Diamond Ring Found and Returned in the Sand at Kukio Beach, Big Island, Hawaii

Jacqueline called me and I could hear in her voice she was feeling almost sick to her stomach.

It was her – and her extended family’s – first day in Hawaii and they’d gone to a tiny beach in the exclusive Kokio area to enjoy the ocean.

She’d noticed her wedding and engagement rings were loose, so carefully took them off – and also took Jayce’s wedding band – and placed them all in a pocket in her bag under the tree her large family was sheltering under.

She was thinking about the rings for a long time while enjoying the water and sunbathing – and sure enough, when she checked they were safe-and-sound, saw that her diamond ring was missing! How could it have fallen out?!

Her husband Jayce and other relatives of the family looked for hours through the sand under the little tree where they had lost the ring. Carefully they made a pile of stones and debris outside the area Jacqueline had been in, as they carefully sifted the sand with their fingers.

When they called me, they’d all but given up hope. I got there just an hour before sunset so got right to work. I decided to search where they were sure she’d lost it. Carefully, I made a careful search, being sure not to leave an inch uncovered. Every time I dug, Jacqueline’s father came over to inspect, disappointed over and over at the pennies and other junk I uncovered. Jacqueline couldn’t watch the repeated false alarms.

As I often do, I expanded my search area beyond where the ring is « sure to be ». I carefully searched the pile of rubble they’d made and listened carefully in case it was under it. « It’s not going to be there, » a few of them said as I got even further from the tree.

Then…I heard gold in the headphones and looked at her father. Jacqueline’s sister saw the look too and I dug with my sand scoop, ran over to see. On my third scoop, a diamond wedding ring…! Her father reached in and pulled it out. Suddenly they were all clapping and laughing – « It wasn’t there all along! » They almost cried in unison!