free metal detecting search Tag | The Ring Finders

Found In The Dark Diamond Eternity Ring Returned Dennis, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 16, 2025

I received a text about a lost Eternity ring. Great, another chance to practice my hobby. Oh no, the ring had been lost on Mayflower Beach one of Cape Cod’s many bay side beaches. The reason for the “Oh no” is that the wet sand of the beach at low tide goes on for miles and pin-pointing a location is very difficult to say the least. A beach photo with a marking is of great help, but not always very accurate. And that was going to be the case in this search. A search at low tide is best on the bay side as I can drag my scoop leaving a mark as to the area covered, unlike when the tide is high.

All that being said, I had time for dinner and would fight the crowd trying to get onto the beach along with all the sunset seakers trying to get a good view of theevening’s sunset. That was the easy part. I geared up, and headed for the search area. The word about the lost ring had spread and a very helpful woman confronted me and asked if I was there to find the lost ring. I answered with a “yes” and was pointed to the woman who had lost the ring, Lauren. The photo I had was marked as the first sand bar and Lauren was on the second. I was not surprised. By the time I reached the area Scott, met me and pointed out the “pools” the children and been playing in and an area north just beyond a group playing basket ball, yes – basket ball on the wet sand of Cape Cod Bay at dusk. The area east and west was also pointed out. The search was on.

The area, less the basketball “court”, was covered with only one bottle cap being found. Not a surprise, the ball players were taking care of their trash. “Bravo” to them! The sun had set, the hoop was lost in the darkness and the game was called. Now it was my turn on the court, with high hopes the ring would be my next target. No such luck…back to talk with Lauren and Scott.

Well if it was not in this court, the ring might have fallen out of Lauren’s pocket while playing ball, an area as big as the one I had already covered. The last light had gone and soon Lauren and Scott were on their way home. Me, heck no, I had a ring to find. Lauren’s player position kept her closest to the line of pools. It was there I had my first signal in this area. Yes, it was the ring. I removed my gear, got my phone out and tested “COME BACK” but I did not get a reply before I reached the dry sand and the parking lot. I called the number on the phone and it went to voice mail. OK, I can return the ring tomorrow, and my wife would have a good look at the beautiful ring.

Almost ready to leave and a phone call and a question…Where are you? I put on my 4-way flashers and then a heavy panting Scott was at the car, he had run from home. About a minute later Lauren showed up with I think a tear in her eye and a big hug. Things could not be better until a truck full of friend and relatives showed up to join in on the joyous return.

Hey, this is why I enjoy my hobby so much. You could never get the feelings I do without experiencing the happening as I do. Offers from myself and the truck driver to give Lauren and Scott a ride back home were declined, they wanted a peaceful stroll back to reflect on the day’s experience and a good night’s sleep.

PS: Many thanks to Kelly for starting my experience with this great and wonderful group of family and friends. Rick

Tags:
Category:

Dennis, MA Wedding Party Treated to an Engagement Ring Loss & Recovery

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 15, 2026

A day at working on my Honey-Do List was first in my mind until the phone rang and Ryan pleaded for help in finding her girl friend’s engagement ring that had just slipped off of Katie’s finger into the chest deep water of Nantucket Sound. How could I refuse, I could not. I had to go especially after being told that Katie and two others were standing right where the ring fell off. I was promised a few coins would be dropped on that spot not knowing if the human markers would still be in the water marking the spot when I got there.

Within a half an hour I met Ryan in the parking lot to be escorted to the the beach. Oh no, the pressure was on, so many people, all there for a wedding, were now waiting to see me do my magic. Into the water I went. I immediately heard the tone of a ring along with other chatter from the coins. One, two, three coins and the tone of the ring was still coming from the depths. One more scoop and I tried to hide the target that was in my scoop as I walked ashore. But Katie’s sharp sight spotted the glitter of her gold ring and was ready to take it from the scoop.

Once we both were on dry sand and the ring was lovingly taken from the scoop and replaced on the finger where it had fallen off. Everyone there were there to celebrate a friends wedding, not to hear about detecting. I gave out a few cards with TheRingFinders.com info and left, letting the party and celebration continue.

Tags:
Category:

Warm Water Nantucket Sound, Wedding Band Returned by Richard Browne

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 14. 2026

Josh was enjoying the Nantucket Sound water which is typically warmer than the colder water of the Bay side. From what I was told Josh was about half way to the outer buoy when his wedding band slipped from his finger and was soon out of sight. The only recognition of where he lost the ring was an area about 25 X 40 yards and about shoulder deep.

Marlayna had the presence of mind to reach out for help. In her case a friend, Jamie, was her life line. Her response was to contact a RingFinder. And she did just that. I have heard it before “it’s by no means a very expensive ring but the sentimental value holds no price.” and I had to whole-hardheartedly had to agree. So at 7am the next morning I was in the water starting what was to be a long search over a large area, but I was determined to do my best to find the ring. I knew I had no extra coin targets to help pinpoint the rings location, I was on my own for this one. About 3 hours into the search I about fell into a hole that I had dug a extremely thin dime, and heard another target. It is unlike me to leave a target that even has the slightest possibility of being the object of my search, but I must have. Two more scoops of sand and I did not hear the target again. I looked into the scoop and almost missed the ring as it was black like most of the rocks in the area. This time no rock, but a tungsten-carbon ring. My searching was over for the wedding band.

It took another day to meet up with Josh and Marlayna. A 3pm meeting was set, and as fate had it a call came in for help finding another lost ring. After getting the pertinent information the phone rang again. It was Marlayna asking if she and Josh could come a bit earlier. Of course. Then I could be on my way to another beach, another search and hopefully another story for the Book of Smiles.

When all was done Josh and Marlayna were on their way back home filled with joy of having their ring back. And I was waiting on Luke, another RingFinder, who was going with me to search for another very sentimental ring. A ring that we did not find, but more searching will be done by local RingFinders hopefully with a more desirable result.

Tags:
Category:

Wedding Band Returned to Owner by Richard Browne

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 12, 2026

I received a call from a long time Belmont Beach goer asking for help in finding her husband’s wedding band that was just lost in the water, about shoulder deep. My luck the tide was on its way out.

Within an hour after obtaining parking permission I was on the beach getting briefed on where the ring was lost. I knew I should be in an area with water just above my elbow. I was ready and into the water Dima and I went. He kept wanting to go deeper, shoulder depth. Sandy wanted me to be further to her right. What did I do, I went with my gut feeling, closer to the beach and started a grid parallel with the beach, keeping the water just above my elbow. Within 10 steps I had a signal, my first of the search. And yes, it was the ring. The two great boys on the beach and Dima all wanted to gab the ring out of my scoop. I finally convinced them that it should stay in the scoop with a jelly fish that had been keeping the ring company. I wanted to take a picture and then I would let Dima retrieve the ring and put it back on his finger where it belonged.

All went well and the cheering from the beach goers as I left reassured me that I had done another good deed that some doubted that I could do when I first arrived.

Tags:
Category:

Family Crest Ring Returned at Osterville, MA Beach

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 11, 2026

After such a great recovery earlier in the day I had to go for another. A family crest ring of great sentimental value was next on my request for help list. In the initial request for help John told me “I lost the ring in the water on the rocks”. I dreaded walking on the rocks, but knew it would be worth any pain I might suffer from walking on them as long as I found the ring. The sand is so much easier to on the feet and the tide was on its way in. That being the nature of a beach, I started searching over the rocks that were out of the water, working onto the rocks already covered by the incoming tide.

The search area was some 25 yards wide and my feet could not take the rocky area any longer. I moved to where the edge of the rock met the sandy bottom, my feet were very happy with my decision.

I was also thrilled with my move as the first target I had in the sandier area was the ring I had been searching for. I called John, but I had no answer, so I left a message. John returned the call, requested a photo to make sure it was his, and we set up a return time for the next morning.

At his request I did not take a smiling photo of the return, but I ensure you it was larger than the beach the ring had been lost in.

Tags:
Category:

Rings Found in Cotuit, MA and Returned by Richard Browne

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 10, 2026

Laura and her friend were enjoying a cooling dip at a quaint community beach when her ring set of 46 years slipped from her finger. Leigh, Laura’s friend, knew Google could help. And that is what it did by offering up TheRingFinders.com as a place one may find help in locating lost metallic objects. My name, profile and phone number came out of the search.

Leigh called and we talked for a few minutes. My first bit of advice, to help me locate the rings was to drop a few coins in the area the loss occurred. This would give me a better chance of finding the rings as it would be an indicator of where the ring slipped from Laura’s finger. I would be looking for more than the two rings, I would be looking for several targets. Finding one would indicate to me that I was to the right area and to slow my searching speed.

