Metal Detector Rental Ocean Isle Beach NC Tag | Page 2 of 2 | The Ring Finders

Man’s Gold Wedding Band Lost in the Ocean at Ocean Isle Beach NC, Found and Returned

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

This adventure started when I got a phone call from Alicia at 11:15 am, asking if I could help find her husband, Sam’s, wedding band. She told me that one of her girlfriend’s father had recommended The Ring Finders, sure am glad he did. I started getting the details and it sounded like a good challenge. She said that she and Sam got married yesterday and after a full day of fun, it was time to relax. Not sure how many were involved, but Alicia said a whole lot of people (wedding party and family members) decided to take a midnight (literally) swim in the ocean. I asked her how deep they were and she said “torso” deep, so anywhere from shoulders to naval, which if they’re short, it’s not too bad. Taking a quick look at the tide tables, they were swimming about an hour to an hour and a half before high tide, big help! Low tide for today was around 8:30 pm so I told her I’d be there close to 5 pm. I had nothing going on, so I took a ride up to do a recon on what I was up against. When I got there, Alicia came out and confirmed the area, and roughly, how far out they had been. I was thinking I’d be back at about mid tide and work the outgoing tide and should have a pretty good shot at finding the ring.

I got back there right around 5:30 pm, and got to meet some of the family around the pool, a great bunch of people! Made my way out to the beach, and decided to do a perpendicular grid search (shore line to water). I got about half way through my third grid line and got a banging signal on my Equinox 800 that was registering 22-24 on the VDI. I was about thigh deep and dug a scoop of sand, checked the hole and it was clear. Washed the sand out of the scoop in the surf, checked the scoop and nothing. Hmmm, maybe I had a small target that fell through the holes in the scoop. Checked the hole again then around the hole and got the signal again. Took another scoop of sand, checked the hole and the area around the hole and I had the target (again) in the scoop. I walked up to the wet sand and dumped the scoop, checked the pile of sand and found the target. Spread the sand out with my foot and saw the outline of a ring in the sand. Washed it off, confirmed the inscription that Alicia said was in it and knew I had it. I took a picture and text Alicia saying “Bingo!” She immediately text me back and said she was on her way back to the house. Total search time was between 20-30 minutes. Made it back to the pool that the family was still gathered around, had a cold beer with them and waited for Alicia. She was so excited, she just knew the ring was gone forever.

Most of the rental houses on the beach are named, this house was no different. Ironically the name on this house was “The Memory Maker,” I’m sure that Alicia and Sam will remember this adventure for a very long time.

Alicia, thank you so much for trusting me to find your lost treasure. Hope and pray for only the best for you and Sam, take care of each other.

Jim

   

10K Man’s Wedding Band Lost at Ocean Isle Beach NC, Found and Returned

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

This adventure started when Daniel called me saying he found me through The Ring Finders’ website and wanted to know if I could help. He stated he had lost his wedding band and was pretty sure he lost it on the beach. He and his brother-in-law had been throwing a football, he said he had also been sitting in the water with his hands in the sand, and at one point, he had ventured out into chest deep water. So, I’m thinking this is going to be a tough search, but I love a challenge and told him I’d be there in about 35 minutes. He gave me the address of the rental house, and I was on my way.

We met at the house and walked a block or so to the beach. On the way over, he explained that his family had set up in front of the 5th house from the beach access and in the dry sand. He also pointed out the area, in the wet sand, where he had been throwing the football. As luck would have it, there were numerous families set up in the dry sand exactly where I needed to search. I did a grid search in the areas I could with no luck. I then moved out into the wet sand, and in the water but was fighting the incoming tide. I had a great signal in the water but Mother Nature can be cruel sometimes, and the waves were pitching me around like a rag doll. After getting knocked off the signal 4 times, I decided to call it and come back later, closer to low tide. I told Daniel what my plans were and I’d be back around 10:45 p.m. I ended up getting back there close to 8:30 p.m. and started an east/west grid line from the 5th house back towards the beach access going from the dry sand to the water. After an hour plus I got a pretty good signal and dug it. It was pitch black, and even with my headlamp I couldn’t see anything in the sand I had spread out with my foot. I was spreading the sand with my hand when I hit the ring. BAM!!! I had his gold ring in my hand. I walked back to the house and surprised Daniel and Kelsey, who were both shocked the ring had been found. I was talking to Kelsey, and she told me that she knew the ring was gone forever.

Daniel told me that they had just celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary in June, so now their ring story can continue. Their smiles say it all!

Daniel and Kelsey, thank you so much for trusting in me to find your lost treasure and the very gracious reward. Best of luck to you both! Y

Jim

Lady’s 14K White Gold Engagement Ring Lost at Ocean Isle Beach NC, Found and Returned

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

When I woke up on Tuesday, May 8th, I noticed I had a 6:30 a.m. missed call with a voice mail from Michigan. Robert, who had left the message, stated he had found me through The Ring Finders website and was wondering about the details in finding a lost ring. He also said his wife’s engagement ring was lost in my area. When I called him back, we discussed the details of the search. He stated that his mother-in-law had lost his wife’s engagement ring, probably had it on her little finger and it slipped off. One of his questions concerned this being a scam, I assured him everything was on the up and up and gave him a short version of my history. The conversation seemed to put his mind at ease and he gave me the description of the lost ring and the general location. Shortly after, I was on my way to Ocean Isle Beach.

During the forty minute drive, Robert sent me pictures of the rental house they stayed in, the beach access where they entered the beach, and the search area. Actually, there were two search areas, one possible area, and inside that area was a probable area. It looked like this might be a pretty big search, everything considered. I texted him about 10:35 a.m. telling him I was there, and I’d let him know when I found it. I also asked him when her ring was lost and he responded saying either the 1st or 2nd of May.

A couple of things I’ve learned while beach hunting and watching people, one  – they don’t venture to far right or left from where they came onto the beach, and two – they “usually” veer to their right to find their spot. So, I grabbed my PI detector and went straight from the stair access to the mid-tide line, dragging my scoop behind me leaving a line in the sand. The PI was going crazy with all the trash in the sand making this search very time consuming. Luckily, I had brought my AT Pro and hiked back to the car to retrieve it. I was alternating my search grid from the left and right of my center line when I noticed two ladies walking out on the beach. True to form, they were veering to the right of the stairs and started setting up their chairs and stuff right where I needed to search. I nicely told them what I was doing and asked if they would mind setting up about 10 feet left in an area I had already searched. They didn’t seem happy but they moved, thank goodness. Two more passes on the right of my center line, and just about where the ladies would have been sitting, I got a strong signal with a 51 on the screen, exactly what I expected for a small lady’s white gold ring. I looked down at the sand as I waved the detector back over the spot, and actually saw the top third of the ring sticking out of the sand. BOOM!!! I had her ring.

At 12:55 p.m. I texted Robert a picture of the ring, asking “Look familiar?!?!  and then called him. When he answered his phone, I asked him if he got my text, he said he had but hadn’t looked at it yet. I told him he needed to look at the text. I heard him gasp, and he said something like “oh my goodness, I can’t believe you found it.” Before we hung up, we worked out the details to try and get the ring back to him, in Michigan, by Mother’s Day so he could surprise his wife, Abbey. Unfortunately, the ring didn’t make it back in time, but Robert had a backup plan. For Mother’s Day, he had her open 4 boxes inside one another, each box contained a picture. The first box had a picture of my book, “Teardrops in the Tides; The Journeys of a Ring Finder.” The second box had a picture of the search area. The third box was a picture of my scoop in the sand where I found her ring, and the forth box had a picture of her ring. Robert shared with me that Abbey was so happy she cried.

Robert, thank you for trusting in me to help find Abbey’s ring.

The smile on Abbey’s face says it all, how can it get it better. Robert also sent Abbey’s Mother’s Day surprise!!!

Jim

 

  

Lost Car Key in the Sand – Found and Returned Oak Island NC

  • from North Myrtle Beach (South Carolina, United States)

I got a call from Harrison on Saturday, May 20th around 6:15pm stating he had lost a key in the sand on Oak Island and asked if I could help find it. Unfortunately, I was out of town and couldn’t personally help, but assured him I’d find someone that could and would call him back.

I first called Matt Fry, TRF Myrtle Beach who didn’t answer. I then called my son-in-law Donnie, who has helped me with finds in the past and he didn’t answer either. By now I’m thinking this isn’t looking good. I called my daughter who told me Donnie would probably be home in a couple of hours. I called Harrison back and brought him up to speed on what was going on and again assured him that someone would be up there to help find his key. Matt called me back sounding sick saying that he couldn’t make it.

I sent Donnie a text with all the details including Harrison’s phone number and told him to contact Harrison and let me know. A little after 8 Donnie texted me back saying he just got the text but wasn’t able to contact Harrison but did leave him a voice mail. I contacted Harrison, told him Donnie was going to call him right back, got a hold of Donnie and told him to call Harrison again.

At 10:40 I got a text from Donnie saying it took him 45 seconds to find the key. Outstanding!! I later learned that the missing key was Harrison’s car key, and with no spare he had to leave it parked at the beach. Donnie had to pick Harrison up at a rental house, drive him to the beach area and then find the key.

Great job Donnie, thanks so much for helping out and finding/returning the lost key.

Harrison, thank you for trusting The Ring Finders to help find your lost treasure!

Jim