lost ring in the water Tag | Page 2 of 3 | The Ring Finders

Priceless Ring Lost! – FOUND!!!

  • from Orange Beach (Alabama, United States)

What an awesome ring recovery!  Bailey reached out to me this weekend and told me that he had dropped his wedding band as they were tying up their boat at his Grandfather’s home. It sounded pretty straightforward but we decided to wait until a bit later so the water could come down and the depth would be a bit shallower. I finally made it out to their home in Saraland, AL and as I walked down to the boat slip I got to meet some of the family. He pointed to where he lost the ring and I decided to put on my drysuit since this water was cold and we thought it was going to be about 5 ft deep. As soon as my feet hit the bottom I realized this was going to be tough. I was on my tiptoes and even though I am 6’3”, the water was up to my chin. It was a small area though so my hopes were high. The first two signals I got could have been gold rings but they also sounded like pull tabs off a Coke can. When the pull tabs came up we thought we had found the culprit as Bailey’s Grandfather stood holding a soda can with no pull tab. We all had a big laugh when his Grandad cracked a huge smile and explained that he never threw his in the water. 😃. The next signal I got was a high tone but I’ve learned over the years that a large men’s ring can sometimes sound high pitched. This one was a bit deeper so I just held my breath and went under for a few scoops. I came up with lots of mud and leaves in my scoop and started to try to sift out the debris. We all heard a little clink of metal so I decided to hand the scoop up to Bailey so that he could dump it out on the boat dock and sort through it. He didn’t even have to say a word, as soon as he saw the ring his smile lit up so much that I knew he had it. Before I was even out of the water, Bailey and his Grandfather were telling me the rest of the story. Bailey just got married this past October. The ring was actually three rings put together by the jeweler. One ring belonged to the Grandfather I was talking to, one ring belonged to Bailey’s Grandfather who had passed away and one ring belonged to Bailey’s Great Grandfather who had passed on as well. With Bailey wearing this ring to honor these men in his marriage, that would make 3 generations of rings at stake. Now you can see why this ring is priceless. Bailey I’m so glad you trusted me to help you recover such an amazing part of your family’s history. I hope the future for you is just as fantastic. God Bless!

How to find a lost ring in the sand, Ormond Beach, Fl….Found and Returned to owner.

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Mike McInroe…Ring Finder Specialist…Call ASAP Anytime…321-363-6029

Have you ever wondered what happens to a ring that is lost at the beach in the sand? One might think it is next to impossible to find it again after the waves and sand move and wash with the daily tides. And many a poor soul has walked away from such a loss thinking that there is no hope. But I have some really good news! Because there actually is allot of hope and a great possibility of recovering your lost item.

Connor was faced with a potentially devastating situation just this past weekend. He and some friends were enjoying an unusually warm day at Ormond Beach and before getting wet he decided to wrap his phone and his cherished high school class ring in his shirt and laid it on his friends towel. After a while they returned to their towels to dry off and unfortunately when Connor grabbed his shirt his ring somehow slipped out and into the sand and as they climbed into their vehicles he noticed his ring was not with his phone. Quickly he retraced his steps but could not find his ring. They tried raking the sand and even borrowed a friends low end metal detector but it simply made way too much noise so they gave up the search.

Connors mom posted on Next Door and some kind soul suggested The Ring Finders, so Lindsey sent me a text and thankfully I was available to drop what I was doing and after packing up my van with all my necessary equipment I headed to Ormond Beach. An hour later I met Connor and he showed me exactly where thought he was when he lost his ring. I set four corner flags out and began grid searching the dry sand hoping to find his lost class ring and after 30 minutes no ring. I had my Whites TDI Beach Hunter, metal detector set to dig all signals and continued expanding my search area quite a ways beyond where Connor indicated. Finally I started down onto the packed wet sand and 20 minutes later I got a banging signal. I decided to dig with my hand ensuring that I would not scratch or damage the item rather than use my metal scoop. I dug down at least five inches and still nothing was showing in the hole so I took my pin pointer and it indicated the target was very close. Another inch and I could see a silver rim–and I thought I must have found someone else’s lost ring–until I tried to pull the ring from its hiding place. And oh my goodness and thank you Lord, were the exact words that came out of my mouth! I quickly snapped some photos and sent them to Connor! Within minutes he drove up to claim his lost and now found treasure!

Here is what Mrs. Lindsey had to say. “I am crying happy tears over here! You are amazing! Thank you thank you! I am such a sentimental person and even though the ring isn’t that valuable, it is priceless to me! All his senior memories have been made wearing that ring. I just cant’t thank you enough! You truly are an angle! I wish I could give you more $ but please know our family will never forget what you have done for us! Thank you thank you! I will keep your info saved for life!!! I seriously can’t stop screaming and smiling!!! Lindsey”

Lost something and need help? Call ASAP–Anytime!

Mike McInroe…thankful to be a member of theringfinders.com

Lost wedding ring off of dock, Smyrna Dunes Park, New Smyrna Beach, Fl….Found with a metal detector!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:


Mike McInroe….Metal Detector Specialist….Call ASAP Anytime…321-363-6029

Nick was enjoying a warm fall day in the intracoastal waters by Ponce Inlet when disaster struck! No he was not bitten by a shark or stung by a stingray but in his book it was almost as bad! As he was fishing off of the pier he felt his wedding ring come off of his finger and he watched as it fell into the salty water and quickly disappeared out of sight. He had heard of things like this happening to other people but he was stunned when the realization hit him that his precious wedding ring was now gone…and maybe even gone forever! And here it had happened to him.

Nick was determined to recover his lost ring and he and a friend spent the next two hours holding their breath and trying to dive to the bottom to feel around and by some miracle come up with his ring. Needless to say they were not able to find it and in the end gave up their search attempt. That evening though Nick went on line to seek help and some advice on what could be done in his predicament. And to his surprise up popped a story on theringfinders.com of my recent recovery of a lost wedding ring in St. Pete, Florida that resembled what had happened to him earlier that day. And after reading how I was able to reunite that ring with the distraught young man, Nick felt he should give me a call.

It was Saturday and I was free to respond ASAP and two hours later I met with Nick and he graciously gave me a hand hauling all my gear down to the waters edge. As I surveyed the situation I realized again that I had a fairly steady current caused by the out going tide to contend with and by tying my kayak off to one of the pilings and by staying close to the base I then would be able to thoroughly search the exact area where Nick said it fell into the water. Actually Nick had wisely put a small notch in the railing where he was standing the moment his ring came off and thankfully it was only two feet out from the piling below. As I slowly descended to the bottom I was surprised that the visibility was barely one foot with a fair amount of silt and sand moving across the bottom. My first target was a small metal file off of a toenail clippers and my next signal was a shallow one. As I eased myself closer to see if I could visually identify what had caused my Pulse Dive scuba detector to sound off so loudly I caught a glimpse of something circular and reaching out to retrieve the item I felt the unmistakable feel of a gold ring! Again I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving to God for allowing me to find Nick’s lost ring so quickly! What a thrill it was to be able to hand his ring to him and see the joy and happiness on his face! And thanks Nick for giving me a call and for allowing me to help you!

Lost something recently…or years ago and want help to find it? Call, text or email me ASAP!

Mike McInroe….ready and willing to help you in your time of need!

University of Alabama College Ring Lost for Almost 20 YEARS…Recovered from Pond in Somerville, AL!

  • from Huntsville (Alabama, United States)

Bama fans, you’ll be very proud of this ring recovery!

I received an email from Joel on October 6th, 2019 asking for my help with finding his ring.  Joel explained that several years prior he was tossing a decoy duck into a pond on his family’s property, when his ring slipped off his finger and landed in the water.  This wasn’t just any ring; this was a University of Alabama college ring that Joel had purchased in 1993 to commemorate him earning his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) Degree!  Based on current conditions at the time, Joel wasn’t sure if he should pursue his master’s degree, but decided to push through anyway and persevere.  You can only imagine how much sentimental value this ring held to not only Joel, but the rest of his family as well.  They were devastated by the loss!  Additionally, Joel told me that ArtCarved had made his class ring and it had a stadium style design, which they no longer make.  Based on all these factors, I knew I had to find his ring!

The pond was on their property in Somerville Alabama, therefore private, so I didn’t have to worry about anyone else trying to find the ring.  Joel and his wife, Melody, knew the general area of where it landed in the pond, but they just couldn’t get to it due to the water.  Joel had initially purchased a metal detector, wrapped it in a garbage bag, and tried to find the ring, but to no avail.  He searched on Google every few years or so for a metal detecting service, until he eventually discovered The Ring Finders directory.

Attempt #1.  We arranged for me to come out the following Sunday, October 13th, 2019 to conduct a search.  The water was about 3-5 feet deep.  However, the two main factors I had going against me were the mud/sludge on the bottom and the temperature.  The sludge was about a foot deep, and the weather had just turned cooler about a week prior.  Armed with my AT Pro and long handled sand scoop, I conducted a wading type grid search for as long as I could in the cold water.  I had a wetsuit on, but I could only manage to search for about 1.5 hours before I had to call it.  It was difficult to effectively pull a scoop of that deep mud, as it acted as almost a suction.  I was able to dig a few signals, which were the usual pulls tabs, foil, and other trash targets.  I told Joel that I would be back out in the summertime when the water was warm.  I apologized to him, because he would have to wait an additional 9-10 months for the next search attempt.

Attempt #2.  We scheduled the next search for Sunday, August 2nd, 2020.  Unfortunately, Alabama was having an unseasonably rainy summer.  The pond was deeper than it was in October.  My husband, Lindell, and I searched for about 2 hours, but had to call it due to the depth of the water.

Attempt #3.  The third time’s the charm!  This search was scheduled for Sunday, August 16th, 2020.  Lindell and I had planned to obtain our Open Water SCUBA dive certifications this year, but that got pushed back until next year due to a surgery I needed.  We had completed the basic dive certification on our honeymoon in 2010.  So, we decided to buy a hookah dive system made by HookaMax.  This is a surface supplied air compressor that always you to dive with a regulator and dive hose to a max depth of about 20-30 feet.  We also constructed a PVC grid that would sink to the bottom, so that we could keep a tight gridline.  Huge shoutout to my good Ring Finder buddies, Brian Rudolph from Washington D.C., and Jeff Morgan from Seattle!!!  Brian helped us with the purchase of the hookah system and Jeff helped with the construction of our PVC grid (grid system was passed on by Ring Finder, John Volek from Houston).

Armed with new capabilities to overcome the depth, temperature, and sludge; Lindell and I went out to Somerville!  We decided it was best that only I conduct a search, so that Lindell could monitor the situation topside.  I had my Equinox 800 with the 15” coil to cover maximum depth and area.  I conducted another wade type grid search, but was able to dive down with the hookah system to check targets with my pin pointer.  It was near zero visibility, but I could easily feel for the target with my gloved hand and pin pointer.  After about 2-3 hours of searching and only finding trash targets, I asked Joel to tell me again the general area of loss.  I went back over that area even though I had already covered it.  But as we know, if you miss it by an inch then you miss it by a mile!  After a few gridlines and checking some targets, I check another.  I have the item in hand under the water and started feeling the shape of a class ring.  With my non-gloved hand, I could feel the smoothness of the band.  I quickly shook off the muck and saw that glimmer of a crimson/red stone!  It was Joel’s 10k yellow gold UA ring!!!  What a beautiful sight!  We had found it after almost 20 years of it sitting at the bottom of this pond!  Such a great feeling!  It was getting later in the day, so I was relieved that we were able to pull it this time!  The ring wasn’t too deep for the detector to pick it up!

I surface with a big old smile and yell with excitement, “we got it”!!!  I walk it over to Joel and open-up my fist to reveal what he’s been waiting so long to see.  This was one incredible looking ring!!!  There was absolutely no tarnish or corrosion on it.  It looked the same as the day it went in the pond!  Both Joel and his mother-in-law were so grateful and in shock!  It’s hard to put their reaction into words.  The ring was now back on Joel’s finger where it belongs!  As always, I thanked the Lord for a safe and successful recovery!  Huge thanks to Lindell for assisting me with these searches!

