As I was driving home, from Standish, Maine, I received a text, from Liz. Liz had lost a very sentimental ring, in Ogunquit, Maine, earlier that morning. Unfortunately, she had to leave Ogunquit , to return home. Liz lives in Brooklyn, NY and had been visiting her mother, for a birthday weekend, in Ogunquit. She had found my name, after the Ogunquit Town Manager had referred her to The Ring Finders website. It was now late morning, October 5th, when I pulled over and immediately called Liz. Liz told me that earlier in the morning, as she was walking to the beach, for her daily swim, she was taking her ring off, when she suddenly dropped it. Now, when Liz told me that I thought it should be a fairly easy recovery, as long as she wasn’t in the water and the tide was coming in. Liz then told me that she dropped the ring, while walking across a footbridge. The ring had hit the footbridge and the fell through the gaps, between the boards, of the footbridge. Liz then told me that as soon as the ring disappeared , under the bridge, she and her brother, made their way, over some treacherous rocks and searched for the ring. Neither Liz or her brother were able to find the ring, on the rocks, below the bridge. Liz then sent me a photo of the footbridge and circleld the area, where she was at, when the ring was lost. She also texted the following
“I’m so sorry you have to climb down there — my brother and I did this morning and it wasn’t too bad but if it looks, too treacherous, we’ll call off the search!
It definitely fell through the cracks closer to the ocean side
It was at least 10 feet into the bridge and definitely before the bridge makes that slight turn”
I told Liz that I would be in Ogunquit, in an hour or so, as I had to go home and get my metal detecting equipment, prior to driving to Ogunquit. So, I retrieved my equipment and headed to Ogunquit, but not before checking the tide chart. I didn’t want to get there and see that the tide had come up under the bridge or even come up later, and strand me under the bridge. Thankfully, the tide was working in our favor. I would have plenty of time, to search for Liz’s ring, without having to worry about the tide, coming in. Once I arrived in Ogunquit, I couldn’t believe all the people in town. It was October but the temperature was already 79 degrees and heading to the mid 80”s. A beautiful day. Parking was at a premium and I saw that right next to Wharf Lane, where the footbridge was located, was a motel. I noticed that Sea Chambers Motel, had quite a few parking spaces available and I went in to ask if I could park there, while searching for a lost ring. One of the employees, behind the desk, knew of The Ring Finders of Maine and was happy to let me park, while I searched, under the bridge. She told me that it was offseason but in the summer, when they are booked full, they wouldn’t have any spaces for me. No problem, I was very grateful for their kindness.
After parking, I arrived at the footbridge a few minutes later. I took some photos from atop and below the footbridge. I sent a photo from above and below, to Liz and asked her if I was in the correct location. She drew a circle, on the top of the footbridge and stated, “Like fell down right around there” The second photo, from below, she also circled and said, “I pray I’m right but I’d say right in and around there”.
I made my way to the drawn circle, under the bridge. Once I arrived at that location, I was surprised at how much vegetation was under the bridge. I immediately started a metal detecting search but wasn’t able to locate Liz’s ring. I was trying to be careful, on the rocks but lost my footing, a few times, so I decided to just slow down and perform a search, north to south, horizontal with the footbridge. If I wasn’t able to find the ring this way, I would then swing the coil from east to west. This way, I would be able to watch my footing better. As I finished my north to south search, I still had not found the ring. I decided to go one more section, to the north, on the chance the ring had hit a rock and bounced further up the footbridge. There was also the chance that Liz was a little off, on where she had lost the ring. That’s why I always expand the search, when it isn’t found, where it is thought to be. The results of the next section were no different, from the first two sections, I had searched. I then thought that the ring could have possibly hit a rock and ended up out in the wet seaweed. I decided to search the seaweed and grass, away from the bridge and work my way to the south. Again, the ring wasn’t found in the seaweed and grass. I would now do an east to west search of the area, under the footbridge. As I finished the second section, still no ring. I started the third section and about half way through the section, I heard a very faint sound but it wasn’t repeating and was most likely not the ring. I took a step up under the bridge, so I could see better. When I looked behind the rock, I couldn’t believe it. It was Liz’s ring, just sitting there. But, Why didn’t I find it the first time through? My guess is that the rock, that the ring was hiding behind, didn’t let the coils electromagnetic field to be “seen”. Quite possibly, I just missed it, while trying to maintain my footing. Either way, didn’t matter. I now had the ring and sent Liz a photo of it, saying “Congratulations”. Liz immediately replied
“OH MY GOD
Dennis!!!!
I am so so so happy and relieved!
My mum lives at ** ******* Street and the back porch is open —
I could also come get it from you next time I’m in Maine (end of October)
Oh man, I am so beyond grateful!!!”
Now I personally don’t like going inside someone’s home, porch, garage, whichever it may be , without someone there. I told Liz we could definitely meet at the end of October and she can get her ring back, at that point. I would put the ring in my safe , until Liz returned in approximately 3-4 weeks. Liz was absolutely fine with that. She then sent me another text
“Amazing amazing amazing
Thank you”
Now fast forward to today, Halloween. Cheryl and I drove back down to Ogunquit, to meet Liz and return her ring. Liz is in town again, to visit her mother. We met at Mornings in Paris, right there on Main street in Ogunquit. Liz was all smiles as Cheryl and I walked in to the restaurant. Liz said she was very excited to get her ring back and just didn’t feel right, without it. When I asked Liz what the ring meant to her she told us that the ring had actually belonged to her best friend’s grandmother. Her friend’s grandmother had a very big influence on Liz, as she was growing up. Liz would often borrow the ring, from the grandmother and wear it. The ring had a very special connection, a connection that made a bind, between Liz and her friend’s grandmother. When the grandmother passed way, years ago, the family wanted Liz to have this special ring and gifted the ring, to Liz, for her birthday. Liz was overwhelmed with joy, when she received the ring. The ties that bind these two women, were now in Liz’s possession forever, keeping their special memories and relationship going strong. It is such a great feeling to be able to reunite these extremely sentimental, lost rings to the rightful owner. It’s truly the best feeling in the world.
Another ring back on the owners finger and served with a reciprocal smile. We have the best job, in the world.
Great Story!