#SebagoLake Tag | The Ring Finders

Sterling Silver Necklace And Pendant Of Father’s Fingerprint Lost In Sebago Lake, Maine, Found In The Water With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
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✨ LOST AT THE BOTTOM OF SEBAGO LAKE: A PIECE OF A FATHER’S MEMORY ✨

On August 9th, my phone started blowing up. Tag after tag, notification after notification. The Ring Finders of Maine community was rallying, and they were pointing me directly toward a heartbreaking post on the “I Boat on Sebago Lake, Maine” Facebook group.

A woman named Gretchen had posted a plea that instantly brought a lump to my throat:

“This might be a long shot but if anyone is at the Sandbar today and happens to find a necklace that looks exactly like this, please send me or Jacob Burns a message, he lost it yesterday we think around 5:00pm and it is very special to him. Thanks in advance! Apologies for the blurry photo but it should say dad on one side and has a thumbprint on the other.”

The post included a few blurry photos, but the gravity of what was lost was crystal clear. It was a heavy sterling silver chain and pendant. On one side, a deeply etched fingerprint. On the other side, the word “DAD” followed by his birth and death dates.

WOW. 💔

🌊 AN IRREPLACEABLE LOSS

My heart sank. Jake and Gretchen have been dating for a few years now, and as his girlfriend, she knew exactly how much that piece meant to him. Jake’s father had passed away less than a year ago.

This wasn’t just a piece of jewelry. This wasn’t something insurance could replace. This was a priceless, irreplaceable piece of his dad—and right now, it was sitting somewhere at the bottom of the vast, shifting sands of the Sebago Lake Sandbar.

Thankfully, the amazing people of Facebook knew exactly what to do. The comments section exploded with people urging Gretchen to call in the reinforcements:

  • “The ring finders of Maine! They are amazing at finding all the special lost things.”
  • “I love to watch their adventures. Jacob Burns reach out to them, they’re your best shot.”

Gretchen and Jake did exactly that. When they reached out to me, they explained that while they knew the general area where they’d been hanging out on The Sandbar, Jake hadn’t realized the necklace was gone until much later. They had already gone back and tried searching on their own, but their efforts proved futile. By now, the heavy sterling silver pendant was most likely swallowed up by the sand in waist-deep water.

With thousands of weekend boaters, shifting currents, and the endless sand of Sebago, the odds were heavily against us. But looking at the photo of that thumbprint, I knew we had to gear up and give this family everything we had.

🛑 THE CURVEBALLS BEGIN

Planning this recovery was about to throw us a few major curveballs.

Jake’s first thought was that Gary and I could simply wade across the lake from the Sebago Lake State Park shore to reach the sandbar. Right away, my alarm bells went off. As a rule, it is highly advised NOT to attempt to reach the sandbar from the state park. The water levels change rapidly, and the area is full of dangerous drop-offs and hidden troughs.

Our safety is always paramount. Picture two “old guys” carrying heavy, expensive detecting equipment through deep, unpredictable water without knowing where the bottom drops out—there was absolutely no way I was going to let us attempt that.

Jake then offered a backup plan: he had a boat and could take us over himself. But with his intense work schedule, he only had a few specific days available, and it would have to be a 6:00 AM launch.

An early morning start was critical. If you know the Sebago Lake Sandbar, you know it gets incredibly busy fast, with boats lined up down the entire area. Trying to swing detectors around anchored boats and crowds of swimmers is nearly impossible. More importantly, the sandbar is massive. If Jake couldn’t be right there with us to point out the exact grid where they had been standing, we would be looking for a needle in a water-covered haystack.

Once we finally locked in a date to search, all we needed was a little cooperation from above. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. Our first attempt was completely rained out, forcing us to push the mission back a full week until Jake’s next day off.

By the time the big day finally arrived, that precious sterling silver pendant and necklace had been missing at the bottom of the lake for over two weeks. Two weeks of shifting waves, churning sand, and endless boat traffic.

🛥️ THE 6:00 AM LAUNCH

Gary and I met up with Jake and Gretchen promptly at 6:00 AM. The lake was completely calm as Jake navigated us out of Jordan Bay. We cut through the cool morning air, passing between Frye Island and the towering heights of Fryes Leap, heading straight across Sebago Lake toward the state park and the massive sandbar just to the west.

The boat ride took about 15 to 20 minutes, and the moment Jake threw the anchor into the shallow water, Gary and I were in the zone. In less than 5 minutes, we had our gear ready and stepped down into the water.

There wasn’t much sun that morning—just a few stray rays cutting through a cloudy, heavy, and overcast sky. The boats hadn’t arrived yet, and the water was quiet, but the gray light made it hard to see anything beneath the surface.

Having never been out to the sandbar before, I was secretly incredibly concerned about what lay beneath the sand. Knowing the insane amount of boats and beverages consumed out there, I was preparing for the absolute worst. A massive carpet of trash—bottle caps and aluminum pull tabs—would completely slow us down. Metal detectors read those items similarly to jewelry, meaning we would have to stop and dig every single piece of junk to make sure we didn’t accidentally sweep right over the sterling silver necklace.

Jake didn’t just sit on the boat and watch; he jumped right into the water with us. He thought we should head east, parallel to the shore, keeping in the waist-deep water.

To battle the clock and the threat of hidden trash, Gary and I decided to perform a synchronized “snowplow” grid search. I took the lead in front, and Gary locked in right behind me and slightly to my left. By overlapping our detector swings in this tight formation, we were able to clear a massive 10-foot-wide path with every single step we took forward.

🕵️‍♂️ THE SEARCH IS ON

We set out with Jake leading the way, guiding us along their path from two weeks ago. As we swept, our detectors would beep, and we’d scoop—digging a coin here and there, and the occasional pull tab or bottle cap. But after about a half hour of grid searching, Gary and I stopped and looked at each other in total shock.

We couldn’t believe just how little trash we were actually digging! We were so incredibly surprised and happy to see how beautifully clean the lake bed was. It turns out the boaters out here are incredibly responsible, respecting the waters and not polluting the lake with trash. A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE BOATERS!!! 🙌

Right around this time, Jake suddenly redirected us. He had been standing in the water studying photos on his phone from the exact day he lost the pendant, trying to line up landmarks. Realizing we were a little too far in toward the shore, he had us adjust and move further out toward the open water.

With our original snowplow grid broken by the move, I formulated a new plan on the fly. I told Gary I would head out deeper and slightly closer to the boat, while he could stay closer to where we were. We would grid this brand-new area from opposite sides, cutting a path through the sand and meeting each other somewhere right in the middle.

The Sandbar was not giving up many targets. We waded into our new positions under the overcast sky, lowered our coils back into the water, and kept swinging.

🚨 THE MOMENT OF TRUTH

We had been in the water searching for close to an hour when the quiet morning air suddenly shattered. Across the gray water, I heard Gary and Jake getting incredibly animated.

Then Gary yelled the words we had all been praying for across the open water: HE HAD FOUND BOTH THE NECKLACE AND THE PENDANT! 🎉

Even from 60 feet away, the smile on Jake’s face was absolutely unforgettable. It split across his face, bright and clear under the cloudy sky. OUTSTANDING!!!

I quickly waded my way over to them, and the sheer joy and exuberance radiating from Jake’s entire body was unmistakable. He was yelling across the water to Gretchen on the boat, his voice booming with pure relief and happiness, telling her that he had his father’s pendant once again.

What followed was a blur of celebratory handshakes, triumphant high fives, and a wave of pure emotion that I will never forget. Jake loved his father so deeply and wanted this pendant back so badly. It wasn’t just metal—it was a literal, physical piece of his father. Two long weeks of worrying, a rained-out search, and a massive body of water couldn’t keep them apart.

Once we finally made it back on shore, the celebration didn’t stop. Gary and I were showered with an endless stream of “thank you so much,” heartfelt handshakes, and massive hugs from both Jake and Gretchen.

❤️ WHY WE DO THIS

Standing there on the shore, watching the relief wash over them, it hits you right in the chest. There is something profoundly sacred about a father and son’s love for each other—a bond so powerful that it transcends even death.

That connection is exactly why Gary and I do this. Our passion isn’t just about finding lost pieces of metal; it’s about bringing irreplaceable memories back to the surface.

You see, objects can be replaced by insurance, but this item is different. This piece is the memories. It’s the tangible reminder of a father’s hand, a dad’s guidance, and a lifetime of love. Now, those precious memories are exactly where they belong—resting safely in the sterling silver thumbprint that Jake wears around his neck, held close to his heart forever. ❤️

Gary and I truly have the best job in the world, and we love every single second of what we do. It’s moments like this that remind us of our promise to all of you: If it matters to you, it matters to us.

Another priceless memory recovered by The Ring Finders of Maine. Never lose hope! 🙏 🔍 ✨

🎬 WATCH THE CELEBRATION!

Want to see the exact moment the magic happened? 🎥 We released the video Reel last night right here on The Ring Finders of Maine Facebook page!Head over to our Reels tab to check it out and see the pure joy and celebration in the waters of Sebago Lake just after the recovery. You won’t want to miss it!

🚨 LOST SOMETHING IRREPLACEABLE? WE CAN HELP! 🚨

Have you lost a wedding ring, a sentimental heirloom, or a priceless memorial piece in the water, the sand, or the snow? Don’t wait, and don’t give up hope! Shifting sands and moving waters can hide items quickly, but our heavy-duty metal detecting equipment and decades of experience can find what you thought was gone forever.

Call Dennis at The Ring Finders of Maine today:

📞 207-423-3027

  • Let’s get your memories back where they belong!
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Thirty Year Gold Anniversary Wedding Ring Lost In Sebago Lake, Maine, Found With A Metal Detector

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
Contact:

? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ????’? ??????? ????! ?

As Cheryl and I were leaving Old Orchard Beach, fresh off a successful recovery, my phone rang. On the other end was Jennifer, and she was looking for some urgent help from The Ring Finders of Maine.

I asked her what happened, and she explained that her husband, Paul, had just lost his wedding ring at Point Sebago. The tricky part? He wasn’t entirely sure where it came off. It could have been in the dry sand around their beach setup, or it could be somewhere out in the water.

? ??? ????? & ??? ??????
Here is what we knew: Paul had been lounging around his beach chair, but he had also been out in Sebago Lake Maine, throwing a football around with his sons. Around lunchtime, as the family gathered to grab a bite to eat, Paul looked down and realized with a sinking feeling that his ring was gone.

The family immediately sprang into action. They searched all around their beach chairs and waded through the water where the football game had taken place, but they came up empty-handed.

When Jennifer told me the story, my immediate thought was that the ring had to be in Sebago Lake. In my experience, rings don’t just fall off your finger while you’re lounging around in a beach chair. They come off when you are active and doing something with your hands—like catching or throwing a football in the cool lake water!

? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ?????
Knowing this was likely going to be a water search, I told Jennifer I would absolutely get up there, but I needed to make one quick stop at my house first. If I was going into the lake, I needed the right tool for the job: my Minelab Excalibur II. This machine is a beast for water recoveries—fully waterproof and submersible up to 200 feet deep, it’s the same detector used on heavy-duty dive sites.
Once I retrieved the Excalibur and made sure we had every piece of gear required for a thorough water hunt, I called Jennifer back. I let her know we were officially on the road and that it would take about an hour to get there, aiming for a 3:30 PM arrival.
With the vehicle loaded up and a plan in place, Cheryl and I hit the highway, heading straight for Point Sebago.

⛳ ??? ??????? ?? ????? ??????
Once we arrived, we were promptly met at the main gate by Jennifer and her son, who got us checked in with visitor passes. From there, they drove us right down to the beach and lake in a golf cart. Wow, I really like this place—no walking required, lol!
Down at the water, we were met by Paul. He showed us their exact beach setup and pointed out the area of the lake where he had been standing while tossing the football around. I got my gear on, fired up the Excalibur, and walked straight into Sebago Lake with Paul leading the way to his exact spot.

? ??????????? ??? ???? ??????
Once I could see the entire layout of the area, I told Paul my strategy: I was going to start my grid search just a little further out and deeper in the water. I always over-grid an area to make absolutely sure I don’t miss a single spot where a ring could possibly be hiding.
That’s when Paul gave me one more piece of information—he mentioned that he had actually swum out to retrieve the football a few different times, and on those swims, the water was over his head. There wasn’t much I could do about those deep-water spots at that moment, but I could certainly search every single inch of the rest of the area.
I set up my grid lines vertical to the shore, locking my eyes onto an onshore landmark—a specific tree at the back of the beach area. Keeping my focus on that tree would ensure I walked in a perfectly straight line.

⚡ ??? ??????? ?? ?????!
With the plan locked in, I waded out until the water was approximately armpit deep and started making my way back toward the shore. I hadn’t even been searching for two minutes when I reached belly-deep water and a strong, clear signal hit my headphones. My first target! Could this really be Paul’s wedding ring already?
I plunged my long-handled beach scoop deep into the sand, lifted it up, and dumped the contents into the floating sifter I use out in the water. As the water cleared and I looked inside, I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES.
A gold ring was sticking right out of a clump of sand!
I turned, looked right at Paul, and said, “I got it.”

? ??????????? ?? ??? ?????
Paul immediately made a beeline to me, and Jennifer and one of their sons rushed right out behind him. I told Paul he could have the honors of removing his ring from the sifter himself. As he grabbed it, the sheer relief on his face was incredibly evident.
Suddenly, everyone in the family was smiling, shaking hands, and hugging. But the magic didn’t stop there. Once the other vacationers in the area realized what had just happened, a massive wave of applause, clapping, and cheering started filtering out to us from the shore and from people in the water. It was an absolutely awesome moment to experience!

?️ ? ???? ??????????? ?????
As we were walking out of the lake, Jennifer let me in on a huge secret: she and Paul would be celebrating 30 years of marriage this upcoming October! Recovering Paul’s wedding ring was an unbelievable relief for their massive upcoming anniversary.
Jennifer and Paul continued to praise me for making the trip out to help them, and as we stood there talking about 30 wonderful years of their lives together, my phone rang yet again.

? ??? ?? ????????????? ??? ??? ??? ?????!
The next call was for a lost wedding ring down at Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport Maine. Paul and Jennifer were incredibly generous and offered to buy Cheryl and me a round of drinks to celebrate the win, but we had to politely decline. A wedding ring had to be found, and as we always say:
“If it matters to you, it matters to us.” ❤️
So, with two successful ring recoveries already under our belts today, Cheryl and I hopped back into the vehicle and headed straight to Kennebunkport Maine. Let’s see if we can make it a hat trick! ?☘️??? ?

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Gold And Platinum Wedding Ring Lost In The Water Of Sebago Lake, Found With A Metal Detector, In Standish, Maine

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
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? SAVED FROM SEBAGO LAKE! ?

It was supposed to be the ultimate bachelor weekend getaway.
A group of lifelong friends. A stunning waterfront lake house in Standish, Maine. Perfect weather over beautiful Sebago Lake Maine. ?

But what happened next turned a perfect weekend into a full-blown emergency… ?

☀️ THE MOMENT EVERYTHING CHANGED ☀️

Nick was out in the water enjoying Sebago Lake—tossing a football, swimming, and floating around with the guys—when disaster struck.

His gold and platinum wedding ring suddenly slipped off his finger.

Before anyone could react… it disappeared beneath the surface. Gone. Just like that. ?

The panic set in immediately.

Imagine having to make that phone call to your wife from a bachelor party weekend… YIKES!!! ?

? Determined not to give up, the bachelor crew jumped into action.

They swam, waded, and searched the area themselves. Smartly, they even placed two large stones on the lake bed to mark the exact drop zone.

But finding a ring in waist- to chest-deep water is nearly impossible by hand.

Despite their best efforts… the ring was still missing.

? “WE NEED HELP…” (THIS IS WHEN WE WERE CALLED) ?

Realizing they were running out of time, Nick contacted The Ring Finders of Maine.

Cheryl and I immediately loaded up my fully waterproof metal detecting gear and headed to Standish, Maine and Sebago Lake, Maine.

When we arrived, the guys showed us the stone markers they had placed—perfect reference points.

We geared up, entered the water, and began a careful grid search.

? 10 MINUTES LATER… THIS HAPPENED ?

I swept the detector back across the marked area…

Nothing.

I adjusted slightly and continued the grid pattern.

Still nothing.

Then I turned just a bit farther left… and everything changed. ?

A clean, unmistakable signal rang out through my headphones.

I scooped the sand, swirled it in the water… and there it was.

? Nick’s gold and platinum wedding ring.

I lifted it high and said:

“Gold & platinum?”

The entire group erupted in cheers. The energy was unbelievable. ?

Nick’s relief said it all—what started as a disaster was now a full recovery.

And best of all… no dreaded phone call home needed. ?

We have the best job in the world. We love our job.

“Remember, If It Matters to You, It Matters To Us “❤️?

? TURN YOUR SOUND UP — THIS IS THE MOMENT EVERYTHING CHANGED!?

Watch the full recovery video on The Ring Finders of Maine Facebook page to hear the reaction live! ?

? LOST SOMETHING IN THE WATER OR SAND IN MAINE?

Don’t wait—and don’t try to dig it out yourself. You could push it deeper.

Call us immediately:

? Dennis: 207-423-3027
? Fully waterproof recovery equipment for lakes, ponds, rivers, and ocean surf
❤️ If it matters to you, it matters to us

 

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Father’s Gold Heirloom Wedding Ring Lost In Sebago Lake, Found With A Metal Detector, in Standish, Maine

  • from Old Orchard Beach (Maine, United States)
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? LOST HEIRLOOM ON SEBAGO LAKE! ?

? A 56-Year-Old Father’s Legacy, Saved From the Sand! ?

I received a phone call from Angela on July 8th. ?

She and her husband, Bill, had been enjoying an absolutely gorgeous Maine summer day at Rich Memorial Beach in Standish, Maine. ?️

This beach is a private beach on Sebago Lake Maine, just for Standish Maine residents. I knew this beach well from a two-ring search last summer.

? THE HEARTBREAK
Angela told me that Bill was in the water, in about three feet of water, when his wedding ring fell into the lake. ?

Bill had felt and seen the ring falling into the water but just couldn’t catch it in time. After searching the sandy area where he had been standing for over an hour, he gave up and left for home.

Angela then told me that this wedding ring is not only Bill’s, but that this ring was also Bill’s late father’s wedding ring. Bill was very concerned that the ring wouldn’t be found. ?

⏱️ RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

WOW!!! Another family heirloom lost, and I wanted to find this badly.

It was now just after 5:00 pm. By the time I loaded up my equipment and drove the 45-50 minutes up there, I wouldn’t have much time at all to search. ⏱️

Even though Bill and Angela knew the area the ring was in, it was just cutting it too close for a proper grid search before the beach closed for the day.

Rich Memorial Beach was reopening at 9:30 am in the morning. I agreed to meet them there as the beach opened and before it got busy. ?

? THE SEARCH BEGINS

Cheryl and I arrived at the beach just prior to 9:30 am. Bill and Angela were already there in the parking lot. After a few pleasantries, we all went straight down to the beach.

It was another beautiful day and the beach was not crowded yet. With only 5-6 people there, it was a perfect situation to search. ?

I wouldn’t be bothering any of the members, and the area I needed to search wouldn’t be disturbed.

If the area were full of swimmers and waders, the ring could possibly be moved to deeper water or pushed deeper into the soft sandy bottom, making a recovery more difficult.

Thankfully, we had this area of the beach to ourselves. ?

As I was putting my gear on, Bill and Angela were pointing out the area where the ring should be.

I could tell by the way Bill talked about his and his father’s ring just how much this ring meant to him. The love for his father was very obvious, and even though Bill was putting up a strong front, he wanted this family heirloom back. ❤️

Only one thing to do now—let’s go find this 56-year-old family heirloom ring! ?

? THE FIRST TARGETS

I entered Sebago Lake, and even at this early time of day, the water was very warm and comfortable. Perfect!!! ☀️

As I walked out to the area, I asked the couple a few questions. “Were you this far out? Were you this far over?”

I wanted to start just a little further to the north and just a foot or so deeper in the water than Bill had been. I would grid search from north to south, parallel with the shore. ?️

When I passed the spot Bill had been in, Bill and Angela would let me know. At that point, I would take half a step toward the shore, turn around, and then head north toward the area I started in.

The water was so very, very clear. I was hoping to see the ring on the bottom, but as we all know, once a ring is in the sand, 99% of the time you won’t see it.

As I started my first pass of the grid search, I was praying I would find this ring fast and get it back on Bill’s finger. ?

I was just a few minutes into the first pass when I received my first target. It was a nice, low tone that I had hoped to hear. ?

I took a scoop of sand and sifted it out, leaving many small rocks. I didn’t see a ring, and actually, I didn’t see any metal at all.
I rechecked the hole, and the target was gone. After searching the scoop and hole a second time, still nothing.

I surmised it was a small piece of aluminum that had made its way out of my scoop through one of the holes. That happens all the time with very small pieces of metal. ?

✨ FLASH OF GOLD!

Okay, back to the search.
I took about 2–3 steps and received another target, and this one was louder. ?

I took a scoop of sand, and as I was sifting it out and bringing it out of the water for a look, I caught a glimpse of gold! ✨

I now had the scoop out of the water, and I could see a gold ring!

I reached into the scoop, fumbling around the rocks, and grabbed the wedding ring. ?

With Bill, Angela, and Cheryl on shore, I asked, “Did you say it was yellow gold?”
I held the ring up so all could see, and Bill said, “You’re the man!” ?

WOW!!! Not even 5 minutes, and I felt great knowing Bill would be putting his and his father’s ring back on. The stress and anxiety for Bill and Angela was now over. ?

? A MOMENT OF PANIC?

As I was walking out of the water, I could see the big smiles on their faces. ?‍?‍?

When I arrived on shore, I held the ring up and said, “Is that it?”
Bill started walking toward me, looked at the ring, and said, “That’s… Oh, that’s not it.” ?

He then quickly said, as he took the ring, “Yeah, yeah, that’s it!” ?

We were all laughing at this point, and thankfully, Bill and Angela were no longer worried about this very sentimental, cherished wedding ring.

? THE POWER OF A STORY

The couple told Cheryl and me that when Bill’s father passed away many years ago, Bill received his dad’s wedding ring. ?️

When Bill and Angela were married 23 years ago, there was no question that Bill would wear his father’s ring to honor and show his love for his father.

I often mention that every ring has a story, and this ring’s story shows a love and legacy between a father and son that, after all these years, is as strong as it has ever been. ?

We are so proud to be able to help people like Bill and Angela in their time of need. We have the best job in the world. We love our job. ?

“Remember, If It Matters To You, It Matters To You, It Matters To Us”

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