Steve Thomas
Dunedin Ring Finder lostringdunedin.com
“It’s only lost until I find it!”
Lost a ring or other metal valuable at the beach or in a grassy or sandy area? Jewelry slip off of you while working outside, playing with the dog or swimming? Please contact me ASAP at (843) 995-4719 or @dunedinringfinder. I offer a FREE metal detecting service, reward optional but appreciated upon recovery!
While I was in Texas with my wife Jan for the birth of our second grandson Anson and visiting with his brother Tillman and parents Joe and Madison (our daughter), I was contacted by Michelle from the Weeki Wachee/Spring Hill Florida area in early May who told me that she lost her wedding ring while doing yard work. Even though the ring had been lost in a location that could not be searched by anyone without Michelle’s permission, I asked Michelle if she would like to wait until I returned to Florida to search for her or if she prefer that I try to contact another trusted detectorist to search as soon as possible. Michelle told me that she could wait until my return and because we would be driving back from Texas in three weeks and passing within five minutes of her home, I could search for her then.
At the end of May, we headed back to Florida, stopping several places along the way. The day before we were to pass by Michelle’s home, I contacted her and set up a time to meet her. As we got close to the loss location the next day, Michelle texted to say that something had come up and that she would not be able to meet me for the search. I told her that we would set up another time after I returned home.
Michelle and I were able to set up another search time several weeks later and that day I made the hour long drive with my detecting buddy Jim Facinelli who was going to assist in this search as well as another search for a ring in the cool spring water at Crystal River.
We arrived at Michelle’s home and shortly after, we received some more details about the loss and we began our search. Michelle and her husband had been working on their irrigation system in the left side front yard which involved a lot of digging when she realized that her ring was missing from her finger. She had thoroughly searched the area which was more dirt than grass but had been unable to find it. Michelle’s daughter Christalynn had earlier searched with her own beginners metal detector but had been unable to find her mother’s ring. Jim and I scanned the area for about 45 minutes and dug several coins along with various pieces of scrap metal. There was very little grass for a ring to hide in but that area had seen some vehicle traffic in addition to the irrigation work so the ring could have been pushed further under the ground surface. The loss area was not large and Michelle was certain that she had lost her ring in this area so we gridded it several times and dug every target. I dug a possible gold target near a utility pole and out popped Michelle’s wedding ring from about a two inch depth! I held up the ring to show Jim and we both celebrated. As Michelle and her daughter had gone inside the house to take a quick break from the heat, Jim suggested that we have Christalynn come outside with her metal detector and “find” the ring. We reburied the ring and had Michelle and Christalynn come outside to the spot and Christalynn got a signal on her detector and began digging. She dug up a penny near the ring before she found the ring and proudly handed it to her mother! Thanks to Jim for that great idea and his assistance with the search.
Michelle, thank you for trusting the Dunedin Ring Finder to find and return your ring almost two months after you lost it!
