Got a call about a cell phone that was lost at a boat dock in a creek. I was only given a general location. as i entered the water I started stepping all over tree branches and leaves. I knew this was not an easy recovery! after about an hour we finally got a signal but the scoop was useless in that debris. I slowly started working the signal toward more shallow water until i could use a pinpointer and reach down and recover it. I met up with the husband and he got it back to his wife!
I will say, if this wasn’t the most challenging search for me, it is in the top 2. It all started when I received a text message, from Randy. This is his original text, from March 12th, 2025.
“Hi my name is Randy
Saw your story on Facebook. I lost a ring in our back yard a number of years ago. I live in Greene and are planning to relocate in a year.
I’d like to be able to retrieve it before we leave the area.
Kindly let me know if you are interested in this challenging hunt. Thanks”
I replied
“Hi Randy, So sorry to hear this. Searching for this ring is certainly something we can do. A few questions 1st, if you wouldn’t mind
1) How long ago did you lose the ring and why do you think the ring was lost in the backyard? Did you see or feel the ring come off?
2) How large of an area is your backyard and is it grass, field, woods, etc.. If need be, I can bring someone with me to cover a larger area.
3) Were you looking to have the search, this spring, after the snow melt?”
Randy replied,
“The ring was lost 20+ years
I sadly threw it into a cleared wooded area on my property with about a few pine trees approx 6ft tall
It is overgrown now with 30-40 foot trees however storms have dropped many of trees
As far as timeline for searching, whatever is easier for you.
We still have a fair amount of snow here.
It’s my original wedding ring.”
WAIT, WHAT? 20 + YEARS AND IN THE WOODS? Randy was certainly correct about this being challenging
I replied
“Ok, So the ring is in the wooded area and you remember the area? I will say that 20+ years is an extremely long time. Not impossible but it certainly would be a challenge. My concern would be a tree or roots are now over it. I can search as soon as the snow is gone and the ground is no longer frozen. I found a wedding ring, last August or September that was lost in 1982. It was only 5-6 inches deep, but on a manicured lawn.
Randy replied,
“Yes I know exactly the direction and approx 150 ft from edge of lawn
I searched by hand years ago but was not successful
I’m retired so just reach out whenever “
So today, just over 2 months after being contacted by Randy, I enlisted Gary Hill, to assist me on such a large and difficult search. We arrived at Randy’s home, in Greene, Maine at just after 8:00am. Randy showed us an orange traffic cone that he had placed on his lawn. Randy told us he was standing there when he threw his ring, “as far as I could”, after a disagreement, with his wife (Hey, it happens and who are we to judge). Randy immediately and seriously regretted his actions and went out in the woods, searching for his ring. Unfortunately he was not able to find it and he continued searching for days and would occasionally search, years later. Now Gary and I headed out into the woods with Randy and he showed us the area, he thought the ring would be in. We put up orange markers on the trees, to the north and south, that would serve as our boundary markers. The plan was to start there and grid search, as best we could, towards the house and orange cone, on the lawn. Unfortunately, the closer we got to the house the thicker the downed trees and branches became. So thick and deep, we couldn’t swing our detectors properly. It was that bad and I even got jabbed by some downed branches, on a tree. It caused a cut on my leg and drew blood, but not serious. We were very careful of the branches that were eye level. Gary and I did’t want to go home blind.
After searching for 2 1/2 hours, in the area that Randy thought the ring would be, Gary and I started to expand the search area, with a consultation, from Randy. He thought the ring may be further into the woods and possibly a little more to the north, of the original search area. I would search deeper into the woods and Gary would search just north, where the downed trees and branches were extremely troublesome. Gary and I told each other that it would be a 1 in a million chance of finding the ring, under all the downed trees and branches. My thinking was that the entire area, closer to the house was very likely the area the ring was in and Gary agreed. We just didn’t think the ring would be as far back in the woods, as Randy thought it would be. But how do you search an area, with dead trees, on the ground. Throughout the search, we would move branches, as best we could, but there were many, we were not able to move. Very frustrating to think the ring could be under one of the trees or branches, that we just couldn’t move. As I was finishing up the area, deeper in the woods, I started up towards the house, to see how Gary was doing. He was 50-60 feet north of the boundary, of where th ring should be and in a thicket of downed branches. I decided to search a little closer to the original area, but still just north of it. We have now been searching for 3 hours and 15 minutes when I hear Gary yell out, “I GOT IT. I FOUND THE RING.” I yelled back, “REALLY, THATS AWESOME.” I then made my way over to Gary and there in the hole was a Gold Wedding Ring, UNBELIEVABLE. GREAT JOB GARY!!!!! I then summoned Randy back into the woods and when he saw his Wedding Ring for the 1st time in almost 30 years, he said ”SHUT THE FRONT DOOR.” Randy then looked around to where the orange traffic cone was and just could’t believe how far north of the search are, the ring was found (Watch the full video of his reaction, posted earlier today.)
As all 3 of us were standing around talking about just how lucky Randy was that the ring was found. After all it was a good 60-70 feet from where Randy thought it was. Gary was expanding the search area and BAM, there it was. Randy the told us he didn’t remember the exact year the ring was lost, other than it was between the years 1997 and 2000. So 25 to 28 years lost in the woods and Randy has his original Wedding Ring back, just in time for his 35th Anniversary. Randy mentioned that he and his wife will most likely renew their vows, on their upcoming Anniversary. Now Randy will have his original Wedding Ring and another Wedding Ring he purchased, just after losing his first one.
Gary and I were just beaming, all the way home, knowing that we have put another smile on someone’s face, once again. Randy was just so happy and in disbelief of the ring being found. No better feeling in the world than to help others find their lost items and return them, to the rightful owner.
Jim was walking along a wooden pathway near the Pine Knoll Shores coastline and stopped to stretch his aching back. While bending over the railing to stretch out his muscles. As he raised up, his gold necklace snagged part of the railing. This caused his sentimental gold cross to fall about ten feet into the shrubbery and sand below. Jim had a couple of guys go in and look for the missing cross unfortunately, they were unsuccessful. One of the nice gentlemen, reached out to Crystal Coast Ring Finders to see if a metal detector would locate the lost gold.
Because of scheduling conflicts and weather conditions, the search was postponed for a few days. I met Jim in the morning and he showed me the location. This was a difficult area to even squeeze into for searching and once I arrived below the railing, I began my search using my metal detector as well as my Garrett hand held pinpointer. I came across many nails, screws and some fencing wire during the search and eventually worked my way down hill to where the men, who searched previously before me, had worked some of the sand into a pile. This was below the obvious area just below the railing. A few passes with my detector showed more nails and then a very good signal. After I grabbed a handful of the sand & debris, I spotted a very dirty golden cross in the pile. I met Jim at my truck and he declined having his picture taken so you see a picture of me after a very dirty, sweaty search.
Lost Wedding and Engagement Rings Found in Ocean City, NJ Sand
Lost a ring in Ocean City, NJ?
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215 850-0188
It started as a relaxing day at the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey quickly turned into a moment of panic for one couple after they realized both a wedding ring and engagement ring had slipped off somewhere in the sand. The couple had been walking back to their beach rental when the bride noticed her rings were no longer on her finger.
Frantic, they retraced their steps across several blocks of soft sand but couldn’t find the precious jewelry. As the sun began to set, hope seemed to be slipping away until someone recommended calling Ring Finders South Jersey.
Within minutes, John Favano, the professional behind Ring Finders South Jersey, arrived on the scene equipped with his metal detector and years of experience recovering lost valuables along the Jersey Shore. After getting a description of the route the couple had taken, he began scanning the sand along their path.
Amazingly, within just 20 minutes, John picked up a strong signal and carefully dug into the sand—revealing both the engagement ring and wedding band glistening in the scoop. The couple was overwhelmed with joy and relief, shedding tears of gratitude as they were reunited with their rings.
John Favano of Ring Finders South Jersey covers all beaches from Brigantine to Cape May and is available to help recover lost rings, jewelry, phones, and other valuables. If you lose something in the sand or water, don’t wait call the expert and get it back.
Maria spent a beautiful sunny afternoon at the beach, where she had removed both of her rings and placed them in the pocket of her shorts for safekeeping. Later in the day, after leaving the beach, Maria and her family stopped at a flea market in the center of town. While there, they brushed off the remaining sand from the beach, and Maria took off her shorts to shake them out, forgetting about the rings she had placed in the pocket. It wasn’t until she got home that she realized her rings were missing.
Panicked, Maria posted on a local Facebook page, sharing the exact spots where she had been sitting at the beach and where she had parked at the flea market. I always advise people not to post specific locations until they consult with a professional, but by then, several people had recommended me—NJ Ring Finder—and some even volunteered to search with their metal detectors.
The following day, Maria contacted me directly, requesting help to locate her missing rings. After discussing the details, I asked if any of the volunteers had found anything, but she hadn’t heard from anyone. After going over everything she did that day, I determined that the flea market was the most likely place where the rings had fallen out and decided to start my search there. We agreed on a time to meet, as it’s always best to have someone familiar with the exact locations present.
Once at the park, Maria showed me where she had shaken out her shorts, and I started working slowly, covering a 10-foot-wide area. The park was filled with signals—probably around 50—but most were just trash. Then, out of nowhere, my metal detector let out a sweet, low tone that I instantly recognized as a promising signal. Sure enough, buried in the grass, both of Maria’s rings lay side-by-side.
Maria was in disbelief, especially since it had been three days since she lost them. Thankfully, she followed the advice of the Facebook group and reached out to me for help. Another successful recovery for 2024, and a very happy ending for Maria!
Stacie lost her 14K white gold and diamond ring and narrowed the likely hiding place down to the backyard or the pool. Renting a metal detector to no avail led her to me. After eliminating the backyard, we located her gorgeous keepsake at the bottom of the pool. Another happy customer and the smile says it all!
This afternoon, while browsing the North Myrtle Beach FB page, I saw a couple of notifications referring someone to contact me. Looking at the original post it read in part – “Anyone have a metal detector and a few minutes. A young man lost his wedding ring in the sand.” There wasn’t a way for me to comment, so I just had to wait for a possible text. Within a couple of minutes, the following text popped up in my Business Suite, “Hi there! I’m looking for some assistance in finding a ring that my husband lost about an hour ago on North Myrtle Beach! How might I go about getting some assistance? Any leads would be so greatly appreciated?” I texted her back with my phone number asking her to call me, which she did. I got additional details, including her name, Skylar and the address and was on my way.
When I arrived at the Villas, Skylar was waiting in the parking lot and walked me out to the beach. The story was that her husband had taken his ring off and stuck in the cup holder of the chair. As has happened so many times in the past, everything is good until the family packs up to leave. Then it becomes one of the “UH, OH” moments and the ring is buried in the sand. Skylar had marked off the area with a big circle in the sand where they had been sitting. I turned on the Equinox 800, told Skylar it’ll take about 2 minutes and started a grid search. Well, in less than 30 seconds I got a booming signal, dug a scoop of sand and saw the ring fall out of the scoop as I pulled up the sand. Skylar was extremely happy!!
Skylar – Thank you for trusting me to help find your lost treasure. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!!
Aaron called me saying that his fiancee Katie lost her engagement ring in the dry sand. She had removed it to apply some lotion, set it in her hat, and in the process of them setting up the umbrella and blanket, the ring ended up missing. Later, they had also moved to another location in the wet sand 80 feet away, so, it could be there also. I started in the dry sand which was the most likely. Aaron pointed out the original spot where they had the umbrella planted, so, I started just to the side of that. First pass, nothing, but, two thirds of the way back on the second pass, I got the sweet sound that rang up a solid 25 on my Equinox 900. Poked the pin pointer into the sand and pulled out a beautiful gold ring. A tearful Katie was so happy to have her precious love token back again. A pleasure to meet you both and thank you for the reward.
Received a call from a woman in Geneva, Il. Lost her ring while playing with her children at a park. She took her ring off and placed it on a blanket for safe keeping. When ready to leave her husband picked up the blanket and shook it off, OOPS Fortunately, her husband marked the location where he shook off the blanket really well and I was able to find it in about 5 minutes.
SeattleRingHunter 206-618-8194Lost Item Recovery Specialist LAND & SCUBA
Watch this episode of the SeattleRingHunter “$10k Gold Cuban Chain Drop SeaFair Lake Washington”
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Little did I know I was about to embark on one of the most enduring dive search challenges to date.
My first priority in all of these water searches is to establish the drop zone either by a natural or structural marker in the water way or by a GPS PIN.
It is important to note our Seattle SeaFair event consisting of hydroplane races and typically a Blue Angel air show is a much anticipated long running annual event for many years. For only four days during the event the temporary log booms are setup as boat anchor stations on the same mooring lines every year. After the event a barge comes through and removes all evidence of the log booms.
When Chris’s firs desperate call came in I had to explain to him due to my dive safety there was no way I could dive on this during the event. Knowing that the log boom station was several hundred feet from shore in open water it was an absolute priority that we had to capture an accurate GPS PIN over the drop zone if he were to ever see his dropped Gold cuban chain ever again. Fortunately Chris was still on the same boat and he did his best with my instruction to capture a GPS PIN.
Come that Monday afternoon after the event was over I meet with Chris and as we stood on the sore staring out to a massive clear open water lake. No log boom, he was shaking his head in disbelief that his phone’s GPS PIN was not positioned straight out where he remember the boat was anchored.When he shared this concern I felt a huge black cloud of disappointment for Chris as without an accurate GPS I wouldnot even be able to make one dive and expect to come any where close to his dropped $10k GOLD cuban chain!
After a moment of silence Chris told me that there was a guy on the same boat the really didn’t want to make eye contact that took a photo about fifteen minutes after the drop. He asked the man if he could text the photos so he could try to find his chain. Upon hearing this news I immediately ask if he had inspected the photos for a GPS pin and he was unsure. I simply told him in a stern manner jut text them to me so I can inspect them. This was our only hope and just a few seconds later I flicked up the photos and found the golden GPS location we desperately needed. After popping them in to Google maps and seeing them positioned five hundred feet straight out from shore I knew I had enough to dive on this search!
Little did I know that was just the beginning of a long labor intensive project. In reality my first dive was more of a let’s get acquainted with this dive site kind of dive.
Having done this kind of recovery dive work for a very long time I knew in my mind that his gold Cuban chain would be under the silt layer and not a visual find unless it landed on a hard structure above the silt. During my first dive it became immediately apparent that the conditions at the lake bottom were good for this search in that the silt was only a few inches deep with a hard bottom.
Due to the distance, depth and silt conditions no average diver would just dive down and visually snag his chains so I knew his chain was for the most part protected from the shark treasure hunters and would not be moving anywhere until I got my hands on it! This was a big encouragement for me now to get to work to see how long this project would take.
The lake floor in this area was also relatively flat at 60 feet deep. These were positive points for a dive search. Within recreational dive limits 60 feet for 60 minutes to stay within my No Decompression Limit. For these searches sixty minutes goes by fast! On my first dive I was quickly over taken by the massive amount of trash laying about like an airplane crash debris field. Every thing from beer cans, beer bottles, wine bottles, sun glasses, plastic Mardi Gras beads, BBQ grills, lighters, vapes, and essentially anything that can fall off a boat littered the lake floor.This all translates to a lot of metal trash and a lot of work removing, collecting and scanning the area with my metal detector for the lost Gold Cuban Chain.
Seeing all the trash was encouraging that I was under the log boom drop zone however there is still quite a bit of uncertainty if I am precisely over the gold cuban chain drop location.
Well on my second dive ten days after the drop I dove down and got a signal in the silt. I plunged my hand into the silt and pulled out an Apple Watch and low and behold it was still in low power mode with the clock still displayed telling me this was a fresh drop. I was so excited and only hoped there was no pass code so I could find the owner to return his watch, mostly to gain additional information of when and how he lost it.
After returning home that evening I quickly placed the watch on a charger knowing the Apple watches are good past 100 feet and it had only been at 60 so it was not damaged, still working as intended. After the watch was charged I was blessed to find there was no passcode. I quickly found the owner had turned off the cellular as they most likely never expected to see it ever again and opted for a replacement. I obtained the owners mother’s phone number and his email address. I sent a you won’t believe this message guess what I found and went to bed. The next morning my pone was ringing and we had a very happy conversation. Caught up in the fact he never expected to get his watch back I asked him what day did you loose your watch Friday, Saturday or Sunday? He said it was on Friday. I got very excited as I knew that to be the day Chris lost his gold cuban chain. I then asked the young man do you recall if anyone else lost anything that day? He responded with a bit of energy that some dude lost a $10k GOLD CUBAN CHAIN on the same day. I said yes excellent that is why I was diving there to find the chain. I asked a final followup question was the boat he jumped off of to the North or South of your boat. He said that guy jumped from the same boat I lost my Apple watch from!
At this point I had been given a huge gift. The gift being this absolute assurance that the GPS PIN we had was absolutely spot on over the drop zone. Now I could invest as much time as necessary chasing after Chris’s lost Gold Cuban necklace chain. I know my process was good enough to get the job done yet though this whole process after several dives and no finds I began to review my equipment and processes looking for ways to make improvements. Improvements is exactly what I did an many of them, I modified a pin pointer metal detector to function at depth, created a down rigger retrieval system for my anchor system to save energy, invested in additional dive gear for safety, developed a simple clip system on my search line to say absolutely on my search grid, developed a massive improvement to the way I was transporting my cellphone during my surface swim in what I believe made one of the biggest improvements to this project.
The dry bag cellphone slate holder keeps my phone vertical upright above the water at all times for a solid cellular / GPS reception through the complete swim out to the point of deploying my anchor shot line for maximized precision. The cell pone slate was not used until the last two dives on this project. I am extremely please with its performance and expect to have many future successes based on what I have learned from this project moving forward.
Watch this story and see the exciting recovery in action.
Call now 206-618-8194 to have a confidential discussion regarding your specific lost item recovery needs!
https://TheRingFinders.com/Jeff.Morgan/
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Professional lost item recovery of items of value, jewelry, rings, necklace, charms, earrings, watches, keepsakes, wallets, cell phones, hearing aids, car keys and more.
Metal detection, experienced SCUBA recovery diver for hire, lost in house, lost in car, lost on land, dropped in the lake, lost in the snow, and items thrown in anger.
Serving the Pacific North West WA state, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Bellevue, Everett, Redmond, Auburn, Renton, Sumner, Tukwila, Federal Way, Fife, Milton, Puyallup, Bony Lake, Graham, Parkland, White Center, Mercer island, Tulalip, Crystal Mountain, Summit at Snoqualmie, Newcastle, Edmonds, Bothell, Enumclaw, Montlake Terrace, Mukiteo, Kingston, West Seattle, Alki, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, Issiquah, Lake Union, Arlington, North Gate, Green Lake Park, Gas Works Park Seattle, Wallingford, Golden Gardens Park, Carkeek Park, Denny Park, Juanita Beach Park, Kenmore, Whidbey Island, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard, Kirkland, Duvall, Snoqualmie, Preston, North Bend, Puget Sound and many more…
I lost my ring how do I find it with a metal detector in the yard, snow, lake and sand. I need an experienced recovery SCUBA diver near me to find my lost wedding ring, cell phone, wallet and car keys.
