Cape Cod Tag | Page 5 of 12 | The Ring Finders

Father’s wedding band found in Cape Cod Bay, Brewster, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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July 9, 2023

Jessica was spending a beautiful afternoon in the calm, cool waters of Cape Cod Bay when her father’s wedding band slipped from her finger. In an effort to enhance her chance of finding the ring she went to a hardware store to rent a metal detector. An employee knew Jessica would need a waterproof metal detector to help find the ring, which the store did not have. The employee told her of TheRingFinders and that they would help. In turn a call for help was placed and I responded.

As daylight and the tide go, so goes the opportunity to detect in the varying depths of a specific area of a beach. Jessica and I exchanged a few texts and set up a meeting to take place at 8AM the next morning. Leighton Harrington, another Ring Finder, joined me for the search. Also in the search team were Jessica and her friend Max.

To make a 90 minute search a short story Max was “eye-balling” the sandy area while Leighton and I covered the submerged area. A few hopeful signals turn out to be objects other then the ring. As often happens the ring was found a good 100 feet from the initial area we were led to were Jesica thought the ring had slipped from her finger.

It was unbelievable but Max spotted just a quick flash of reflected early morning light in the sand. Low and behold it was a reflection from the ring. What a team effort in the search and return of a very sentimental ring. The return brought tears of joy from Jessica and many thanks for our response to her request for help came from both Jessica and Max. Smiles all around and multiple photos made for a very memorable and unique return.

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Family Ring Lost in South Yarmouth Yard, Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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June 4, 2023

Chris’s love is gardening and he spends most every day engaged with some aspect of his hobby. While finishing up the spring clean-up and some planting prior to mulching the garden beds his father’s wedding band slipped from his finger. More than likely it came off when his gardening gloves were removed to answer a phone call.

Over the next two days Chris spent hours looking for his ring. Some of the time he used a metal detector loaned to him. All his efforts were to no avail. At this point Heather, his daughter, contacted me for help. Of course I would help. I packed a few land detecting tools into my car and I was on my way. I parked in front of Chris’s home which was adorned with luscious green grass and many plants in the process of being set along walking paths and others into the many garden beds. I was glad I would not have to dig to retrieve the ring after finding its location. Locating the ring proved to be no easy task. The first two days of searching turned up one of three old pewter Christmas tree ornaments that went missing many years ago, a wheat cent and a few other odds and ends, but no ring.

With another day of searching in mind, I was getting ready when I received a phone call. A wedding band had been lost on a sandy ocean beach. There is always an urgency to recover a lost item from a public area, open to all. Not that Chris’s ring was not important, but his was on his own private property where it was very unlikely anyone else would find his ring apposed to a lost ring on a public beach. I made the decision to go to the beach where I was successful in finding and returning the beach band. I would go back to Chris’s another day.

The “another day” came and so did the bad beach weather, overcast sky, and light rain; nothing that would daunt my spirit to find Chris’s ring. I pulled up to the search area as Chris was on his way out to dinner. No problem, I knew where to search. The front yard was searched first, the leaf piles next, the cut off hydrangea followed. All proved they were not aiding in concealing the elusive ring. The brick and stone edging was last on my list before I would call an end to the day’s search.

Chris’s son and his wife stopped by to say hello before leaving to meet up with his family at a nearby restaurant. Another fifteen minutes passed with no signal from the ring. On my path from the far side of a tool shed I headed to a patio where Chris did transplanting of flowers. I went close by a brick paved area and at the very corner and I heard the sound I had been listening for. A close look at the ground and there was just a few glimmers of gold. I had found the ring. It was now time to capture the ring’s hiding place in my camera. My searching was over and it was time for the return.

Chris, I knew, was at the nearby restaurant and I had no problem gaining entrance and finding the family dining party. I normally would not interrupt a family gathering, but I knew everyone would enjoy being a party to the return of the ring. And so it was, a quick return one picture and several hand shakes and it was done. With the ring returned, my goal for the day was complete. I left knowing that the subject of dinner’s conversation would be of the ring and family, not the fabulous clam chowder. Unfortunately Heather was in Europe and was not present at the ring’s return. Had it not been for her effort, the ring may have stayed “lost” for many years.

