Rob Ellis, Author at The Ring Finders

SCUBA Diver Returns Gold Ring, Swift Creek Reservoir, Midlothian VA

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
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Found and returned a white gold wedding ring, Swift Creek Reservoir, Midlothian VA.

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Found May 20th, 2023.

Newlywed Bailey was fishing from his grandmother’s dock. He shook off some weeds from his fingers and his wedding ring flew off. When the ring came off, Bailey saw in slow motion how it flew into the water. The family searched near the dock to no avail. Bailey’s mother Susan contacted me and asked for my help. It would be a couple of weeks before I could arrange my schedule for a search. But I knew the ring was not going anywhere.

The Search Area

Getting Ready

My son and I arrived at the lovely lakefront home and assessed how to conduct the search. My son helped me that day by hauling equipment, advising, and acting as my safety diver. At first, we tried searching in the four to five feet deep water using an Equinox 900 and a scoop. After twenty minutes, it became apparent there were an incredible amount of metal targets. When I asked Bailey’s dad why there was so much metal, he explained that many years ago, there may have been an old boat sunk and dismantled near the dock. Although the visibility was very poor in the shallow water, I decided to SCUBA dive. This allowed me to work around branches, rocks, and pinpoint shallow targets faster. Every target I found in the white gold identification range had to be investigated. It was a slow four hours for everyone on the dock, but I finally found the ring!

Bailey Smiles

It was gratifying to hand the ring to Bailey. My son captured the moment when Bailey was handed what he had thought was lost forever.

For my Ringfinder friends, this white gold ring hit at a solid 22 VDI on the Equinox 900.

 

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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Glasses recovered SCUBA diving, EZ Cruz Marina, Woodbridge VA by Rob Ellis

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
Contact:

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Recovered By Master SCUBA Instructor Rob Ellis

 

Found May 16th, 2023

Erik was enjoying the day at EZ Cruz Marina, when a gust of wind took his hat and prescription glasses. With help from his friends, Erik tried using a long-handled net to scoop the glasses. Visibility, rocks, and depth made netting his glasses impossible. Sharon, the manager from EZ-Cruz marina, remembered that I recovered a ring last year and gave Erik my contact information.

A weighted Drop Line for Reference

When Erik called, he told me exactly how and where the glasses entered the water. He even sent me photos with drawings.

Gear Preparation

 

My divemaster (AKA: my wonderful wife) and I checked in with the marina office. We assessed the conditions and finalized how to conduct the search. We dropped a weighted “down line” from the dock to mark the center of the search area where the glasses fell into the water. The easiest entry was from the shore, with a hundred-yard swim. We attached a safety rope after reviewing tender-diver signals.

 

 

 

Most dock bottoms have a lot of metal debris, so I tethered the detector at the surface for my first search by gentle touch and use of a Garrett Pinpointer.

As I descended into the murky water, I lost all visibility at about 5 feet. I hit bottom at about twelve feet, and it was dark, very dark. Even my flashlight wouldn’t penetrate the murky water. I very carefully used my fingertips and pinpointer with a search pattern using the drop line as a reference. Within just a few minutes, I felt a pair glasses and carefully put them in my bag. There are always a lot of sunglasses around docks, and I wasn’t sure these were Erik’s. I ascended, gave the bag to my wife who compared them to a picture Erik had provided. She told me they were the right ones by signaling me the OK sign.

Manager Sharon from EZ Cruz Marina

Erik Smiling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were so glad to return Erik’s glasses. The actual search by touch took less than ten minutes. But the preparation, planning for the search & recovery, and clean-up took several hours. It was worth it to return such a nice young man’s glasses.

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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Platinum Ring, Lost 5 months, Found and Returned, Fairfax, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
Contact:

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Found May 15th, 2023

Will Smiles!

Last fall, Will was doing yard work when he realized his ring was missing. He had been mowing his beautiful yard and thought it might have slipped off while emptying the grass catcher. While he was reading Reddit articles, Will came across one mentioning one of my recoveries. He texted me, and we set an appointment on a lovely day to conduct a search.

Search Area

There It Is!

 

 

Will showed me where he dumped his grass clippings in his back yard. There were a number of reasonable target IDs in the area, and each one had to be identified. After a long search through the piles of debris with a rake and shovel, I expanded the area to go under low tree branches and around large stones. Finally, I heard a clean signal (with a VDI of 15). Gently scraping the leaves away, the ring appeared!

 

Will’s Platinum Ring

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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Gold Diamond Ring, Lost and Found, Woodbridge, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
Contact:

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Found January 7th, 2023

Roadside Diamond Ring Found!

On December 29th, Cole was driving home late at night along a winding road in Woodbridge, Virginia. He tossed out a cigarette butt and his beautiful new diamond ring unexpectedly flew off his finger into a roadside ditch. He saw the rings trajectory, stopped, and looked for the ring to no avail. The next day he called me, and we set up a time to meet so he could show me the area and I could begin the search.

Search Area Next to Busy Road

 

 

The ditch is close to a busy, winding road. I wore my yellow safety vest, used warning reflectors, and turned on the emergency flashers on my SUV. The ditch had a lot of debris, and the search was slow. After a few hours, it was getting too dark to continue. I told Cole not to be discouraged as I would schedule another search as soon as possible.

As Cole drove off, I discovered my SUV battery was dead! Apparently, emergency flashers on newer cars drain the battery much faster than the cars I grew up with. I couldn’t even open my electric hatchback to access the jumper cables. Thankfully my heroine, Mrs.E., came to my rescue with a portable jump starter.

On January 7th, I returned to the ditch to continue the search. After two more hours of searching, I found the ring deep in the debris. I texted Cole with the great news, and we met so I could return his beautiful ring!

Cole and Ring Reunited!

 

Some technical data for Ray, Brian, and my other Ring Finder friends: 10K, weight 7.8g, Equinox 800 TID=16, Deus 2 TID=71.

 

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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Gold Class Ring, Lost and Found, Fairfax, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
Contact:

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Area Marked with String of Lights

Jennifer’s Ring

Recent graduate Jennifer was home from college, putting up a string of outdoor holiday lights when she felt her class ring slip off. She immediately searched the tall grass but couldn’t find the ring. She took the string of lights and made a ten-foot circle around the area and called me.

Thanks to Jennifer’s quick thinking, the successful recovery took only moments!

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

 

Jennifer:)

 

 

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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August 2022: Found and returned two phones lost kayaking in Occoquan River.

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
Contact:

I’m a Search and Recovery expert with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Click Here for the Video Link!

Patrick and Kelly were regular renters of kayaks from Penguin Paddling, in Occoquan Virginia. Even though they were familiar with the river, disaster struck when there was an unexpected current. The kayak flipped and their phones sank. Patrick called and told me how one of the phones contained

The Dive Site

their wedding planning information. The wedding was only weeks away, and the information was irreplaceable.

Dive 1: Mrs. Ellis (my safety diver) and I met Patrick and as there was no shore entry, we canoed to the area where the phones were lost. Visibility in the water was about four feet, and the depth was about ten feet. There were large boulders and that meant I had to slowly search in every crevice. Fortunately, I only needed a light, and not my metal detector. There were eels, crawdads, fishing lures, and boat anchors wedged between the boulders. When you watch the video, you can see a barbell someone used as an anchor.

 

Entry Area

 

 

 

First Phone

I searched the drop area and found Patrick’s phone in about twenty minutes. Kelly’s phone had the wedding information. We spent the rest of the afternoon searching for her phone, but to no avail.

 

 

 

Ring Finder Ray Jones

Dive 2: Two days later, Patrick again met to continue the search and help with all the equipment and the canoe. I expanded the search area but did not locate the phone.

Dives 3 & 4: It wasn’t until five days later that I was able to make another search. This time my friend and fellow Ring Finder Ray Jones came to help. Ray also searched the area and did not find the phone. I modified my search with ropes using a modified jackstay to search further downriver. I finally found Kelly’s phone about 130 feet from the initial drop area.

Kelly’s Phone Found!

 

Smiles!

I removed the SIM card and put the phone into a bag of rice. The happy couple met with me the next day so I could return the phone. Despite being underwater for nine days, Kelly’s iPhone was able to charge her phone and she retrieved their wedding plans!

Happy Wedding Day!

My thanks to Mike from Penguin Paddling (Home Page Penguin Paddling LLC), who referred me to Patrick and Kelly. Patrick was a great beach watch and provided an excellent account of the incident which greatly aided in the search. Most of all thank you to my wife for her safety and Dive Master support and expert bubble watching for many hours.

 

Rob Ellis: Search and Recovery Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

 

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

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iPhone 13 Lost and Found Under Water, Occoquan River, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
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August 7th: Found and returned an iPhone 13 Pro Max lost from a dock.

I’m a Search and Recovery expert with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

Ash was working hard at his job with the Carefree Boat Club when his phone slipped out of his pocket and fell into the water. His brother, Time, met me in Woodbridge after I’d recovered a ring and asked me for a business card. