#how do I find a lost gold ring in leaves Tag | The Ring Finders

White Gold Wedding and Engagement Rings, With Diamonds, Lost In The Sand, On Hermit’s Island, Phippsburg, Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

On Friday, August 22nd, I received a phone call, from Nico., at approximately 11:40am. Nico conveyed to me that there is a large and extended group of family and friends, camping at Hermit’s Island Campground, in Phippsburg, Maine. Just minutes earlier a member of the group had just lost her soldered together White Gold Engagement and Wedding Rings. Jacquie, Jax for short,, had taken her rings off to apply lotion to her young children, while enjoying the day, at Sand Dollar Beach, on Hermit’s island U.S.A . Not wanting to get lotion all over her rings, Jax took the rings off and placed them on the beach blanket. It was then, right around high tide, at 11:18am, that a very large wave rushed up the beach, reaching the area of the beach blankets. Jax grabbed the blanket, so it wouldn’t get all wet but had forgotten her rings, were on the blanket. Jax immediately realized what had just happened and that was Hurricane Erin’s very rough surf and waves had just claimed Jax’s two rings, burying the rings, in the sand. The entire group of family and friends immediately started searching, for the rings, without success. It was then that Nico called me. By now it was close to noon time and I told Nico that I would get there, as soon as I could. Phippsburg, Maine is an hour and a half drive for me, if everything goes smoothly. Being a Friday, in the summer, I could certainly get stuck in traffic, on my way, to Phippsburg, ME. I also needed to finish something up, that I was right in the middle of. I told Nico that I could be there by 3:00pm, at the latest.

I was able to get on the road just before 1:00pm and I arrived, at the Hermit Island Campground, at 2:30pm. The check in booth for the Campground was expecting me and gave me a map of the island, to help me get to Sand Dollar Beach, at the northern end of the island. It took me another 10 minutes to find the very secluded beach. Once I got out of the vehicle , Nico was right there, waiting for me. Nico took me right to where Jax and her family were. Everyone there knew the rings were in an approximately 20’ X 20’ area of the sand. Everyone was very supportive and were willing to do whatever it took, to make this a successful recovery. I told everyone that I would grid search the area, starting near the high tide line and go back and forth, towards the sand dunes. On my first grid pass , just a small piece of aluminum. I turned around and headed back, in the other direction and nothing was found. Turned again started my grid pass and almost immediately received a nice low tone, reading 19-20, on my VDI Screen. Could I have just found Jax’s rings? I removed my pinpointer and located the target. After a few scoops of sand, taken out by hand, I felt something heavy in my hand and it fell out of my hand and back into the sand, but not before we all saw that it was Jax’s rings. I heard others yell out that they saw the ring. I then retrieved the ring, held it up to a now cheering and very happy group of people. Jax was so excited and thanked me over and over, for driving up there and finding her rings. The entire mood of everyone, in the group had just changed. Where there was once nervousness and uncertainty there was now laughter and smiles. We all talked for a while and I even found an avid metal detectorist in the group. Unfortunately,he didn’t bring his metal detector with him, but he will now bring it everywhere he goes. Jax, her husband, Nate and the entire group could now relax and get back to the vacation, without the weight of such a terrible loss, hanging over their heads.
One I had returned home, I received the following text message, from Jax

“Thank you so much there are no words on How thankful I am for you !!”

I love my job😀❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Sentimental Gold Ring Lost At Range Pond State Park, Poland, Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

At approximately 9:00am, Thursday morning, August 21st, I received the following message, from Renata

“Hello, last week a friend of mine and I went to Range Pond, in Poland, Maine and she lost her very sentimental gold ring. We have tried searching for it, someone came along with a metal detector and also searched but no luck!
I was wondering if this is anything that you could possibly help with?”

My reply
“Hi Renata, So sorry to hear this. I may be able to help. Does she know the location where the ring was lost, and the depth? “

Renata replied
“She does know the about location. I can’t imagine it would be very far down in the sand. She said it was lost while on the beach itself. When you are at range pond it would be all the way to the left side of the area where boats can come in and out. The exact location is about in the middle of that and the edge of the beach.
This is the ring.”

Renata then sent me some photos, of the area and of the ring
I replied
“ok, So it’s not in the water. If up on the beach, I would be concerned someone has found it already or even another Metal Detectorist. Let me look at an aerial view of the area and see if I can figure out the location. I will get back to you in a few minutes.”