I thank everyone for their part in making this happy ending to a lost family heirloom and more great memories of my hobby.

 

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150th Ring Return on Cape Cod – Found on Chatham Lighthouse Beach

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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June 2, 2023

Emmie was enjoying her second day vacationing on beautiful Cape Cod. The sun was bright, the wind was light, and the temperature just right for a perfect day on the beach. Wanting to keep her wedding band clean and safe while she applied sunscreen protection she removed the ring and placed it in her pant’s pocket. She removed the pants and placed them into the safety of a beach wagon while she sun bathed. When it came time to put the pants back on…the ring was not in the secure pocket or wagon.

A call to J&E Enterprise to rent a detector was placed. Eleanor of J&E advised Emmie it would be better to have an experienced detectorist do the search and gave Emmie my phone number. Within the hour I was on the beach and in a search mode. I detected the area parallel to the water and then perpendicular with not a signal from the ring. I then searched in a diagonal pattern. Again, no signal. Another diagonal perpendicular to the first was about 50% complete when I heard an iffy signal. A signal, the result caused by a beach chair in close proximity to another signal. I reduced my detector’s sensitivity and interpreted its visual display as a target of interest and decided to take a scoop. From under a piece of seaweed a brilliant glimmer could be seen as a ring of diamonds slipped into the scoop.

That was the end to my searching and the beginning of the ring return. I kept the ring in the scoop as I love to see the emotions of the owner as they remove it and place it back on the finger where it belongs. Emmie had gone to the car and was on her way back. That gave her “friends” and husband time to conjure up a plan for the return. I would be handing out cards to those around, all except one for Emmie. I had a special Thank You card for her. This return was a special moment for both of us. For Emmie as she was to be reunited with her wedding band of two years and for me because it was my 150th return since joining TheRingFinders in 2011. Emmie’s card had a Thank You note on the reverse side and a Carpe Diem (Seize the Day) token made by another metal detectorist, Jim Wirth. A more perfect return I could not have hoped for on my 150th return.

Many photos were taken, thanks were given and received. Of course a few stories of past returns kept everyone’s concepts of metal detecting intriguing. Everyone could now leave the beach in a joyful spirit. The beach goers headed off to a lobster feast and I to a peaceful ride home. I took the time to reminisce over the past 12 years of putting smiles on the face of so many and how fortunate I am to have done so. What a perfect way to live in vacation land and enjoy retirement. Thanks to all those who have trusted in me. Yes, it really has been my pleasure to help when one needed my expertise the most. Again; Thank You all.

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From Mombo Beach, Curacao to Denmark, an unexpected return!

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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November 15, 2022
My vacation in Curacao ended with an unexpected ring return. While detecting at Mombo Beach I found an initial ring, my second ring found on the first day in Vacation Land. No one around had lost or knew of anyone losing a ring. Five days later Leighton, my RingFinders traveling companion, was asked to help find a ring that was just lost. Two minutes later he had found and returned the ring. As it usually happens a happy commotion of joy was spread along the beach when a return is made. One of the onlookers, Jordan, was among the onlookers and when he had a chance, he asked Leighton if he had also found an initial ring, he had a picture of. Leighton said no but he took a look at the picture and would ask the other detectorist who was some distance down the beach.

Leighton’s description from the photo he viewed sounded like I had the ring I had found. A walk back to talk with Jordan took a few minutes. When together we were told the story of the ring’s loss and history which verified the ring’s ownership.

Jordan’s girlfriend, Anne, had been swimming when the ring slipped from her finger. The ring was her great-grandfather’s ring with two dates engraved on the inside of the ring and initials for DH on the face of the ring. It was her ring. But she would have to wait until January to wear it again. Anne had returned to The Netherlands and Jordan would not follow until his return in January.

Now back on Cape Cod, I have great memories of a wonderful vacation and an unusual and unexpected return.

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Found Ring Returned: Hyannis, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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October 4, 2022

Hurricane Ian had been making its way northward keeping the Hyannis sky dark and misty. But a daily walk through the woods Avery and Bigelow made their way peacefully until an exposed root tripped up Avery. In the incident a ring left Avery’s finger an landed in the overgrowth along the pathway. The ring was Avery’s mother’s and is only one of very few pieces of jewelry that Avery wears.

Looking for help via a rental business that rented a detector. A call to J&E Enterprise was answered and Avery was given a phone number and was told Rick is the one that could help. Unfortunately, I was at a doctor’s appointment and did not return the call for a couple of hours. In that time Avery had rented a detector and was back in the woods searching for the lost ring. Rentals usually do not come with detailed operation notes. Most detectors take several hours of practice before one can become proficient in its use. Even locating an object on the surface can be a daunting task.

When I returned the call, Avery was in the woods and said she would welcome any help I may give. About a half hour later I was involved in the search. The area was littered with very old and rusty cans, and other debris. Many trash signals and not one that was worth digging or keeping. After two hours we left the woods as the sun had set, it was time to give up for the evening.

The next morning, I replace my mid-sized detector coil with a small 4-inch coil that would allow better separation of the pieces of trash. Another hour past and I was re-searching over the original area Avery had heard a signal the night before. I was able to determine several distinct targets, all were too deep to be the ring but might be masking a small ring. Therefore, I started to remove each target one by one and had a total of 4 shotgun cases and a long rifle casing. But no ring. As another aid, I tossed a similar ring with a visible string attached to see just how far a ring might travel and then restarted searching from that point.

Oddly enough, I was very close to the area the four shotgun shells were dug. Ah, another signal this time about two inches away, with a detector indicating a surface target. I reached down, moved a few leaves and there the ring was laying, but not for long. I picked it up, turned off the detector and headed back to the car before the rain intensified. A call to Avery and we made a meeting point. Twenty minutes later her ring had been placed on the pinkie finger and there was a wonderful smile on Avery’s face, not to say the one on my face was any less wonderful.

It is always amazing how an object is lost and in the case of a lost ring in the woods that a person can travel miles, search a vast area full of trash, put a 4-inch coil over a 1-inch ring, hear a signal among all others, then make a conscious decision to stop detecting and do a visual search to ultimately find the ring. Knowing one’s equipment, persistence and determination and yes, luck all helped in making the loss into A Happy Ending.

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From Sesuit Harbor to Corporation Beach Dennis MA Wedding Band Lost, Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 25, 2022

Just as I was putting the finishing touches to the previous posting, my phone rang and much to my surprise Sean was on the phone. We talked about last night’s ring return at his wedding reception. Then he dropped the news that he had his ring that had been on his finger just about a day before it slipped off and buried itself into the dry sand. Yes, of course I would be right there, how could I refuse such a bizarre set of circumstances.

How could this repeat? I got to the beach and did not see Sean. Just like the night before no one was there to greet me. I called and sure enough Sean had not yet arrived but did so in another minute. Then a short walk to two circles in the sand. The smaller one was Sean’s best bet but said it may be out as far as the second circle. On my second pass there was on iffy signal but was too deep. Continuing onto my third pass, there it was the wonderful sound in my ears of a ring. One scoop and a few shakes to rid the scoop of excess sand and I saw the glitter of a ring.

Sean, with doubt, looked into the scoop and retrieved the ring. After a bit of being unsure it was his as it was still covered with sand. Then when all the sand fell away and the Celtic Knots glittered in the flashlight’s beam the smile came. I wish I had my camera ready at that moment, but I did not so the picture of the smile will have to live in my memory, something I cannot share, sorry.

