Joe Au-Franz, Author at The Ring Finders | Page 25 of 36

This ring find actually began on Friday August 25th when I got a call from Daniel who lives in Sacramento California and was attending a convention on Oahu. While playing catch with a football on the beach his brother Albert caught the ball but in doing so his Gold Wedding Band flew off into the dry sand. The brothers attempted looking for it but with darkness fast approaching Aloha Security told them to call me. It was dark when I arrived but Daniel’s phone and the bright moon was enough to see what we were doing. They had drawn a grid in the sand for me prior to getting there so I was able to go to work immediately. I searched the entire grid and the ring wasn’t in it. Daniel had me expand the search towards the grass but still no ring. It couldn’t have just disappeared! I started expanding the grid search in the other direction and « Ka Pow » that signal blew my ears off. A second later and one scoop down there in the moonlight was Albert’s Gold Ring in my scoop. Daniel couldn’t believe it was so far away from where Albert had caught the ball. Albert had already left to tell his wife he lost the ring so the brothers were joking Albert just might get out of trouble tonight after they meet up at their rooms. As you can see Albert is quite the ham but happy to have his ring back. Aloha to Albert and his brothers!

This ring find began when I got a call from Steve who lives near Diamond Head on Oahu. While his son was throwing a football back to his wife on the shoreline at the beach his platinum wedding band flew off into the water. They searched with goggles for awhile but the incoming surf was too much and buried the ring. This beach is very small and Steve knew the approximate location and the details of the loss. I told him we could meet after work and hunt for his son’s ring. When we arrived Steve demonstrated what had happened and I started my search. It was only about waist deep water at the deep end but the bottom was littered with rocks that kept interfering with my detector’s sweep. I covered the area thoroughly but didn’t find the ring. Steve got a call from his wife and had to leave. There was another ring lost in this area so I decided to continue my grid search. I was seconds into the search when I got a nice tone and there was a platinum ring in my scoop that looked just like the pics Steve had shown me. Luckily he hadn’t gotten all the way down the path and I shouted his name. He turned around and I yelled I think I found your son’s ring. He came back and verified it was the one. Then he said « Joe your the real deal » Thank you very much! He was going to surprise his son and the wife I’m sure it will be a joyous surprise. Aloha to Steve!

This ring find began when I got a Facebook message from Falon who lives on Kaneohe Marine Corps Base with her husband Jeremy. I responded and Falon called and explained to me that three of her rings fell into the dry sand at Pyramid Rock Beach and they were only able to find two of the three. I told Falon it was still early enough that I would shoot over to the base and hunt for her ring. She was ecstatic that I would come so fast. Falon’s husband Jeremy met me at the base McDonald’s and then drove down to the beach. Jeremy took me to the exact spot as we could still see the finger raking marks in the sand. It was pitch black but my head mounted light was plenty candle power. In less then one minute I got a great tone and their was Falon’s ring in the scoop. Jeremy couldn’t believe his eyes and was ready to rush home and show Falon. Aloha to Falon & Jeremy!

This ring find began when I got a text from Nichole who lives in Hawaii Kai on Oahu. While she was enjoying a day at Ala Moana Beach park with her husband Keli’i and their two young sons; Keli’i asked her to hold his ring while he went in the water. She was going to secure it in her purse but got distracted and put the ring on her thumb while playing with their youngest son. At some point the ring came off and she wasn’t positive whether it was in the sand or the water. I started my grid search in the dry sand working towards the water line. A few coins, an aluminum toe ring and two pull tabs later I was at the waters edge. I told Nichole to take me to the extreme left edge of the grid and I would work towards the right. Nichole acted as my shore marker and Keli’i stood at my last dry sand mark. I worked out to waist deep water and back to the shoreline. A few more coins kept me encouraged that no other detectorist had been in the area for awhile…we had a chance. Then as Nichole and Keli’i were about to meet on the shoreline I got a great tone in between them. One scoop down and there was Keli’i’s ring. No doubt with the engraved Hawaiian style. I could tell Nichole was holding back tears. That’s OK joyous tears they would be. Aloha to Nichole & Keli’i!

This ring find began this morning at work when I got a text from Vanessa who hails from Trinidad and now lives in Honolulu. Vanessa wanted to know what I charge for finding rings as she found me on the internet. During my coffee break I told her it was reward based and it would be up to her. Since this was a dry sand hunt I told her it should be fairly simple. What happened was she was enjoying the day at the beach with her children when her daughter Adelle asked her to watch her ring. Vanessa put it in the chair pocket with her keys. After the days outing they went back to their car and Vanessa realized she had taken out her keys but the ring was no where to be found. They went back to the area but didn’t find it. I told Vanessa we could meet after I got off work and go down to the beach to find Adelle’s ring. This ring was extra special as Vanessa’s father made it for her daughter which was an identical ring her grandmother had. We drew a grid and I began the search. First leg was a dime and just as I started the second leg I got a nice low tone and there in the scoop was this fascinating hand made rosary ring. Vanessa admitted she had little hope I would find it so it was obvious she was overcome with joy. Many thank yous and a hug showed her gracious appreciation. She now has a new found faith in metal detecting and said she couldn’t wait to leave a comment. Aloha to Vanessa & Adelle!

This ring hunt began while I was about to enter Lagoon 1 on Scuba. A gentleman named Troy from Arlington, Virginia just lost his ring in waist deep water while playing catch with his sons in the water. I told him I’d give it a go once I completed the dive for another ring. After completing the dive without a find it felt good to find Troy’s ring just about where he thought it had fallen off. Quick & Easy! Aloha to Troy!

This ring find began on July 24th when I got a call from Darian who lives in Fairfield, California. While enjoying the day at the resort with her boyfriend Jon, Darian put her rings in the chair pocket and when she left forgot about them until she got back to their room. She & Jon went back to the beach but couldn’t find the rings in the sand and that’s when Darian called me. She was leaving the next afternoon so texted me some photos and a video of the approximate area she thought the rings would have fallen out. I got to the resort around 2PM and started a grid search. I found the gold dolphin ring fairly quickly but the silver ring never showed itself. We’re guessing that one was spotted and taken. I was able to text Darian the half good news before her flight took off and promised to look one more time for the silver ring which I still didn’t find. In any case the Gold Dolphin ring is back in California with Darian and she was very happy for that. Aloha to Darian & Jon!

This ring find began when I got a call from David who was visiting Hawaii and staying at the Turtle Bay Resort. The family is from Las Vegas, Nevada and they went to the beach to take some family photos. While there David’s daughter Emma lost here silver ring he gave to her years ago in the dry sand. After a period of time searching they googled « lost ring » and that’s where I came in. The 50 mile drive to Turtle Bay is an epic North Shore cruise I enjoy doing and I made it there in about an hour and a half. David took me to the area and on the second leg of the grid there was his daughter Emma’s ring. Quick recovery happy daughter & father. Aloha to David & Emma.

This ring find began when I got a call from Kim on the beach at Hale Koa hotel. She called to say she was helping Alison who just had her Engagement Ring fall off into the King Tide surf along the shoreline and was frantically searching for it. I asked Kim if she could put Alison on the phone so I could get some details. Alison had been crying awhile but she finally calmed down enough to give me the details as to what happened and the ring. I told her to relax on the beach and I would get there as fast as I could. Rush hour traffic was just starting but I was able to get there in 20 minutes. Alison’s fiancee Spencer met me at the Atlantis pier and took me down to the area of the beach the ring came off. He also told me that they were visiting from St. Petersburg, Florida. Alison was in the water diving down trying to find the ring and had been doing that for quite awhile. I told her to relax on the beach and to let me conduct my search. She told me while her and Spencer were sitting in the shallow water a wave came in and took her ring away. She was fairly certain the wave had pulled her ring seaward. I decided to search the low tide mark and expand from there. I immediately found a pull tab and continued on. Another target sounded really good but it ended up being a metal button. Then the detector ran silent for over 40 minutes. There were absolutely no other targets. Alison knew exactly where she was in the water but the ring wasn’t there. I was at the point of total exhaustion working in the King Tide surf and I told Alison & Spencer I would try one more grid search then would have to comeback in the morning when the tide would be at its lowest. As I walked towards the water swinging my detector I got an awesome tone and there in the wet sand one scoop down was Alison’s stunning engagement ring. The surf actually threw her ring up onto the sand rather then into the water as she had thought. No matter the ring was safely back on her finger in a microsecond. Overcome by the joy Alison couldn’t stop crying and thanking me for finding her ring. What a relief I felt as tourists along the beach that had been watching the search erupted into applause. We had a celebratory drink at the beach bar and met some retired Navy folks from Virginia who joined us in the celebration. They told us they said a little prayer that the ring would be found…my belief is prayers work wonders. Aloha to Alison & Spencer!

This ring find began while I was on the hunt for a Silver Heirloom ring at Ala Moana Beach Park. I was hunting the shoreline rocks when a gentleman came over to me and asked if I could find a young ladies ring that just fell off in about waist deep water. Knowing this other ring find was going to require clear water and scuba I said sure I’ll be right over. There were about 20 people in the murky water diving down looking for the ring thinking the sun might glint off the diamond. I couldn’t even see my coil in the water. High tide and at the end of the day this beach is cloudy with barely 1 foot visibility. I went in the water to meet the young lady and found out the whole group were members of the Triathlete Club « Boca Hawaii ». I found Kristen and her husband Brad who live in Honolulu and are from Buffalo, New York. While Kristen was doing some swim training she went to adjust her Engagement Ring and it fell off into the murky water and disappeared. I started a grid search but so many people were in the way I asked Brad if he and Kristen could remain in the water and have everyone else clear the area. The evacuation went off without a hitch and I had Brad & Kristen be my grid markers as we did a proper search without all the distractions. We searched from East to West and on about the 7th leg no more then a few feet from Kristen I got a great tone and in one scoop I saw Kristen’s ring. I walked over to her and let her pull the ring out of the scoop. She was so happy and shocked at the same time and tears began to flow. Another successful recovery and for such a wonderful couple. Aloha to Kristen & Brad.