I then sent Renata a photo and asked her if she could tell me if the ring would be in one of the 4 sections, that I had marked up and she then circled the area, of where she thinks the ring was lost. I then replied to Renata and reiterated my concern that they had already had another metal detectorist search that area, and hadn’t found it. I also told her that I could go and search the area once again. I really didn’t know if the other metal detectorist has any experience or what kind of detector they were using. After all, it was just someone that they saw and asked for help. I Also asked Renata if her friend, Hope, saw or felt the ring come coming off and if the ring could have been lost somewhere else.
Renata replied
She said that it was in the pocket of her bag and then was not when she was home. I suppose it’s obviously possible someone snatched it.”
I replied
“Yeah, It just seems strange the other detectorist didn’t find it. Since it was in a bag, could it have fallen out, in her vehicle, parking area, as she walked out of the park, etc? If she hasn’t, she should report it lost to the State Park. If you would like me to search, I could go up today, around 4:pm, when people are leaving.”
Renata told me that Hope had reported the ring lost, to the Park Ranger, at Range Pond State Park. I then told her that I would definitely go later, in the day, as people left the park and the beach would not be crowded. When a beach is crowded, you just can’t perform a proper grid search, with everyone on the beach. Renata told me she would not be able to meet me there because they were on Peaks Island. That was ok, because I had a very detailed area, to search.

Cheryl and I arrived at Range Pond State Park, at just prior to 4:00pm and found the Park Ranger to tell him I was there to search for Hope’s lost ring. The Park Ranger, Walter, then told me someone else had searched for the ring last night. Walter also told us the guy “looked like a professional” metal detectorist WOW! A second metal detectorist has now searched for the lost gold ring. Walter was told that the ring was not found. Now I’m doubting if the ring is actually there. Has it been found, lost somewhere else. It happens all the time. Walter also told me that he wasn’t very pleased the “professional” metal detectorist, from the night before . That metal detectorist has dug holes, in the beach and didn’t fill them in, but just leaving the holes, for anyone to step in. Definitely not good. Once Cheryl and I got on the beach, there were a few groups of people in the center of the beach, where the ring was thought to have been lost. So, I decided to start on the far left side of the beach, as you face the pond. I would grid search the area, from the water, up to the trees and back to the waters edge, working my way towards the middle of the beach. As I was grid searching, I was finding many small fishing sinkers and a few coins. I thought to myself that with two different metal detectorists searching the area, in the past four days, those should have been found. More importantly, more people had left the beach and now there were only a few people, on the beach. I was now approaching the center of the beach, after approximately 45 minutes of searching and I started to see the many dug holes, left by the ‘professional’ metal detectorist. To me this wasn’t a good feeling, concerning the lost ring. I decided to continue, until the entire beach had been searched. About 15 minutes later and just a few feet from some of the dug holes, I received a nice low tone, reading 27-28 on my VDI screen. I didn’t get too excited because that is also the exact VDI reading, of a nickel. The target was reading 0 (Surface) to 2 inches down, in the sand. I took my hand and started wiping the sand away. All of a sudden, there it was, a gold ring with some stones. I was stunned!!! Dug holes less than 10 feet away, two metal detectorists searched this exact area and yet, it was still here. Amazing. I looked at Cheryl , up under the trees, in the shade (yes, she’s the brains, of the family and I’m the sweaty brawn) and yells “I FOUND IT” as I gave her a thumbs up. Cheryl came right over and she couldn’t believe it either. Four days on a public beach and two other metal detectorists searched for the ring, in this exact area. Crazy.

I then took a photo and sent it to Renata, saying, “Does this look familiar?”
Renata’s reply was,

“Stop!!!! We both just screamed!!!
Literal tears of joy!!
How can we pick it up from you??”

We then made plans for Hope to meet me in Windham, as that is where she lives and it is on our way home.
Approximately 45 minutes later, Hope arrived and you could see just how much this ring meant to her. She was just so excited and happy, to see her ring again, after thinking it was gone forever. Hope was smiling ear to ear as she told us that the ring was actually a gift that she had fought for herself, after giving birth to her son, a few years earlier. She called it her “Birthing Gift, to myself, after her son was born. To Hope, this ring represented the birth of the most important person, in her life, her son. Thankfully the ring has had a rebirth and is now back on Hope’s finger, where it belongs. I am just so happy to have a small part in the rebirth. I have the best job, in the world.😀❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Gold Wedding Ring Lost In The Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Surf, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