Within minutes I was retrieving the coins, about ten of them, but no ring and no more signals. I increased the search area by about 5 feet and found the wedding band. Minutes ticked away, but no diamond ring, I had to increase the area of search again. Still not finding a target of any kind I moved out of my comfort zone to search at the deepest area I could. There was a steep drop off and I had to rely on my scoop to stop me from slipping down to a point I could not touch the bottom. Bingo another target but it was out of my reach to dig in the normal manner, I had to hold the scoop out as far as I could, I let it fall to the bottom, open end down. A slight twist and I pulled the scoop up the slope. The target was now within my reach where I could get it into the scoop, and I did.

What a relief to see the sparking diamonds and the glitter of gold in the scoop. I knew had the ring been resting just a few inches further down the slope I would not have been able to retrieve the target. Also working against me is the tide was about to turn and start coming in. Had that happened I would have had to call in Luke, another RingFinder, to help as he is a certified diver and would be able to retrieve the target which I was pretty confident was the engagement ring.

On my way out, I chatted with a couple that had been watching my method of detecting. Somehow I became so focused to tell Laura of the find that I headed to my car and cell phone to call her. I had not seen that she and Leigh were sitting on the beach, watching me all the time. A bit embarrassing to say the least.

Many hugs from both Laura and Leigh then a few pictures and I was elevate to “my angel” by Laura. I would not have wanted the outcome to be any different. Now that the tide was coming in, I still had a bit of time to go and search for another lost ring. It was a family crest ring and I was on my way.

Tags:
Category:

Team Work to Find and Return a Wedding Band – Osterville, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 9, 2026

On one of the warmest days so far of this summer a plunge into the cool water of Nantucket Sound for a bit of catch, Dan started on experience that no married person wishes to endure. He lost his wedding band in the surf. Hours of visually searching the sandy bottom did not uncover the ring. Dan’s sister was doing a bit of searching herself, but her time was not under water, but on the internet where she located TheRingFinders.com and ultimately my phone number and me. Kimberly called me and within a few minutes I had all the information I needed about the ring and a place I could park.

About an hour later I met Kimberly, got my gear ready and was heading down the path to the beach where I met Dan and the rest of the party. Unusual, but of great help, everyone pretty much agreed on the area where the ring would have been lost. So I was off to the right side of a buoy and started covering the area in rows perpendicular to the sandy beach. At the far side of the area without finding the ring I turned 90 degrees and started searching rows parallel to the beach. Again after covering the area I expanded the area in all four directions, again nothing. It was time to search in rows diagonally to the original box.

The tide was now on the rise and the increasing wind brought in higher waves. But I felt more comfortable as I was now waist deep in the water, one bit of the initial information I was given. After about three hours of searching, the party on the sand was packing up and I was running out of area I had not covered. Dan came to me and thanked me for my efforts as he was also leaving the beach. Well all that I was going to do as a last effort for the afternoon was to make four passes from the sand where Dan entered and exited the water before he noticed the ring was not on his finger.

Pass one, nothing. Pass two, nothing. Pass three nothing and then pass four I was heading in when a wave knocked me off balance and interrupted my swing pattern. When I started my swing pattern again there was a signal that I had to dig. YES, a ring in my scoop it looked like the ring I had been searching for during the past 4 hours.

There was only one person left on the beach and that was Mark, Dan’s father. Mark could not positively identify the ring and texted the news to those that had made it back to the house. We made the walk to the parking area, the ring was identified and Dan and Jennifer had been called back as they had left the area just seconds before the ring was identified.

Kimberly was the last to join the group, missing all the Thank-Yous, hugs, hand shakes and pictures. In my thoughts, I knew Kimberly was the real hero in having found a real Ring Finder to get the ring back where it was meant to be.

I have to believe the entire family of beach goers can really pull together, are well organized and a fun loving family. Yes one of the best groups I have had the pleasure of helping through a tough time of one of their own. I have to thank everyone of them for making me feel as one of them.

Tags:
Category:

Take Wife’s Lead Or Have Your Wedding Band Returned By A Ring Finder!

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

August 5, 2026

I was at home after making an engagement ring return when Tyler called with a request to find his wedding band. Nothing special, except for the sentimental attachment, and the time of day and that the tide was rising and his ring would be under water. I suggested I search the next day during the low tide swing. All was set and I sat down for an evening meal.

Then about 9PM the urge to go and find the ring overcame me. It would be dark, but a flashlight would take care of that. At the beach I was greeted by a mass of people enjoying a bond fire. I’ll tell you the wood pallets burn hot and bright. I would have no problem seeing the drag marks I would make while doing a grid search pattern. When the fire burned down, the owner of an off-the-road vehicle turned on his blinding lamps mounted on the vehicle’s roof. The beams illuminated the beach for at least a half a mile, including the area I was searching.