I’m coming up on my 2-year anniversary with The Ring Finders.  I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, hear their stories, and help them find what may have been lost forever!  What a blessing it has been!  I give all glory to God and pray that I’m able to continue His work and help many more!

If you or someone you know has lost a ring, jewelry, or other metal item, please contact a member of The Ring Finders.

 

Lost large gold wedding ring, New Symrna Beach, Fl…..Found in ocean and returned!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Mike McInroe…Ring Recovery Specialist…Lost your ring?…Call ASAP! 321-363-6029

Kim was relaxing at New Symrna Beach with her family and was especially enjoying the warm tidal pool area! She was in knee deep water and was pushing herself around–alligator style–using her hands to pull and push her way along and then “IT” happened! She felt her wedding ring come off of her finger and before she could blink, her ring disappeared into the sand below the water. She stopped immediately and called out for help and in an instant she was surrounded by a group of family and new found friends all wanting to help. They all walked around bent over here and there intently looking into the shallow water, hoping to catch the glimmer of gold! They searched for a while and then slowly began to realize the futility of looking for such a small ring in that sort of environment. Kim was distraught because her wedding ring was actually made up of various family hand-me-down rings that were used to make her one-of-a-kind ring.

Later on that day Kim posted on Facebook about her loss and someone recommended a very specialized group of metal detectorists that actually help people find their lost jewelry. So Kim decided to look up theringfinders.com and up popped my name and one of my stories. She promptly gave me a call and I decided to try and look real early the next morning just after low tide to see if I could find her ring. But I was a bit too late, as low tide was at 4:30am and sunrise was at 6:30 two hours after low tide. I spent an hour and a half looking and as I dug each target, Kim’s heart would soar and then plummet as I revealed a variety of items. As I exited the water, Kim acknowledged that I gave it a noble effort and had all but resigned herself to accepting the sad realization that her ring would not be found. (I knew that later in the evening there would be another low tide and I assured her that I was coming back at 3:00pm to chase that low tide out and cover the tidal pool area once again…and much more thoroughly!). That was wonderful news to Kim’s ears and a blessing to her hurting heart. Earlier, while Kim was anxiously watching me search, a friendly lady stopped and asked what I was looking for and Kim, with tears running down her face, explained her dilemma. The dear lady asked if she could pray for Kim and right there on the beach they bowed their heads and prayed together. Kim told me later that she immediately felt peace and a calmness come over her.

I returned later on that day two hours before low tide and the tidal pool where Kim was swimming was very obvious and now I began another grid search making sure I covered every inch of water. It took only 30 minutes to hear that sweet, sharp sound of gold! I motioned to Kim with a big thumbs up and I could see the emotions and tears of joy flooding over her and I silently thanked God for answering the prayer of a dear stranger just passing by!

Lost a ring or something valuable and sentimental?

Call, text or email me ASAP!

Mike McInroe….waiting to help you in your time of need and thrilled to be a member of theringfinders.com

Lost gold ring on Disappearing Island, New Smyrna Beach, Fl…..Found and Returned!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Mike McInroe—Ring Recovery Specialist…Lost Your Ring?…Call ASAP! 321-363-6029

Alicia was enjoying a relaxing day at Disappearing Island with friends and as she was swimming she somehow felt her small gold ring come off of her pinky finger. She tried grabbing it as it fell thru the water but to her horror it vanished in the soft sand at her feet. She desperately tried feeling in the sand, running her fingers back and forth but her precious ring just seemed to disappear!

This small gold ring was very special to Alicia as it was a gift to her when she was 12 years old from her mother and she has worn that ring every day for the last 23 years, until now. The location where she lost the ring was on Disappearing Island at Ponce Inlet in north New Smyrna Beach. And it is a very popular place for the boaters to park and enjoy the calmer waters and especially at low tide. During high tide the island is quite small but during low tide there is plenty of area for boats to park and especially on weekends the island is lined with boats of all sizes.

I made plans to meet Alicia at the Smyrna Dunes Park and we each brought our own kayak and with my Whites TDI Beach Hunter metal detector, scoop and other essential gear we set out across the busy inlet water way. It took a bit of figuring as Alicia texted her friends and had them each send a pin on a google map photo of where they had anchored the boat and where they would have been swimming the day she lost her ring. Alicia was worried about me being able to find her lost ring but I assured her that if she could put me in the general area where she was swimming then there was a good chance of actually finding her lost ring. So we pulled our kayaks up onto the beach in the 95 degree heat and I set about my grid search going from the wet sand and out into the water and back again, dragging one foot to mark my trail so I could actually overlap each pass so as not to miss one inch of sand. (The day she lost her ring she was in waist deep water at high tide and today we were there just before low tide so my target area was the wet sand out to knee deep water.) After an hour and a half and only digging up bottle caps, pull tabs and other miscellaneous junk I was needing a water break and while talking to Alicia we determined I had gone far enough on the one end of the beach and now I needed to go in the other direction. Alicia was feeling a bit useless and asked me several times what she could do to help me in the search. She offered to cover each hole I dug and tried to assist in finding the hidden target after I would dig a scoop of sand and dump it on the ground. After a while I tried to encourage her that the best thing she could do was “Pray” as I assured her that God knew exactly where her ring was hiding and that He would just need to get me over the top of it with my coil for us to find it. It truly is a matter of inches, as Chris Turner always says, and finally there in ankle deep water I got a faint signal and as the sand drained out of my scoop I could see a small gold ring nestled in the bottom. I motioned for Alicia to come over and look at what I just found and I will never forget the look on her face! The joy and relief and happiness all mixed in with thankfulness!

Lost something? Call, text or email me ASAP!

Mike McInroe…wowed to be a member of theringfinders.com

Lost wedding ring in Lake Maitland, Winter Park, Florida….Found!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Kelly called me and asked if I was available to help recover a lost wedding ring that had fallen off of a dock and into the water. Apparently while taking photos for some newly weds, Kelly had asked for the rings and the brides bouquet of flowers and had balanced the rings on the flowers in order to take a unique series of photos. And you can guessed what happened next! Somehow the brides wedding ring moved ever so slightly and slid off of the bouquet and dropped onto the wooden dock and fell directly thru a crack and into the water. It seems no one actually saw the ring hit the dock or fall through a crack but everyone spent the next 30 minutes looking for the ring and it became obvious that the ring had indeed fallen into the water below.

Kelly felt terrible about the whole ordeal and decided to actually go to the jeweler, where the original ring was purchased, and buy another identical ring to replace the lost one. Kelly was determined to somehow find the bride’s ring and thought about purchasing or even renting a metal detector to look for the ring herself and that led her to search on line and up came theringfinders.com.

I met Kelly at the beautiful Kraft Azalea Garden (Park) and she showed me where the ring dropped. The water was three to four feet deep and there were numerous targets that needed clearing out for fear they could mask such a small white gold ring. It took a good 30 minutes to finally locate the dainty diamond ring and Oh what a relief it was! Kelly was thrilled to have her clients original ring back and I was starting to get really cold! Thanks Kelly for taking a few photos for me with your phone and for giving me the opportunity to help you!

Lost something on land or in the water? Give me a call, ASAP!
Mike McInroe….thankful to be a member of theringfinders.com

Lost wedding ring in the surf, Daytona Beach, Florida….Found and Returned!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Nathan emailed me late Friday night and asked if there was any chance I could help him look for his lost tungsten wedding ring at the beach. He explained that they had spent part of the afternoon on the sand and in the water and only realized his ring was missing later while eating dinner. Nathan was not real used to wearing his wedding ring because he and his lovely wife had just gotten married four days earlier and they were on their honeymoon the day he lost his ring. Bummer, hey?! And to make matters worse they were going to be returning home to Missouri in just two days. I assured Nathan that his lost wedding ring was not going to be washed away and if he could remember exactly where they entered the water and about how far out they went…then there was a very good chance of finding his lost ring.
The next morning I met Nathan on the beach and he explained how they had stayed in the sun light because they were a bit chilled and the setting sun was shinning between two very large buildings that were quite close together…so that was a huge help in putting me in the best location. Before getting started I told Nathan that I would probably be digging various targets along the way and if I were to find his ring he would be the first to know. So I started out my grid search just to the north of the 60 feet wide target area and I proceeded to dig various coins and junk items. I was going from the wet sand out to almost chest deep and on my 6th pass I got a solid, sharp signal on my TDI Beach Hunter that turned out to be Nathan’s lost ring! The relief on Nathans face was obvious and the smile said it all! I really thank God for helping me find Nathan’s lost wedding ring and I wonder who else out there may need my help as well?! Lost something in the water or on the land? Call, text or email ASAP!

