Dockside Wedding Ring Recovery, Mantoloking NJ, recovered by Edward Trapper, NJ Ring Finder

Dockside Wedding Ring Recovery After 3 Weeks Under Ice

While enjoying a vacation in Mexico, I noticed a Facebook post from a gentleman named Tom who was desperately searching for help recovering his wedding ring. The ring had bounced off the end of his dock while he was feeding the seagulls and disappeared into the river below.

I reached out and let him know I would gladly help once I returned home. Tom said that would be fine and planned to contact me in about a week.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.

Shortly after the loss, we went into a deep freeze and both the river and bay froze solid for nearly three weeks. The ring sat beneath the ice the entire time.

Once conditions improved, Tom contacted me and we carefully went over all the details — water depth, bottom composition, current conditions, and any obstacles near the dock. He mentioned there were a few rocks at the end of the pier where the ring had fallen. I didn’t anticipate that being much of an issue.

But when I arrived and suited up, I quickly realized there were far more than “a few rocks.”

For quite some time, the family had been tossing softball-sized rocks off the end of the dock, unknowingly creating what looked like an artificial reef directly below where the ring had fallen. The rocks were piled high at the exact drop zone.

Thankfully, I received a strong signal almost immediately — and it was the only signal in the area. The target was located right at the edge of the rock pile.

Working carefully, I had to move several rocks by hand in frigid water to isolate the signal. After six to eight precise scoops — making sure no rocks interfered — I finally lifted the scoop and saw gold.

Tom stood there in disbelief as his wedding ring emerged from the water.

We were extremely fortunate the ring had landed on the outer edge of the rock pile. Had it fallen deeper into the center of the stones, this recovery would have been far more complicated.

A successful recovery after three weeks under ice — and a great way to start the new year.