On Saturday August 16, I was headed to Boston, when I received 2 different phone calls, concerning lost rings, both located in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Since I wasn’t available, I called Gary Hill, to help out. Gary searched the first location and found all three lost rings, that you have already read about. While Gary was searching, down in front of  The Brunswick, I called him with another lost ring, just south of the Waves Oceanfront Resort. Once Gary finished up at The Brunswick, he walked down to the next location and met with Jim and Sarah. While tossing the football around, with his son, Noah, Jim’s wedding ring came off and landed in the surf. Being in the water, while throwing the football around, Jim’s finger became wet and the cold water most like shrunk his finger a little, resulting in a lost ring. Once Gary arrived, Jim told showed him the area where the ring was but unfortunately, the tide was coming in and the waves were too large, to enter the water, for a metal detecting search. Gary told Jim and Sarah that he would return the next day, as the tide was receding and grid search the area.

Since Jim and Sarah were only down for the day, from Woodstock, New Hampshire, they gave Gary excellent coordinates. The ring was at the Bay Street access path and directly in front of the house, with the red roof. The ring was lost at approximately 2:00pm, halfway between high and low tide. Gary told them he would arrive at 8:30am, for an 11:54am low tide. Gary would have approximately 3 1/2 hours, to follow the tide out and locate the ring. Jim and Sarah. Gary started between the house with the red roof and grid searched back and forth, to the lifeguard station. Gary then split the distance in half, as he was approaching the low tide area. Gary received a nice loud low tone, reading 23 on his VDI screen. After almost 3 hours, Gary was sure this was the ring. He took a big scoop of sand and dumped it onto the hard wet sand. He removed his pinpointer, located the target and saw a White Gold Wedding Ring. He has found Jim’s ring. Gary call Jim, at his home in New Hampshire and they made plans to meet up today, Saturday August 23rd, for Jim to receive his very sentimental wedding ring back. Once Gary returned Jim’s ring, Jim couldn’t thank Gary enough and Gary couldn’t be happier for helping Jim out in his time of need. Thank you Gary, another outstanding recovery and 4 rings, in two days. Smiles all the way around. 😃❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Wedding and “Engagement” Rings Lost In The Moody Beach, Wells, Maine Surf Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

Friday afternoon, August 15th, I received a phone call from Erica, at 3:24pm. Erica told me that she had just lost her wedding ring, in the water, in Moody Beach, Wells, Maine. Her wedding ring was also soldered to another ring, which I took as being her engagement ring. Erica said she had a sore, on her finger and her rings were aggravating the open sore. As she was walking in the shallow water, she was trying to adjust her rings, so as to not aggravate the sore any more than it was and to relieve some of the pain. All of a sudden, the rings fell into the surf and out of sight. She immediately stopped and looked for the rings but the waves were rushing by her and the rings were out of sight. What Erica did next was extraordinary, she didn’t panic and took measures to give someone the best opportunity to recover the rings. She had stopped immediately when the rings fell, she took photographs of where she was standing, in the water. The photos showed she was directly in front of a yellow house, that was boarded up, due to this past winter’s storm damage. Then Erica had the sense to walk to the seawall and count how many steps it was, to the seawall. Amazing!!! Erica counted 70 of her steps, from where the rings were dropped, to the seawall, of the yellow shuttered window. As this was going on, someone walked by and saw Erica searching for something. As they talked, the person told her to contact me, as I have had some success in recovering lost ring. This is when Erica called me, not 20 minutes, after losing her very sentimental rings. Erica knew the tide was now coming in, as high tide was a little over an hour away. I told Erica my best chance was to come down there in the early morning, as the tide would be receding. I planned to get there at 6:30am and follow the tide out and Erica agreed to meet me there, even though she was leaving the next day, to return home, in Vermont. A few minutes later, as I was sitting here, thinking about the next morning’s search, I thought to myself, why don’t you just go down tonight at 6:30pm, as the tide receded. My mind must be slipping because that should have been the plan all along. I immediately called Erica and told her that the plan had changed and I would be there tonight, at 6:30pm. She said she would meet me there.

