After having returned from a successful recovery, of two Gold Rings, in the Ferry Beach State Park area, of Saco, Maine, I had some errands to run. While running my errands, I had a phone call come in and it went to voicemail,
“Hi there, my name is Lisa ******, and I’m calling, um Ring Finders of Maine, because I “Think” that I lost a ring, yesterday, on the beach, in Ogunquit Beach. So I thought I could start with you guys and see what service you offer? Thank you so much my name is Lisa ******, 617-***-**** thank you, bye, bye.”
I immediately called Lisa back and asked her what had happened, the previous day. Lisa told me that she and a very good friend, Michelle, had gone to Ogunquit Beach in the afternoon and into the evening, from 3:15pm to 8:00pm. They even had dinner, out on the beach while enjoying a beautiful day, on a beautiful beach. When Lisa first arrived, she had taken her 3 white gold rings off, to apply lotion and had placed the rings, in her shirt pocket. Lisa and Michelle at one point, moved from their original location, to a new location, out on the sandbar, as the tide was going out. Once they left and returned home, Lisa realized her 3 gold rings were missing. Unfortunately, the tide had been coming in for a few hours now and it was also dark outside. Lisa went back, to the beach, first thing, in the morning and searched for her rings, at low tide. But, as we all know, once the waves get to the rings, they will no longer be visible, as the rings would have made their way, under the sand and out of sight. Lisa and Michelle then gave me the two different areas, where the rings could be. I would need to grid search, both of those areas.
I told Lisa that I would go down to Ogunquit, Maine: Beautiful Place by the Sea, later this afternoon, when the tide would be in our favor and search. I could sense the pain Lisa was feeling and her voice actually cracked a few times and I figured that she was in tears also. But, I still had to tell her that the area she thinks the rings were lost in get heavily metal detected, by locals and vacationers. I also told her that if the rings were lost, out on the wet sand or sandbar, the rings would have been visible, to anyone walking by. Rings simply do not sink into the hard packed wet sand, at low tide, they just don’t, until the incoming tide reaches them. Lisa and Michelle told me the rings would be out in front of the Norseman Resort, in one of the two locations, they had been and understood it would be a long shot, to find them. I totally understand and agree that the effort has to be made to find the rings.
So, later in the afternoon Cheryl and I went down to Ogunquit, Maine and found the beach to still have lots of people, enjoying their day, at just after 3:00pm. Since one of the areas had less people in it, I decided to search there first. This was the first location they had been in and was just beyond the Norseman Resort and on the other side of the buoys, near the Lifeguard Stand. I decided to grid search, north to south, horizontally to the water and shore. Starting at the buoy to just past the lifeguard stand would more than cover the area they were first in. I always over shoot an area, while searching, just in case, the rings moved a little or the client was off a little bit on their directions. As I grid searched the area and working my way towards shore, I figured It would take about an hour or so to complete. I wasn’t finding anything at all, other than small bits of metal trash. Once I completed the area, just over an hour later, I was going to search the second location but there were just too many people in the area, to grid search the area properly. I messaged Lisa and Michelle and told them that I would search the second area, very early the next morning, at 5:00am. This would allow me plenty of time to search the area properly, without being sidetracked by having to go around anyone and possibly missing the area, the rings would be in.
Saturday morning, I got up at 3:45am and got all my equipment loaded, into the vehicle. I arrived at Ogunquit Beach at just before 5:00am and the beach was basically deserted, other than a few fishermen and a few people waiting for the sunrise to happen. Sunrise is my favorite part of the day. Quiet, serene and just something magical, seeing the sun rise from the water. I always stop and take a few photos and enjoy the view.
I started this morning’s search at the buoy again, but this time, I was on the Norseman Resort side, of the buoys, not the lifeguard stand side. As I looked out over the area, I couldn’t help but think it would be a miracle if I found these 3 gold rings. It was now on the 2nd day of the being lost and I kept thinking of how the rings would not have been under the sand, when they were first lost, but would have just sat there, for anyone walking by, to pick up. I also kept thinking of the other Metal Detectorists that frequent the area. Even thinking this was an extreme long shot, I still have to do my due diligence, for my client and for myself. Lisa really has a lot of sentimental emotions tied up in these rings and I am not leaving until I know there is nothing else I can do.
Today I searched east to west, from the shore to the water line, as the water was going out. Shore to water, to shore, to water to shore and kept repeating this sequence. I was actually finding multiple coins, junk earrings and even a junk ring, but not the 3 gold rings I wanted to recover. After 30 or 40 minutes of searching I was approaching the end of the sandbar, where it drops down to the wet sand. I was right on the corner, of the northern end of the Norseman Resort, Tidal Suites-On Ogunquit Beach, Maine. I then received a signal that was giving me a few different numbers on my VDI screen. I was getting numbers ranging from 08 to 20 and the tone was definitely a low tone. My first thought was, no way. Multiple targets all in the gold range and also the tone, was the tone I love to hear, when searching for gold. I admit my heart beat a little faster and I was praying these were Lisa’s rings. I took my long handle sand scoop pushed it into the sand. I then dumped the first scoop of sand right next to the hole I just dug. I ran my coil over the sand and got two targets. I then took my pinpointer and gently wiped the sand away revealing a gold ring. I kept removing sand and saw a second gold ring. WOW, I found them, now I needed to find the third one. I placed the first two rings, on the hard sand of the sandbar (remember, they won’t sink into the hard sand) out of the way and ran my coil over the dug hole. I didn’t receive a signal, from the hole but I did receive an 08 reading on the VDI screen, just a few inches away. I just smiled as I knew this was the 3rd ring. Just had to be. I dug the hole and ran the pinpointer over the sand, located the target and after pushing the sand away, there was the third gold ring. I am amazed they were still there but so happy for Lisa. I just knew how much these rings meant to her and I couldn’t wait to tell her but it still wasn’t even 6:00am. I took a video to send her but would wait awhile, so as not to wake anyone up.
Once I sent the video, via text, to both Lisa and Michelle, at 7:45am, I immediately heard back from Michelle, “Unbelievable! This is absolutely amazing!” And then Lisa one minute later, “OMG.. most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen!! So amazing!!! You are the best..”
Lisa then called me from her home in Massachusetts and I could feel the happy tears through the phone. She was so appreciative and kept thanking me. She told me that I saved her and I was her “Mer-Man”. Lisa was just over the moon to get her very dear, sentimental and loved rings back. Lisa then asked if Michelle, who lives in Ogunquit Maine, could come and pick the rings up, as Lisa was in Massachusetts. I heard from Michelle about 10 minutes later and we made plans, to meet in front of The Norseman Resorts office. Perfect. Once Michelle arrived, I took a picture of Michelle, with the 3 rings and texted it to Lisa, telling her that Michelle now has the rings.
Lisa replied, “How about a picture of the two of you together?” Michelle and I took a selfie and sent it to Lisa, who replied, “ The Best.. wonderful and happy ending 💕thank you both!!!”
Michelle then took a selfie of us and sent to Lisa, on the group text and said,
“Yay!! Lisa, Here is your “mer-man”! Best day ever!
Lisa replied “Definitely a Miracle! “
I have been metal detecting for 25 years and I really thought this was going to be a long shot. I mean the rings were missing for two days, in a very heavily populated area of metal detectorist and I still can’t fathom how no one saw the rings laying on top of the hard sand, of the sandbar. I agree with Lisa, this was a miracle and I am so happy to have been a part of it. Taking Lisa’s sad tears and making them into happy tears is the best feeling ever and I love doing this for people like Lisa. As you know, every ring or three has a story. Now these beautiful rings have a new chapter, in their story. I love my job of putting smiles back on people’s faces ❤️🙏