The fire was about burned out and everyone was on their way home. When the spot lights were turned off and the vehicle left the parking lot. I knew it was time for me to head out myself. What was that? Why it was a signal from my detector’s earphones. What the heck, I had not dug a signal all night I might as well dig this one. Low and behold, a wedding band was laying on the overturned sand. I had found the ring in an area of less than a square foot from the massive area I had been searching. I picked the ring up, brushed the sand off and put it safely into my pocket. I continued swinging my detector and heard another signal. I had to dig this signal also. It was a coin I had never found before a 100 Colones. Neat, and into my presently empty pouch.

Back at my car I texted Tyler and drove off to home and bed for some needed sleep. It was not until later in the morning that Tyler texted for a picture to ensure it was his ring. It was confirmed and he was off to a wonderful ferry ride and a vacation day on Martha’s Vineyard and an apple fritter from the Back Door Donut Shop.

The day was winding down and arrangements were made so Tyler could pick up his ring when he was on dry land.

It was a great pleasure to meet the couple and return Tyler’s ring.

PS: Lorraine had left her rings at home to avoid any possibility of needing a Ring Finder’s expertise.
I sure hope that her actions spread, especially to those that might otherwise need help in finding a lost item.

Tags:
Category:

Back on Cape Cod Sand to Find and Return a Lost Zippo Lighter

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

July 20, 2026

How lucky can one get? Me for being given the OK to detect dry sand or Connor who had lost a very sentimental Zippo lighter that had belonged to Connor’s grandfather? As for me, I got the OK from my doctor at 10AM and went directly from the office to the beach. Or was it Connor who was waiting at the beach for me to find the lighter?

At 11:30am I was ready, detector and sand scoop in hand, ready to start the search. Connor lead the way and commented that the two 6X6 inches by 12 foot long had not been on the beach the previous night. If the tide brought the timbers in, had it taken the lighter out? Well about 25 feet further down the beach I began to search over an area of 20X20 feet with only one piece of melted aluminum can I was beginning to think maybe the watch had been moved by the wave action.

My second signal sounded like it had a good possibility to be the lighter, and it was. The search was over and the hike back to the parking lot began. Memories of Connor’s grandfather and my connection with the US Navy was very enjoyable. The return went a bit further when I offered to give Connor a ride home.

Well, I have to say, I must give Connor the luckiest person tag today. He had called for help which ended with a successful result and given freely.

A bit about the ship shown on the lighter:
USS Leahy (DLG/CG-16) was the lead ship of a new class of destroyer leaders in the United States Navy. Named for Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, she was commissioned in 4 August 1962 as DLG-16, a frigate, and reclassified as CG-16, a cruiser, on 30 June 1975.
USS Leahy served longer than any other ship of her class. After more than 31 years of active service all over the globe, the “Sweet 16” was decommissioned on 1 October 1993. After another 11 years in the reserve fleet, she was scrapped in Brownsville, Texas, in 2005.

Tags:
Category:

My Last Recovery For About A Month, Sea Gull Beach, Cape Cod, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
Contact:

July 8, 2026

I was prepped for a month without detecting for a lost item. My bag was packed for the trip to the hospital and with a cup of coffee, and the 6:30 news about over and I was relaxed. Not to be, the phone rang and a distressed caller told me how he and a few friends from his wedding party, just 22 hours before he was left on the beach to FIND HIS RING. As you can guess his wife was not too pleased with her husband. Now I am only theorizing on just how that might have gone.

I remembered the one time I “lost” my ring. I did not tell my wife as I was sure I left it in my tool box at work. With “helpful” suggestions such as “just buy one on the way home, your wife will never know. Well 11AM I could not anguish over it any more, I called home to “find out” if anything was found around the house…silence…did you loose something like a wedding band. 59 years married and we still can laugh over that.

I told Mark of another Ring Findger that probably could come from the end of the Cape to help him out of his situation. And I hung up. the phone. When I went to put the scratch paper away it hit me, Sea Gull beach was only 5 minutes from my house. I immediately called Mark back and said I would be there in 5 minutes.

Well seven minutes and I was at the beach, drew a 5X5 foot square area in the sand. The area looked more like the crators on the moon. Yes, the wedding party had the right idea, the right location but not the correct equipment. All their searching only cause the ring to sink down into the sand by a good 8 inches. One minute later and I was headed home and told my wife not to let me go out again, until I healed and got the OK from my doctor, hopefully on July 20th.

Tags:
Category: