August 23, 2025  

 Bigfoot Beach Rescue

It was a typical Saturday on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.  The temps were perfect for all sorts of fun on the water, including some treasure hunting with my seven-year-old son.  The plan was to drive out to Big Foot Beach State Park, and do some snorkeling and treasure hunting with my metal detector.  Using an underwater breathing device called a Nemo by Blu3, the diver is fed fresh air and can stay underwater (up to 10 feet deep) for quite a long time.  My son loves exploring the shallow depths, looking at fish, and searching for lost items.  

            No sooner had we loaded the car, a text came in asking for help with a lost ring.  A photo attachment showed some unknown shoreline.  I looked up from my phone, told my son, and watched disappointment begin to creep into his expression.  

“Don’t worry, buddy, we’re still going treasure hunting.  The ring search can wait.”

Before pulling out of the driveway, I sent a quick text back asking where the ring was lost.  We soon arrived at Bigfoot Beach State Park and began to get out our gear when my watch alerted me of a text reply.  

It simply said, “Big Foot Beach”

I stood in the open lot and dialed the number.  When Kegan answered I explained that I was in the Big Foot Beach State Park parking lot.  His reply, “I think I’m looking at you.”

Looking up from my phone, I saw a young man and woman walking towards me.

The timing of everything was uncanny!

Before long the search was on.  Kegan’s initial text reminded me that I once searched for a ring for him at Williams Bay beach on Geneva Lake (to no success) and that this one had more diamonds.  Okay, let’s get this diamond ring back, I thought.  Kegan and Christina explained that while returning from paddle boarding the ring fell off of Christina’s finger less than 15 feet from shore.

Although the water was rather clear, the area was very trashy.  I grid-searched the area for at least an hour, digging up lots of pull tabs, pier bolts, a ring with a prominent capital letter M as the design, a handful of pennies, and nails.  Frustrated, I decided to expand my search area a bit, just in case. Nothing.

Needing a break, I came back to the shore to also check on my son.  Kegan was kind enough to keep an eye on him, and I could see they had built a small pond on the shoreline and had also found some trash treasures of their own.  

Christina looked rather deflated, and I told her the area was very trashy, so there were lots of signals to dig.  My netted bag was quite heavy with junk, so I proceeded to unload it in order to return for more searching.  As an aside, I commented to Kegan and Christina that I did actually find a ring, not Christina’s, and thought my son would like to see it.  

I continued to throw down soda cans, rotting pieces of sheet metal, and long pier bolts until I could find the ring in my bag.  

I heard the gasp before I saw her face.  Christina shouts, “That’s my ring!”  

I’m not sure who was more surprised, myself or Christina.  The ring is a flat, capital letter M made up of small diamonds.  How I missed learning this detail was clearly my own fault.  In my mind’s eye I was looking for a diamond engagement ring, perhaps with a few extra diamonds on the side.  The capital letter M ring was clearly off my radar.

Needless to say, Christina and Kegan were relieved and grateful to have the ring returned.   It felt great to return yet another precious item, and I’m thankful for the humbling lesson of knowing clearly what to be looking for ahead of time. 

Once Kegan and Christina departed, my son got to spend an hour or so diving for treasures himself.  He found a pair of sunglasses hiding in the seaweed, some sea glass, interesting shells, and his first silver earring.  

The sun was setting when we crept out of the water, and although we shivered walking back to the car, it was a great day of treasure hunting.