Mike McInroe….blessed to be part of theringfinders.com

Lost ring in East Crooked Lake, Eustis, Florida….Found and Returned!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Erick had just bought his daughter a new fishing pole and they were on the end of his parents dock trying it out for the very first time when disaster struck! Erick said that after putting a nice juicy worm on the hook, he went to wash the goo from his hands and as he shook the excess water off, his heavy gold wedding ring went “plunk” right into the dark lake water! Erick was stunned as he watched it hit the water and disappear out of sight. Right away he tried to figure out how he could retrieve his ring so he checked the depth of the water and determined it to be around 11 feet deep. Too deep for him to jump in and attempt any sort of search himself. And the more he thought about his situation he felt there just had to be some way or someone who could help him retrieve his lost ring. So he went online and soon came across theringfinders.com and one of my successful recovery stories.

After speaking with Erick and hearing what all happened I assured him that his ring was not going anywhere and the soonest I could conduct a search would be in three days. Erick told me he had actually calculated that his ring fell off the dock exactly 32 inches from the end of the dock, which he had marked with a magic marker. With that information I put together a pole that was to be driven into the bottom of the lake and anchored with a 2X4 to the dock. This time I brought my scuba gear and was prepared to do a proper dive. Only the bottom of the lake was covered with SAV…submerged aquatic vegetation…which would not permit me to swing a metal detector. So I used my water proof Scuba Tector/X Pointer Pro that is rated to 200 feet! As I slowly descended to the bottom I was able to use the pole as a guide and it wasn’t long until the end of my hand held pointer clicked on something metal and there in the thick mud and silt in a tangle of grass was Erick’s lost ring! And as I slowly surfaced holding the ring on my finger and sticking it up so that was the first thing Erick would see…I will never forget the stunned look on Erick’s face. I am so thankful to God for allowing me to be able to help Erick be reunited with his lost wedding ring! Erick and his wife celebrate 15 years of marriage and are still committed to each other and going strong!

Lost something in the water or on land? Call ASAP!

Mike McInroe….thankful to be a member of theringfinders.com

Lost ring in the water, Lake Tibet, Orlando, Fl…..Found and Returned!

  • from Sanford (Florida, United States)
Contact:

Greg called me about a ring that his girl friend had accidentally dropped in a lake and mentioned it was only in a few feet of water. I explained how I normally retrieve lost rings and he assured me he knew exactly where it fell off of the dock and into the water. He said his girl friend had used a mask and tried to locate the ring but was unsuccessful. It had been lost almost a month prior to our conversation and I assured Greg that the ring was most likely in the same spot where it originally fell.

Three days later I met Greg at the location and the first thing I did was to check the exact depth of the water at the drop site and it turned out to be more like 6 to 7 feet deep. Unfortunately I had not brought my scuba tank, dive hose and regulator but I did have my mask and snorkel. So I figured it was another good opportunity to practice diving and holding my breath….once again!

By using my PVC pole stuck into the soft lake bottom where Greg said the ring had fallen, I was able to work my water proof Garrett pro pointer around the pole checking every metal signal. I found various bolts and such and on the 3rd dive I got a good signal and could only grab a handful of mud, shells and debris and as I sorted through the material my hand felt Greg’s lost ring! As I surfaced I rinsed the ring off and was amazed by the unique design and beauty. Greg was thrilled and very thankful to see his girl friend’s lost ring again and I was honored to be the one to find it for them.

Lost something in the water or on the land? Give me a call!
Mike McInroe….proud member of theringfinders.com