GeekyBeach

GeekyBeach

Metal Detecting Lost Item Recovery & Lessons

Category: RingFinders

Hillside Ring Recovery

I received a call on the evening of Jan. 3, 2023 from a man whose wedding ring fell off on his property – a steep hillside home. He had searched…

I received a call on the evening of Jan. 3, 2023 from a man whose wedding ring fell off on his property – a steep hillside home. He had searched for a while and was hoping a metal detector would make the job easier.

It was already dark, but with an enormous winter storm predicted for the following day, there was a bit of urgency to find it quickly before heavy rain could wash it farther down the hill. Though it would be dark and the hill already damp from prior rain, I decided to venture out equipped with headlamps and hope.

What happened?

He was unloading groceries from the trunk of his car when the ring flew off his hand and started rolling down the driveway. He managed to see it happen and watched the ring, figuring it would stop on the concrete. Nope! His ring apparently had a daredevil streak – it launched itself off the concrete over the side of the road and down the hill next to the home.

I brought my Minelab CTX3030 and Equinox 800 (Minelab Metal Detectors ). When I arrived, he had assistance from three other men who were exploring the slope. As a transplant only one year ago from flatter than flat parts of the country, I’m still new to and intimidated by hills. I offered to give a quick lesson on the lightweight Equinox since they were far more adept with the hillside than I would be.

I set up the Equinox properly for the situation and target, and gave one of the gentlemen a crash course: easy…listen for the bleep! Then off he went down the hill while I checked out another spot that was easier to access. Within about 10 minutes or so, I heard the happy words: “Found it!”

Mens wedding ring shown in the hand of its owner after recovery on hillside.

My box lantern illuminates the owner’s hand after his ring was recovered.

Because they had all been searching for probably a couple hours, this was a major relief and exciting moment. I was particularly happy that even though I didn’t find it myself, I was able to bring the joy and excitement of metal detecting to another person. And of course relief to the ring owner!

It was a smart move by the ring owner to call someone with the right tool, and the experience to set it up quickly and properly for the situation.

This goes for many parts of life – not just for metal detecting. We can often feel like trying to handle obstacles on our own either personally or professionally. The additional help along with a metal detector made the recovery happen much quicker. And in my case, handing off the detector to someone with better hill skills!

There is perhaps no better example than asking you to imagine the last time you tried to DIY something in your home and it wasn’t as simple as you thought. Plumbing quickly comes to mind for me. I’m sure we all have examples from our professional lives as well.

In this case and so many others, it’s worth calling on your fellow villagers for assistance!

Lose something special? Call a RingFinder! RingFinders is a global directory of metal detectorists just like me who can help you recover lost metal objects.

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Is it in the trash?

In mid July, I was contacted by a couple who lives just about 15 minutes down the highway. The husband had lost his wedding band somewhere on their property, and…

In mid July, I was contacted by a couple who lives just about 15 minutes down the highway. The husband had lost his wedding band somewhere on their property, and they had reason to believe it might be in the trash.

The scene: Husband and wife were cooking dinner in the kitchen. Dealing with chicken, husband takes off ring for the nasty parts.

It was only later after the meal was over and the kitchen cleaned that he realized “oh no…where’s my ring??”
They spent all night looking for it and didn’t want to put the cans out for pickup unless they felt confident that his gold ring wasn’t in there, so they contacted me the next day to help!

I drove out to meet them, and we all searched through the contents of the trash looking for any potential gold signal from my metal detector.

During the process, it started looking like the ring wasn’t in the trash, so I went through my list of usual questions: Did they check the sink drain? Vacuum bag? Leftover containers? Other normal spots he might set it down?
They hadn’t found it anywhere. This was their last hope.

Unfortunately, we didn’t find it either. No signals in the trash that weren’t just foil. It’s always hard to leave without locating the ring. 🙁

A little over a month later I got a text message: “Hi Laura – happy to let you know we found the ring! It was tucked away in between the pages of a cookbook and feel out when we took it off the shelf.”

Even when you think you’ve exhausted all the possibilities, leave it to life to present you with the unexpected. And maybe a new favorite recipe.

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Claddagh Ring Recovered in Alameda, California

Trevor contacted me about losing a special anniversary ring on Robert Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda, California on June 6, 2022. It was a Claddagh ring – a traditional Irish…

Trevor contacted me about losing a special anniversary ring on Robert Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda, California on June 6, 2022.

It was a Claddagh ring – a traditional Irish ring in which a heart represents love, the crown stands for loyalty, and two clasped hands symbolize friendship. The couple each has one.

Trevor worked hard to piece together the details of where they were sitting, and approximately how far out in the water they were when it slipped off.

I’m so glad Trevor found my site and that I was able to recover it so it can continue being cherished. Always give it a try – you might have luck on your side! 🍀

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 🖤

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Diamond Engagement Ring Recovered – Stinson Beach, California

Jillian contacted me about her engagement ring that went missing on the beach over the weekend. She had a great idea of where it might be and was able to…

Jillian contacted me about her engagement ring that went missing on the beach over the weekend. She had a great idea of where it might be and was able to direct me to the probable location.

She also took the initiative to call the lifeguard tower, local beach cafe, and anywhere else she could imagine it may have been lost. Smart!

I hit the road with my trusty Minelab metal detector and created a search grid on the beach. I like to use a “narrowing” approach when the area is fairly large. I marked off a perimeter and did some diagonal crosses and W patterns near the likely spots first. For example, she mentioned sitting fairly close to the dunes, but not on them. The dunes create a natural upward slope “chair” when sitting on the beach, so it would make sense for someone to set down a bag on the slope and have it tip over.

Within about an hour and a half, after pulling up every pop tab and piece of aluminum trash on the planet (at least that’s what it felt like!), I finally found her lovely gold diamond engagement ring! What a dazzler!! The bright sunny day made it sparkle. I let out an audible “YES!” for an audience of no one! But it was still thrilling.

I called her right away so she could breathe a little easier, and we met up later that evening to get it back on her hand where it belongs.

I enjoyed getting to know the happy couple and I wish them well on their upcoming wedding and travels. I’m glad they found The RingFinders and my website Geekybeach.com so I could help, and so happy it turned out positive.

Returning a special item is a great feeling and it’s a big part of what many metal detectorists enjoy about the hobby. Have you ever lost a valuable item? Be sure to contact me if you need help!

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RingFinders in San Francisco

A story posted by SFGATE, the digital home of the San Francisco Chronicle, features metal detectorists in the city who have helped locals find their lost items through the website…

A story posted by SFGATE, the digital home of the San Francisco Chronicle, features metal detectorists in the city who have helped locals find their lost items through the website RingFinders.

Just like the detectorists listed in the story, Marshall Smith and James Badgett, I am also listed on the RingFinders website. I have been listed there for several years now, originally in the Miami, Florida area. You can see some of my stories on geekybeach.com, like an amazing ring recovered for a Florida tourist!

Now that I have relocated to San Francisco bay area, I am listed for Stinson Beach, which is a common tourist beach location in Marin County.

Be sure to view the story, because there are some really great photos and stories from the detectorists featured!

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Diamond Ring Recovered on Haulover Beach, Florida

A beachgoer in Miami Florida contacted me early morning on May 12, 2021 to recover a diamond ring lost the night before. She was a wreck searching for the ring…

A beachgoer in Miami Florida contacted me early morning on May 12, 2021 to recover a diamond ring lost the night before. She was a wreck searching for the ring and couldn’t sleep. Fortunately, she kept track of her position on the beach and we met before sunrise on Haulover Beach in Miami, Florida, USA.

It was a quick search in the dry sand near the tide line and within about 15 minutes, the ring was found and returned to the owner just as the sun broke through the clouds at the horizon.

Beautiful morning and a great way to start the day for this young lady who thought fast, did a web search and found theringfinders.com!

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Sapphire Earring Recovered

Tatiana found my listing on theRingFinders.com and called on the evening of May 5, 2021 for a little help. It’s a special item to her and fortunately she and her…

Sapphire earring recovered successfully!

Tatiana found my listing on theRingFinders.com and called on the evening of May 5, 2021 for a little help. It’s a special item to her and fortunately she and her husband made great notes about where they were and what happened when it was lost. They were able to point me in the right direction!

It’s not always easy to find lost items, especially earrings. This one was rather large, and only recently lost. After a short search, I was so happy to see it in my scoop! Now it’s back where it belongs for more adventures with its matching pair.

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Lost Men’s Wedding Ring Recovered in Hallandale Beach, Florida

It was a lovely spring day in Florida with beaches full again after many months of COVID-19 restrictions. A young woman called me and explained that the prior day, her…

It was a lovely spring day in Florida with beaches full again after many months of COVID-19 restrictions. A young woman called me and explained that the prior day, her husband had lost his wedding ring on Hallandale Beach in Hallandale, Florida.

It was an “oops” moment that they discovered only after they made it back home and they knew it was on the beach because he had stored the ring in the cup holder of the chair and then shook out the sand before going home. Easy to forgive as the couple has a lovely young baby to care for!

I made my way to the beach and recreated their approximate location from photos they had taken while on the beach. We communicated during the process and I found my way right to the correct spot. Two other couples were on the beach relaxing, so I was sure to let them know why I was invading their space!

Just as she described, the ring was just under the surface after about 45 minutes of searching within the area.

I’m glad they used RingFinders and found me. They were smart to remember details about what happened and where they were. It made the search much quicker!

The sentiment shared with me when it was returned was, “Nuestro amor contra viento y marea.” The meaning of the phrase is our love against wind and tide or against all odds. ❤️ I wish them all the best in their future!

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Recovery Story: Heirloom Diamond Ring

I was just beginning my day when I received a call from Mousha – she told me that she lost her precious heirloom diamond ring the previous day on the…

I was just beginning my day when I received a call from Mousha – she told me that she lost her precious heirloom diamond ring the previous day on the beach after getting tumbled by the waves at the shoreline. I dressed in my warm swimming gear and biked to her location at the nearby lifeguard tower.

She had a very good description of where she had been sitting, swimming, and approximately where she was when the waves got a little rough. Her brother helped her estimate about how far away she had been from their sitting location when she was in the water. That description was incredibly helpful for coming up with a search plan.

I started with a W pattern along the high tide line down to the churn of the current tide first. Because the tide was moving out, I planned to move deeper into the water if nothing turned up in the wet sand. When someone shares a story of how they think their ring fell off, it’s important to listen closely and ask a lot of questions.

“I sat and prayed and she went out to begin her mission. I literally had no hope for her to find it but I was flabbergasted by her genuine niceness and her willingness to look.” – Mousha, Ring Owner

About an hour into the wet sand search, my CTX 3030 came back with a very solid signal…

I scooped about 8 inches of sand which contained the target, so I moved up to avoid the waves. As I spread out the sand from the scoop, I was thrilled to see the shape of a ring on its side. I picked it out of the sand, cleaned it off, and sure enough..it was a beautiful ring just as she described. I grabbed my gear, marked the spot in the sand and ran back to join her near the guard tower. She couldn’t miss the huge smile on my face as I had her describe it one more time…then I revealed it to her.

The beautiful family heirloom ring designed by Mousha

That moment – the moment when I see someone’s face light up – is what it’s all about for me. That item had so much meaning to her, it’s not just a valuable ring, it’s a piece of her life and heart. I loved hearing her describe the meaning. She had designed the ring herself using scrap pieces of gold and diamonds that belonged to her mother and grandmother.

She later shared that she felt like a part of her heart was drifting in the ocean. Now she has this connection to her mother and grandmother back with her where it belongs. I’m very glad that she found Ring Finders with the help of her brother and decided to take a chance and give me a call!

Ring owner, Mousha, wearing her family heirloom ring again right after finding it.

“The waves were very strong and I found myself tumbling in the strong current near the shore. When I got back to our spot I realized that my precious ring that I had designed using scrap pieces of gold, and diamonds from the pieces that were left to me by my mother and grandmother, was gone. You can only imagine how sad I felt missing what I held close to my heart so I always feel connected to my mother may she rest in peace. (Hence the reason I wore it to the beach because I never take it off). I searched the beach for hours and left feeling like a part of my heart was drifting in the ocean.” – Mousha, Ring Owner

Back on her hand in about an hour-long search.

So how do rings that seem tight come off in the ocean?

I hear so often that they can’t imagine a ring that is so tightly fit would just come off. Temperature of the water makes a big difference. If you are in chilly water, your hands are going to shrink up a little. Just enough to potentially make it easier to get rings off. Then if you are splashing around or get caught up in the sand and waves, the friction can just grab it without you even noticing.

I always share that it would be best to leave them at home, but if you’re traveling it can be scary to not have them on you. So at the very least, engraving your precious items can mean if you lose them it’s easier to know that it belongs to you. Some people use things like this ring protector that can be worn to help prevent loss. It might look a little goofy, but the feeling of losing it is worse!

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Lost Gold Engagement Ring Found in Miami, Florida

The beach had only recently re-opened from COVID-19 closures when I received a call from a couple who had just lost an engagement ring and the day was turning to…

The beach had only recently re-opened from COVID-19 closures when I received a call from a couple who had just lost an engagement ring and the day was turning to night quickly!

I hopped on my bike and met them during the beginning of twilight and they explained the scenario. The ring was flung from their towel while packing up to go home. They immediately knew it happened and decided to rake around in the sand. They couldn’t find it themselves and that’s when they found theringfinders.com and gave me a call.

The rake they borrowed from the lifeguard tower probably made the search a bit harder – pushing sand around and increasing the potential for it to have moved or become buried further.

We only had about 30 minutes before it would be completely dark, so I made note of the area in case I would have to return the next morning. The area was also full of junk signals, so it was a challenge to determine how this very thin gold ring would sound among all the pop tabs.

They had just left me to return to their car when it popped out of the sand – using my headlamp to see and confirm, I called them back to the beach and return it to her hand.

We couldn’t manage to get a nice photo in the dark and unfortunately lost touch when they returned home, but they were so happy to have this ring back where it belongs. They are a little shy about appearing in a photo for me, so unfortunately I only have a blurry night photo.

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