Cheryl and I actually arrived a little earlier than planned and I called Erica, telling her I would start searching, following the tide out, with the incredible detailed information she had sent me. I then went to the seawall and I counted 50 steps out, from the yellow house. I then stopped because I wanted to make sure I over searched the area, in case the rings had moved in the waves. I would grid search the area, from the stairs in front of the house, just to the south, to the middle of the house, just to the north. After one or two passes, I saw Erica arrive at the scene. She told me that I was exactly where I should be. She then counted out her 70 steps and I was rapidly approaching that area. A couple more passes and nothing found but a piece of a pair of sunglasses. I then continued the grid search and just a moment later I received a good sounding signal. Low tone and VDI reading was a 68, definitely a possibility. Unfortunately , the shape of the target was elongated, just like the sunglasses, a few minutes earlier. But, since the target was non ferrous, I told Erica and Cheryl that I think I just found the rest of the sunglasses and I didn’t think it was the ring because it just looked wrong. As I dumped the scoop of sand out and located the target, I could not believe what I saw. A large gold ring that Erica also saw and I told her to have the honor of retrieving it from the sand. Erica was very excited and emotional, both tearful and laughing with joy. Cheryl and I were just smiling, enjoying the moment and getting a few happy hugs, from Erica. She was definitely in disbelief and just so happy to have her rings back. When I asked her if this were her Engagement and Wedding Rings, she told us the story of the large ring. Erica said that 24, 25 years ago she was dating a guy and they were crazy about each other. They decided that if they went on a Caribbean vacation together and they survived each other, for a week, maybe, just maybe, they had something together. While on vacation, she saw a ring she really liked but it was expensive. Her boyfriend and future husband told Erica that if she could beat him, in a game of pool, he would buy her the ring. Well, she has the ring, so we know who won the game of pool. Erica considers it her engagement ring. Very cool story and I can definitely see why the rings are so sentimental. Erica and her husband have now been happily married for 24+ years. You just can’t replace rings like these and all the memories that have been made, while wearing them. Thankfully the story of these rings will have another chapter added to them and it will be a happy chapter. It’s the best feeling in the world, to be able to help people like Erica and see the happiness that is brought to them, when I am able to locate their rings. ❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Gold Wedding Ring Lost In The Moody Beach, Wells, Maine Sand, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

On Sunday, August 10th, Cheryl a I were headed to Casco, Maine, to attend our Great Grandsons first birthday celebration. As we were driving on the Maine Turnpike, I received a phone call from, a caller who identified himself as Andy. Andy was staying in Moody Beach in the Wells, Maine area, on vacation with family and friends. The previous evening, he was walking on the beach, with his family and friends, heading to Moody Point, to watch the sunset. As the group were walking down the beach, Andy and his 13 year old son were tossing a football back and forth. At one point the had stopped to see who could throw the football the furthest. They spent some time in the area, just throwing the football. Once they continued to Moody Point, the group hung around the area, to see the sunset. Once the sun set, they walked back down the beach, to where they were staying. After getting inside, Andy realized his wedding ring was missing. Andy and his wife, Jennifer, grabbed a flashlight and walked the beach, in the dark,looking for the wedding ring. Unfortunately, they did not walk a straight path to Moody Point but were zigzagging, as they were tossing the football around. They just didn’t know when they zigged and when they zagged. The wedding ring could literally be anywhere, along a 1/2 stretch of the beach. WOW!!! What are the chances the wedding ring can be recovered, over a 1/2 stretch of beach, while the tide is halfway out? That is a very large area.

