Recovery and Return #76, for The Ring Finders of Maine
As my wife and I were on a 13 mile bike ride, I saw I had a Facebook PM, from an hour earlier, from Jessie. It said
“Hi!! My bf lost a ring in the residential area of Old Orchard Beach, Maine (near puffin st). Could you help us located it please? It’s circled in Red”.
I asked her a few questions about the location of where the ring was lost and she replied,
“The ring was lost very close to the house (Puffin St) on the beach. Right near the walkway to the road”.
Jessie then told me she was at work and her boyfriend, Matt would be calling me with more information. Matt call a few minutes later and told me that the ring would be in front of his Uncles house, on Puffin St, just 10 to 20 yards, out on the beach, going towards the water. The previous day, Sunday, September 15th, Matt and his cousins were throwing a football around, on the beach and Matt felt the ring come off, after throwing the football . Everyone in the group searched, for the ring, but it was already under the sand and out of sight.
Matt then sent me a photo of the ring and a photo, with a circled area, in which Matt was confident the ring would be in. Matt wasn’t sure just how far the ring flew off his finger, but was sure, it would be in the circle. Matt asked me if I could get down there in the next two or three days and search for his ring, he would appreciate it. I told Matt that I wasn’t waiting and would be searching, within a 1/2 hour, after finishing talking with him. A ring lost on the beach, should be searched for asap and as it was now, a full day has passed. If the beach cleaning machine had cleaned the beach already, the ring was probably lost forever. Another possibility is that another metal detectorist may have found it already. I just needed to get there asap and search.
When I arrived at the location, I saw that the beach had not been cleaned, by the beach rake. That was a huge relief. I decided to start at mid beach and grid the area, south to north , working my way towards the house. This was decided as I was communicating with Matt. I was on the beach and sending Matt photos, of the area, to try and verify the area, as best as we could. Once Matt told me
“That’s the house and spot, though it won’t be far from that location. Perfect!!! It would be closer to the houses, than the water, but that should do the trick”.
Now with the location verified, I started the grid search. I was finding very few targets as I was going along. A few pull tabs, a piece of foil and 1 quarter. The beach was very clean. After 35-40 minutes of searching and as I worked my was towards the houses, I finally received a really good target, right in the area, Matt had been throwing the football around. A very loud high tone and a 12-45/46 on my Minelab CDX-3030 VDI screen. Absolutely in the Sterling Silver range or possibly another quarter. I pulled my pinpointer out and stuck it into the sand. As I was moving it back and forth, Matt’s Sterling Silver ring with a blue and a white turquoise stone popped up and became visible to me. I didn’t even need to dig it, as it was barely under the surface. Wow, I knew Matt would be extremely happy and I sent him a text saying, “How does it feel”? Matt replied “Pardon”? I then sent Matt a photo of his ring, still in the sand, exactly as I found it, with the pinpointer. Matt then replied
“OMG! You’re incredible!!!!!. My deepest and endless thanks my friend. WOW! You’re a legend, for real”.
I sent back two laughing emojis 🤣😂
We then made plans to meet at my house, the next night, as Matt was going to be in Saco, Maine anyways. When Matt did arrive he was so polite and thankful and to,d me the ring was very special because it was a gift, from his girlfriend, Jessie. I am just so happy to have been able to help him, in his time of need. Being retired gives me the flexibility to leave anytime and search. I was afraid of the beach rake getting the ring but it all worked out and Matt now has the ring back on his finger and a smile, ear to ear.
S
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