Lost Necklace On Rope Swing Flip, Wading Pines Campground, Washington Township NJ, recovered by Edward Trapper, NJ Ring Finder
Incredible Necklace Recovery from Swift River Waters – Against All Odds
I received a call early in the morning from Joe, who was camping and had just lost a cherished necklace and cross in a nearby stream. While doing a flip off a large branch that hung over the river, the necklace flew off mid-air and landed somewhere in the water below. Understandably, Joe was desperate to recover it—this necklace meant a lot to him.
Water recoveries are always challenging, but rivers add an extra layer of difficulty. With recent heavy rains, the current was moving fast, and Joe confirmed the water was about chin-deep. It sounded almost impossible, but I agreed to come out and assess it in person—always willing to try every possible way to help.
Once we arrived at the campground, I geared up with my wetsuit to face the ice-cold water and quickly found myself in chest-deep, fast-moving current. I was too buoyant to keep steady on the bottom, so I strapped on my full weight belt. Even with the added weight, holding my position was nearly impossible once I found a signal.
We rigged a rope from the overhanging branch across the stream, and I used it to hold myself steady while swinging the detector inch by inch. After more than an hour of fighting the current, exhaustion began to set in. I kept returning to a strong signal just past the middle of the stream, but it was nearly unreachable due to the current’s strength.
Finally, I made one last desperate attempt. I lunged forward and found footing on a submerged root or stump—just enough to brace myself. I pushed the scoop out in front of the coil and gave it one clean shot. As I lifted the scoop, I could feel items clanking inside. In the dark cedar water, visibility was almost zero, but as the scoop broke the surface, I saw it—gold. The entire bottom of the scoop was filled with Joe’s large gold chain and cross.
I let out a massive cheer, loud enough that half the campground probably heard. It was a hard-fought recovery in brutal conditions, but one I’ll never forget.
Another successful water recovery by Edward Trapper – The NJ Ring Finder.
If you’ve lost something in the water, don’t give up hope. Call me right away at 609-713-3926 and let’s bring it back!
On day one of the vacation, what is the number one priority for most at the Jersey Shore ? You guessed it, head to the beach. And thats exactly what Eric and his family did. What almost ended in tragedy, ended up being a memory that will last forever. Eric was playing with his daughter down where the waves push up onto the beach, when things took a turn for the worst. His absolutely stunning wedding ring slipped off his finger and into the water, and within seconds disappeared out of sight. they searched for what seemed like hours, without any luck. Thats when Eric figured he better call for some help, knowing it may be his last chance of ever seeing his wedding ring again. He gave me all the details, and I agreed to be on location ASAP, as the tide was going to turn, and start coming in. Eric also marked the exact location with google maps on his cell phone, which is a huge benefit, especially when he was not able to meet me on the beach. I quickly searched down the slope to about knee deep without any signs of his ring. The water was ice cold, so rather than using my wetsuit, I ran back to the truck and threw on my waders. I knew it wasn’t that deep, as Erik assured me he was holding his daughters hand when the ring slipped off. I made a few more passes going just a bit deeper. Eric showed up just about then, and we confirmed the mark was right on the spot he was sitting all day long. Just a few more passes and the ring was in my scoop. Nothing better than turning tragedy, into memories.