I told Andy that I would arrive at 5:00am, as the tide was going out, giving me more time to search the wet sand area. Andy’s wife had taken a photo of Andy, tossing the football with his son and it was in front of a house that he could remember where it was. The photo shows that Andy was still wearing his wedding ring, at that point. He also spent time, in front of the house, in a competitive long distance throwing match, with his son. This would be a great place to start searching as Andy made boundaries for me, within the area of the competition, with his son and we know the ring was still on his finger. As I searched, within the boundaries, I wasn’t finding anything but the usual beach trash and 13 cents. As I grid searched, towards the water, I came to the east boundary line, without finding the wedding ring. Andy and I had arrived at the beach, pre dawn, in the dark. Now a beautiful sunrise was unfolding, before our eyes, as we finished searching this area. Andy and I then headed to Moody Point, where the group could watch the sunset. Unfortunately, Andy didn’t walk there in a straight line and all I could do was search as we walked to the area where he had next stopped.
Once we arrived at Moody Point, Andy looked over the area and said the water wasn’t any higher than where we were standing and I could start searching at this point. I look at the rocks and seawall to the north. I would grid this area, up to the rocks, turn around and head back, to the south, where Andy had set a southern boundary line. On my first grid line, I found a fishing sinker and nothing else. I then reached the rocks, turned around and went to the south. Still no ring. Heading north again and once again, still no ring. Heading south again and approximately 1/2 way back to the southern boundary, I received an incredible signal, showing a 33 on my VDI screen and my depth meter was showing the ring 0 to 2 inches under the sand. I immediately stopped and told Andy to come on over, because “this one is different”. I couldn’t guarantee Andy that this was his wedding ring, but I was very confident it was gold. After 25 years of metal detecting, you know a good sounding gold target and this was that combination of tone and VDI number of 33. I then took my pinpointer and ran it over the sand, as Andy looked on. Once the target was located, I just used my fingers to remove the sand, on top of the target. As I removed the sand, THERE IT WAS, a White Gold Wedding Ring. I was stunned that we found the ring in such a large area. Andy was also very stunned but smiling from ear to ear. He took a photo of the ring and sent it to Jennifer. We then were talking about how lucky we were. Andy told me that he knew it was an extreme long shot but he just had to try and get his wedding ring back. Andy told me that he had recently celebrated his 20 Wedding Anniversary and this ring was 20 years of wonderful memories with his wife and family. I totally understood what he was saying. You at least give it a shot and try to recover it. Andy was still beaming all the way back to the house. As we walked back, I asked Andy how he had heard of me. He told me Jennifer had posted a story on the Facebook Page, Moody Beach Appreciation Association , asking for people to be on the lookout for the wedding ring. She then had people commenting, on her post, to contact me. Once Jennifer and Andy saw my many stories and photos of past recoveries, they called me with nothing to lose. Andy just had to do everything in his power, to try and get his 20 years of wonderful memories back.
So every ring has a story and this ring has 20 years of stories and now a new chapter has been added, to Andy’s very sentimental wedding ring. Here’s to another 20 loving happy years to Jennifer and Andy❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Titanium Wedding Ring Lost In The Wells Beach Maine Ocean Surf, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

I received the following voicemail, on Thursday August 7th, 2025.

Hi, This is Pat *******. I’m in Wells Beach, for the week. The tides going out, um, I was just in the water and I lost my wedding ring. My wife says she’s been following you and you’re really good at finding rings. So I was just wondering if you would be able to help with tips or tricks for us. Again, my name is Pat ******* and my phone number is 860-***-****, This is my wife’s, Michele’s phone. Thank you.

I immediately called Pat back and told him I would get there asap. Low tide was at 4:23pm and it was now 1:35pm. This means that Pat lost his wedding ring at approximately midway, between high and low tide. If I could get to Wells Beach by 2:30pm, I would have two sold hours of searching the wet sand, as I followed the tide out.
Cheryl and I got the equipment loaded and headed to Wells, Maine. We actually made good time, as we missed the heavy summertime traffic. We arrived at 2:15pm and were on the Beach with Pat by 2:25pm. Pat showed me the area he had been in, when he lost his ring. He also told me his wedding ring was made out of Titanium. Less than a week earlier, I had found a Titanium Wedding Ring, for a client, on Drake’s Island , Wells Maine. I made a southern and northern boundary and started grid searching from south to north, then north to south and repeated this pattern as I made my way towards the water. I was finding a few coins and pieces of aluminum but not the Titanium Wedding Ring. At one point, a young woman approached me and Pat. She told me that her husband had just lost his wedding ring, out in the water, earlier in the day. Pat explained his circumstances and she understood I was already searching for Pats ring. I gave her my business card and told her if I find Pat’s ring quickly, I would come over and help her and her husband. Unfortunately there was only a little over an hour left, before the tide shifted and would start coming back in. If I couldn’t search for her today, I told her to call me and I would come back tomorrow. She agreed and thanked me and I resumed the search for the wedding ring.
I had covered quite a large area and it was now only a half hour before low tide. Pat and I wondered if the ring could have made it this far down the slope of the beach. I was quite a bit further out, from where Pat thought he was, when the ring disappeared, in the surf. Perhaps because Titanium is a light metal, the ring got pulled out, with the surf. The Titanium Wedding Ring I found less than a week earlier had done exactly that. I found the ring, 60-80 feet further out towards the water, than where it was lost. Was history repeating itself? So, with just a half hour left before the tide turned, I jumped over about 20’ or so and headed into the shallow surf. This would allow me to stay ahead of the incoming tide, by now working my way towards shore, opposite of what I had been doing. After about 10 minutes, I was out of the water and just the waves would run up and over my feet. As one of the waves swept over my ankles and feet, I received a very loud signal. The best sounding signal of the day. As the water rushed back out to sea, I looked down to where the signal had been detected. The water was now past my feet and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I could actually see the top of the ring. It wasn’t even totally under the sand. I raised my arm and made a celebratory fist, pumping it up and down. UNBELIEVABLE. This is the first time in my 25 years of metal detecting that I could visually see a ring, that was lost hours ago, in the water. I was and still am completely at a loss of words at this sight. Since the waves were coming back over my feet again, I immediately stepped on the ring, so it wouldn’t move. I saw Pat running down the sloping beach towards me, as was Cheryl. When Pat arrived I told him I had found the ring and that I could visually see it. I then lifted my foot, Pat saw the ring and quickly grabbed it. It’s just the craziest thing. Pat’s wife, Michele, had gone up the house, so Pat called her with the good news. Cheryl and Michele had been sitting and watching me for two hours and Michele really wanted to be there when I found the ring, because she follows me and loves reading my stories. Now, unfortunately, she has missed the recovery. But, because of her following me, Pat now has his wedding ring back and that is the important thing. Pat and Michele were extremely happy to have his wedding ring back. Michele told us that she and Pat would be celebrating their third anniversary, in October. Even bigger news, is that the happy couple are expecting their first child, in December and they are very happy and excited about this. Thankfully Pat has his wedding ring back in time for his anniversary and the birth of their child. Smiles were on all our faces and Cheryl and I are just so happy to have been able to help them, in our own way😀❤️🙏

Tags:
Category:

Three White Gold and Diamond Rings Lost In The Ogunquit Beach Maine Sand, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

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 ❤️🙏

 

Tags:
Category:

Very Small Gold Earring Lost In Grass South Portland, Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

On Friday, July 18th, Gary Hill and I were returning from Short Sands Beach York Maine, in York Beach, Maine. We had a successful recovery, after Gary had recovered a lost pendant. As we were approaching the Town of Wells, Maine, my phone rang. The caller identified herself as Sarah. Sarah told me that she was at Scratch Baking Co., in South Portland, Maine and she had just lost a very small gold earring. As she and her daughter, Eliza were eating lunch, outside on a bench, she had felt and seen the gold earring, become entangled in Eliza’s hair. As Sarah went to grab the earring, from Eliza’s hair, Eliza spun away and the earring fell into the grass and acorn shells. They had been searching for the earring, for a half hour and just couldn’t find it. She asked if I could help her. I told her Gary and I could be there in approximately 45 minutes, as we were still on Rt 1, in Wells, Maine. Sarah and Eliza would continue to search for the earring, as Gary and I made our way north, to South Portland Maine and Scratch Baking Co…

Once Gary and I arrived we saw Sarah and Eliza sitting on the beach, under the tree. They told us they still hadn’t found the earring. Gary had brought his 8” sniper coil, as this would work best for extremely small gold items. We decided that Gary would start grid searching, with the Minelab Manticore and 8” sniper coil. I would visually search and run my pinpointer through the grass, hoping to get lucky. After approximately 20-30 minutes, the earring still wasn’t found. Just amazing how these things disappear from sight. Gary and I decided to switch roles. I would grid search vertically, where Gary had searched horizontally, to the street. Gary would now visually search and man the pinpointer. After about 5 minutes, I received a repeatable target of 06 – 07, on the VDI screen and the sweet sounding low tone of gold. I still couldn’t see the target but could definitely hear the target. I reached down and moved the grass and still couldn’t see the target. I then moved a few pieces of broken acorn shells and staring back at me was an extremely small gold earring. I looked over at Sarah and Eliza and said “I found it”. Sarah jumped right up and came towards me, saying “Did you really? Thank you so much”. This earring would not have been found by just visually searching. How did the earring end up under the broken acorn shells? We may never know for sure but most likely the shells ended up on top of the earring during the initial search, by Sarah and Eliza. As they were walking, in the area and running their fingers through the grass, they may have inadvertently moved the shells, onto the earring. Either way, Sarah now had her gold earring back and was very happy with that. Sarah and Eliza are from Massachusetts and had been in the area, when they stopped at Scratch Baking, for lunch. The lunch turned out much longer than they had planned and they were very excited to be getting back on the road, to drive home. That is one reason, why there are so few photos. We didn’t want to hold them up any longer than necessary. Gary and I were also happy to be heading home as we had now been on the road, searching for lost items, for 6 1/2 hours. After two successful recoveries today , it was time to go home, get something to eat and reflect on our day. We absolutely love doing this for others and have the best job in the world.

Tags:
Category:

Gold Wedding Ring Lost For 25+ Years, in The Greene, Maine Woods, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

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.

Tags:
Category: