Lost ring Hanauma Bay Tag | Page 13 of 35 | The Ring Finders

This ring find began as I was taking my good friend Alan metal detecting on the South Shore of Oahu. As we were leaving his house my phone rang and it was Edwin who was on vacation from Manteca, California and staying at the Aulani resort. He told me his three year old son was playing with his Palladium Wedding Band on the 14th floor balcony of their room at the Aulani. The ring rolled off a chair onto the deck, then plunged the 14 stories to the trees, bushes and land cover below. Edwin went down to see if it was an easy find and realized it was practically hopeless. I told Edwin that my friend Alan and I would reroute our trip and see if we could find the ring and it would be about 15 minutes to get there. When we arrived Edwin met us on the beach and escorted us to the area the ring was lost. I noticed when we arrived the ground cover was so thick and about a foot high this would require a thorough Pinpointer search and a lot of visual luck. Alan thankfully brought his Pro-Find 35 so I used that to scour the under brush and Alan swept the areas he could with his detector. Unfortunately the pinpointer kept going off because the irrigation system had metal everywhere. I decided I’d just have to go grid by grid and clear all the targets. At least the ring would be on top! After about 15 minutes and a few junk targets I moved a shrub branch with the pinpointer and lying on the leaves was a silver colored ring. I grabbed it and squinted to read Pd 950 and a date on the inside. BINGO we got it. We called Edwin and told him the good news. As you can see in the pick another smile for my book and vacation saved. Aloha to Edwin!

This ring find began when Yumi from Aiea called and said my fellow detectorist Brian referred me to her. He told her if anyone can find your ring it’s Joe. I appreciate the confidence Brian has in me but I thought the same of him. Yumi and I agreed to meet at her friend’s house where she lost her ring at 1:30 PM. today. When I arrived Yumi demonstrated how she walked up to a bench after finishing up washing dishes from the Food Truck flicked her hand once and both rings flew off. She didn’t notice which direction they went but she heard a “Ting” sound which sounded as if the ring hit the chain link fence. The way she flicked her hands and the rings being on her left hand I figured they would be to the left. Yumi & Rosie hunted extensively for a few days and a freak heavy winter storm flooded Rosie’s home and there was a fear the ring might be washed away. I started on the bottom level and worked towards the top. The Nox was practically useless with all the chain fence pieces, pull tabs, bottle caps & coins. The area was mostly dirt so I was thinking this should be an easy eyeball find with a bit of assistance from my pinpointer in the grassy areas. After 45 minutes of a thorough search I was about to give in. We covered it all at least in the left direction. Yumi admitted to raking a bit and that opened up the search in the other direction. No luck there either. Then as I was about to leave, I asked Yumi if we had moved the hose and she said, “NO!” We moved the hose from near the house pillar where the grass was the highest. I turned on my pinpointer and started moving the grass. Just as the PP went off I saw the beautiful Heirloom ring come into view alongside the Pillar surrounded by tall grass. Yumi screamed in disbelief and tears started to flow. I got a huge lump in my throat seeing how relieved she was that I found the ring. We all hugged and laughed thinking how her ring could have ended up where it did. The Rake…maybe so. No matter the other White Gold band remains and after they get a chance to remove some high grass along the fence it might be in the same spot. Aloha to Yumi & Josie!

This ring find began when I received a call from Cherie who was on vacation from San Francisco and staying in Waikiki. Her boyfriend had just bought her earlier that day a Platinum and Diamonds Ring. While sitting on the beach, a sudden movement of her hand and the ring fell into the sand and disappeared. With her friends, the four of them combed the sand with no luck. Cherie’s friend Frank agreed to meet me at the Waikiki Police Station so he could show me where they were on the beach. It was dark already. When I arrived Cherie drew a box in the sand where she thought the ring would be and I started my hunt. After ten seconds I got my first target a loud “7” on the Nox. One scoop and after sifting all the sand the tiny Platinum & Diamonds Ring was lying in the bottom of the scoop. I reached in and retrieved the ring and handed it to Cherie. I heard a sigh of relief from all her friends and sincere “Thank you so much” from Cherie. Some pics and hugs followed and Cherie can enjoy the rest of her vacation. Off to Maui tomorrow. Aloha to Cherie and her friends!

This ring find began when my fellow ring finder Don referred me to Pratibha from Reading, Pennsylvania. While enjoying a Monday morning at Royal-Moana Beach in Waikiki Pratibha took her ring off and put it in her purse so she could go for a swim. She told me her purse fell down into the sand and her husband unaware the ring was inside cleaned off the purse. They went back to their hotel room and then realized that the ring was missing. She placed a police report and informed the shop owner nearby where they rented a chair from. Fearing the amount of time that went by and how much that beach gets detected I told her the odds would be slim that the ring would still be there. I agreed to meet Pratibha at the Waikiki Police Station during my lunch break and do a quick search to see if we would be blessed. When I arrived the beach was packed with tourists but I did the best I could hunting around them and many were so nice to move their chairs and help. I found six pull tabs and a nickel that made me think we just might find the ring. Then one gentlemen in an area we needed to search refused to move and was just a knucklehead about it. Thankfully the lady next to him said here let me move my stuff and let you search here. Right where she removed her slippers from I got a loud #13 on the Nox and in one scoop there was Pratibha’s beautiful ring in my scoop. I showed the ring to her husband as he was helping me on the beach and he shouted, “Oh my gosh that’s the Ring!” It was getting hot and I was much relieved that we got blessed and the knucklehead didn’t have to be bothered. Vacation saved. Much Aloha to Pratibha and her Family!

