic he searched for next couple of hours to no avail. He said he came back today and searched some more, but began to think it was an exercise in futility. James then turned to the internet, and found TheRingFinders.com, where he found my blog. It was perfect, I had my equipment with me, so I made a bee line to Redondo Beach. When I arrived James showed me where he remembered coming out of the water. I put my waders on because I figured I would be getting wet. I made three passes, in and out of the water, and caught a signal right at the edge of the water and sand when the wave receded, and in two scoops I had this great looking ring in my scoop. James was overwhelmed, because he really thought his ring was gone for good; he even told me his wife had called the jeweler who had created this one, and ordered another. Well it certainly was a pleasure to see such joy, and get a big hug from James. Another great day!
If you lose your ring or other metal item of value, call as soon as possible. I will work hard to help you find what you thought might never be found again. I search, Beverly Hills, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Seal Beach, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Torrance, Venice Beach, and all parks, yards, gardens, and ponds (to 5 foot depths) in all of Orange County, all of Los Angeles County, and Ventura County.
The weekend before my vow renewal, a few of my friends and I decided to go out. We ended up at Jimmy B’s on St Pete Beach and after a few drinks and several hours of dancing; we decided a quick dip in the gulf would be wonderful. We were only in for a few minutes but when we came out and posed for a photo, I noticed that my wedding rings were gone. I cannot describe how surreal that moment was or how quickly the panic set in. We searched for an hour before they finally convinced me to turn in for the night. I lay in my hotel bed, unable to sleep, feeling absolutely naked without the ring that my husband had given me when he proposed. That ring stood for so much. He worked so hard, handpicked every stone, designed the setting, not like at Jared where you pick a pre-fabricated design, he drew it on paper and had someone make it. That ring symbolized eight years of love and friendship, five years of marriage , two children, hard times and amazing happiness. I couldn’t just lay there while it drifted in the ocean, so at 3:30 in the morning, I headed back out and spent the next several hours combing the beach with a flashlight (two days later my neck still hurts from looking down). I finally called my husband to share the terrible news at 6:45. Not only was he sweet to me and sad for me, he immediately took action. He sent out a text to everyone he knew asking for a metal detector. By 8:30 he had gotten into contact with someone who was going to meet us at the beach. I was fairly exhausted from both the festivities and several hours of searching the night before but perked at the possibility of a happy ending. I met Stan and my husband around 9:30 and Stan immediately set to work. He was methodical and friendly. He gave me hope. I wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly where I was, I mean the beach is the beach right? Especially at 2 am. Still, Stan was optimistic. By 10:30 though, we were all feeling a little discouraged. I had to go check out of the hotel and as I was heading away from the water, I noticed my friend’s leftover drink from the night before. I flagged Stan down to show him that this was where we went in. I left the beach feeling terrible, so sure that ever finding my ring again was a lost cause. What would I wear at our vow renewal? I didn’t have a ring for my husband to place on my finger. How would we ever replace the ring that my husband had put so much effort and love into making? I could barely keep from crying. Twenty minutes later, while packing the last few things in my bag, I got a message from my husband. It was a photo of my rings! Stan had found them… both! I couldn’t believe my luck. I felt like a weight had been lifted (even though my neck still hurt). I raced back to the beach and cried happy tears when my husband placed my ring on my finger all over again. It was wonderful. I hugged Stan. I couldn’t be more thankful for his hard work and tireless effort to help a total stranger. His focus and compassion have given me a happy ending against truly unbelievable odds. Thank you Stan Flack!
08/17/2014 Lost Ring Lake Conroe, Texas (Recovered)
I was contacted by Katie on Saturday regarding her husband’s Lost Wedding Ring in Lake Conroe. Katie said she located me on The Ring Finders directory and wanted to know if I could assist her in recovering her husband’s wedding ring. Katie said the ring was in about 4 foot of water off the dock behind their residence on Lake Conroe.
An excerpt from our communications on Saturday.
Hi john…its Katie Harris. I spoke to you regarding my husband’s ring that I lost off of our boat dock. So mad at myself. He had his original ring stolen, and we just replaced it a week ago…and now I lost it!!
I asked Katie some details about the location and she was able to provide very descriptive information on the search location. (water depth, bottom conditions –mud, sand or sludge) and whether there was public access to the area to determine the urgency in our recovery efforts.
Katie had been cleaning out her pool skimmer baskets and tossing the leaves and pine needles into the lake. Katie had put on her husband’s wedding ring earlier as a reminder to take it to the jewelry store.
I asked Katie to send me some photographs of the dock and the area she believed the ring had been dropped in the water.
Katie sent me the following photographs of the dock and search area.
I actually measured…it dropped about 48 inches out at the angle i drew from boat dock-Katie
I made arrangement with Katie to be at her residence the following morning. The plan was to meet with her son Tyler at the residence Sunday morning. I arrived around 10am Sunday morning and meet with Tyler who walked me through the events that led to ring being lost.
I was thinking this was going to be a very fast recovery as the perceived area to be searched was very small. I set out with the At Gold and found the bottom to be relatively clean of signals. I worked the search area several times with negative results. I pushed the search area out a little further thinking the ring flew a little farther than Katie might have thought. I hit a couple of promising targets, but they were not the missing ring.
I closed in tighter on the search area, and started working under the dock were Katie had been standing and tossing the leaves. Bingo, I hit the ring right next to the edge of the dock, it was on one of the piers footings.
I was glad to find the ring, I knew it meant a lot to Katie and her husband.
Tyler with his Dad’s recovered Wedding Ring
Tyler, thanks for your help, it was a factor in the recovery of your Dad’s Ring
Equipment Used:
Minelab Excalibur II
Anderson Extreme Detector Shaft
Garrett AT Pro
Sand Scoop
The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service
We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!
We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.