A brisk walk back to the parking lot a few pictures and Sean with his ring was off to his mother’s home and his new bride whom I am sure will have an equally wonderful smile tonight. What a story, what a beautiful, dark star lit sky, soft gentle breeze and swish of the incoming tide and another Happy Ending. I am sure that both Sean and I will remember the night for many years. I am also sure we both went home to our bride, and before going off to dream land we would reconcile any of the day’s tense feelings with our wife, say an “I Love You” and give a good night kiss. Bless.

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Sesuite Harbor Dennis, MA Lost Ring Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 24th, 2022

The exchange of vows, barefoot in the sand, had taken place on a Cape Cod beach just hours before I was called. All the guests had made their way to the toasting venue. When I arrived to search for a lost set of rings the wedding reception was in full swing and the toasting to the Bride and Groom had just begun. It was not Brigid or Sean’s ring but one of the guest’s, a set of engagement, wedding and anniversary rings that had been soldered together. Linda had participated in a “barefoot walk in the sand” and was putting her shoes back on when her ring set took flight and buried itself in the sand. The reception venue nor the local police department had a contact number for TheRingFinders.com. But one of the guests had met Eleanor of J&E Enterprise, Yarmouth’s metal detecting sales and called her for help. I, in turn, received a call from Eleanor for help as she was unable to aid in a search for the rings.

With the information I was given I was on my way to keep the enjoyment of a wedding in the correct spirit. I initially stopped at the Cafe’s main building only to find it closed for the day. I had been told the ring had been lost behind the Cafe, so I drove down the road to the beach. It also was vacant. I had no return call that I had made for further information when I remembered that there was a main outdoor dining area beyond the Cafe’s adjacent marina. I drove past several boat that had been pulled for the year and were ready to be racked. Then under a large tent I saw the reception celebration and the “Toasting” was being recited.

The DJ, at the tent’s entrance, knew I was coming and that everyone was waiting for me to show up and find the ring. He escorted me through the center of the tent with great fanfare. Then out of the tent to a sandy area ribbon-ed off so the ring would not be stepped upon. Linda was there and went through the antics of putting her shoes back on and how the rings were lost. Three passes with my detector and nothing. As it usually happened the lost object is not in the exact spot it is thought to be. I moved the search area from the initial area to about 8 feet away and my detector gave me the sweet tone in my ears, signaling the location of the ring. I carefully made a very shallow scoop and just missed the rings. I then saw the shine and picked the family of rings up and gave them to Linda.

Cameras started clicking, cheers from inside the tent took over the music that had been playing. What a joy and pleasure to be part of such a vibrant group that were gathered for a very special occasion.

Congratulations to Brigid and Sean and to Linda. And a Thank You to all those in attendance for making the night very special for each other. I have never seen so many smiles at any ring return I have been a part of. I must wish Brigid and Sean, Linda and Stephen and all other couples to have a long and happy marriage as I have for 55 years.

I had to add this to the posting: The next day, September 25th, Sean lost his wedding band on Corporation Beach. It was the same Dennis Beach where he had exchanged the wedding vows the day before. See the next posting for the full story.

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Ring Returned on Harwich Cape Cod, MA Beach

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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A year had passed since wedding vows were exchanged on a small footbridge and today another emotional moment took place just over the same footbridge, a cherished wedding band was “lost” in the sand. A very stressful hour passed with many hands helping in the search the sand for the ring. A few calls had been made one to the police, one to the beach superintendent two to my wife, Jane, who finally got in touch with me. I had been out detecting and was on my way home. That segment of the trip would have to wait, I was now on my way south, not west to my home. At this point I was unsure just which beach I needed to end up at. Jane relayed messages between Catherine the beach’s gate attendant, Sarah, and me. I arrived at the beach with a big sign telling me were to find Sarah, thanks to Catherine’s foresight as the beach was about to close for the evening.

Sarah had removed her rings to apply sunscreen lotion, putting the rings safely in her pants pocket. Lotion applied, it was the removal and folding of her pants when her engagement ring fell from the pocket into a beach bag, The wedding band did not follow the engagement ring, but rather fell on the sand and disappeared from sight. As it usually happens, many of the beachgoers helped search the sandy area to no avail. The ring would not see the fading sunlight until my third signal when I recovered it. I left the ring in my scoop so Sarah could remove the ring and place it back on her finger.

Several hugs, congratulations, cheers from near-by beach goers filled everyone’s face with a smile. Catherine even showed up as the many Thank Yous continued and the usual picture taking and answering of questions followed. It was time to leave the beach and as we did a nice chat was had between three of us, Sarah, Josh her husband, and myself. It was difficult for me to tell just who had the biggest smile. It really did not matter, the “lost ring” had been found and returned. A beautiful ending to a beautiful day on Cape Cod.

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Covell’s Beach, Barnstable, MA: IPhone found and returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 27, 2022

No phone call for this find and return. I was just finishing up an enjoyable evening of metal detecting and heading across the sandy beach when I found the best find of the evening, an IPhone.

The IPhone had a Find My Phone application on it. Unfortunately, I had no idea of how to use the app. I saw the battery was charged and the phone appeared to be functioning properly, but it was “locked” and I did not have the password to “unlock” it. Whatever I did, the phone started ringing. Again, I pressed the displayed prompts and I was connected to Krista.

The phone was Krista’s daughter’s and it had fallen off the beach chair as they were leaving the beach. At home Jenna went to retrieve the phone from the car’s trunk but could not find it. That is when the “Find My Phone” app was activated. If you are reading this blog and have a cell phone, I would suggest you learn about the app if you do not already know about it. As I personally have an Android phone and I have the splash screen instruct anyone that may have found the phone to call my home number. Now I will look into the Find My Phone app and see if there is one for the Android.

Back to the return: After a quick chat Krista said if I waited at the beach, she would be there to pick up the phone in about 15 minutes. I just had to wait as I know how important a cell phone with all the photos and information one needs is very important to them. Besides I also needed some information and photos to complete this blog. The time passed, Krista and Jenna arrived on time and the rest is filled with smiles, Thank Yous, and above all a promise for a personal note for my scrap book of Happy Memories.

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Lost Cell Phone Returned to Owner at Bayview Beach, Dennis, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 20, 2022
I was called to find a bracelet but as I was searching, I was asked “Had I found the phone? What? No, I was looking for a bracelet. I saw disappointment in the inquisitive face. I could not let it go, I said where was it lost and was it waterproof? Here and yes, it was waterproof. OK, I will search for both.

After about two hours of searching and finding only two beer bottle twist off caps and two pull tabs I was beginning to think there may be something wrong with my detector. No, it was just that the beach was heavily detected, and all good targets had been removed. Then my ears began to ring with a sound like I had just swung the detector’s coil over a large beer can. But I had to scoop carefully just in case it was a precious object. Yes, it was the yellow phone. Mike came over to me and in disbelief said: “It is still working!”

A couple of quick Thank Yous and he was off toward the shoreline. I continued to search for the Bracelet. A few minutes later Mike and his niece Pina came back into the water and thanked me again.
I had no means of taking any information so I asked if they would please text me with the information I needed for this blog. It is so wonderful that I get to see many smiling faces and hear cheers form the beach goers when I get to return a precious item and in this case an item filled with many photo memories, ones that could not be replaced.

Unfortunately, I have not yet found the bracelet that I had initially been called to help find. I had stayed well after dark on Saturday and returned Sunday morning for another two-hour search. I will return mid-week and expand the area of search. It is not time to give up hope, there are other detectorists I will keep in touch with as one might just find the bracelet before I do. Until then I will keep Pina’s smile in my phone and perhaps it will bring a bit of good luck for me to locate the bracelet.

Mike: thanks for not giving up on your family’s and your searching efforts. Had you left without giving me your contact information, I may not have been able to unlock the phone and retrieve information that would have led to Pina. And I would not have a wonderful smile to remind me of her hope to have her phone returned.

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