This ring find began while I was driving home from work when Brandon from California said his Mom, Miriam, just lost her ring on the Nai’a Lagoon Beach and they couldn’t find it. He wasn’t sure if it was in the dry sand or the water but he assured me they knew the exact areas I would need to look. I told Brandon I’d grab my gear and come down to search but rush hour traffic was just starting and it could take a hour. I told him to have everyone just relax on the beach and if the ring was there I would find it. When I arrived I headed down to the beach and was greeted by Miriam’s wonderful family. I gathered some details. Miriam explained she was playing with her grandchildren in the sand and the water but wasn’t sure exactly when the ring came off. We moved the beach chairs out of the search grid and I fired up the Nox. I immediately found a nickel and a cent. Then on the fourth leg of the grid I got a nice #7 on the Nox and amazingly it took two scoops to reach the target. When I looked in the scoop I could not believe my eyes…that was the biggest Diamond I had ever seen. I showed Miriam and she screamed with joy. The whole family was rejoicing and that was certainly a moment I will never forget. I Love this Hobby! Much Aloha to Miriam and her beautiful family!

This ring find began just as I was sitting down for a late dinner. I looked at my phone and realized I just missed a call so I dialed back and got Sara and Mark from Rochester New York who were at Waikiki on their honeymoon. My fellow ring finder Don referred me to them as I live so close to Waikiki. Before going on a swim Sara placed her Wedding & Engagement rings in a safe zip pouch on her beach bag. When she returned and went to put her rings on they both fell into the sand. She was able to immediately retrieve the Wedding Ring but the Engagement Ring disappeared into the soft sand. She hunted frantically for a few moments and then realized it was hopeless. She handed the phone over to her husband Mark and we worked out the logistics for the hunt. I woofed down my food and grabbed my Detecting Gear for Waikiki. I learned well on how to eat fast after serving in the Navy. I parked at the Zoo and started walking down to the Surfrider. When I got to the Police Station I called Sara and told her where I was she said wait there and in no time flat she was yelling my name from behind the Police Station. She walked me down to the beach where Mark was guarding the spot where the ring fell. We moved a few things out of the way and I fired up the Nox and barely moved it a foot when I got a nice tone and in one scoop there was a gorgeous white gold diamond encrusted ring in my scoop. I said to Sara this can’t be your ring I found it too fast. She looked at me in amazement as I took it off my pinky and handed it to her. That’s it she screamed. I think everyone in Waikiki knew I found the ring. We had a few laughs and hugs and they asked if that was my quickest find? I said, No, once I turned on my detector and the ring was under the coil. This was the second fastest for sure. Aloha to Sara & Mark!

This ring find began when I got a call from Joe who was on his Honeymoon at the Aulani Resort and coming from Chicago, Illinois. While enjoying the cool waters of the lagoon with his lovely bride Angela his White Gold Wedding Band slipped off and disappeared into the soft sand. They tried searching but it’s hopeless the sand is so soft every ring disappears at Aulani. Tony from the Beach Crew got word and told Joe to give me a call. The day was young, the surf and tide was low and Joe & Angela were leaving the next morning so I told Joe I’d grab my gear and head over to the resort. When I arrived Joe had already drawn marks in the sand for my grid search so I was able to start immediately. On about the fifth leg and in waist deep water I got a nice “15-16” tone on the Nox and in one scoop there was Joe’s White Gold Band shining in the scoop. I motioned to Joe & Angela on the beach chairs and they ran down to meet me on the shoreline. Perfect Fit! Honeymoon saved. We shared a few laughs and Mahalos and I made it home in time for dinner. Aloha to Joe & Angela

This ring find began when I got a call from Tim who was vacationing at the Aulani Resort coming from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While swimming in the lagoon as he was treading water in about 6-7 foot depth he felt his white gold wedding band slip off. Him and another friend immediately got some snorkel gear to hunt but it was useless. The soft lagoon sand consumed the ring. The beach team gave him my number and I agreed to come out after eating my lunch and packing my scuba gear. When I arrived Tim and his friend explained to me the circumstances to the loss but had different ideas as to the depth. I said how about I start at 7 feet and work deeper. They thought that would work. After about an hour without finding the ring and only two pieces of metal trash. I had a hunch it might be shallower. Sure enough on the fourth leg working shallower I got a boom on the Excalibur and after two fans there was Tim’s white gold band shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. I was relieved as that was nearly two hours dive hunting. Tim was out of the dog house with his wife and so thankful I came right out to recover his ring. Aloha to Tim!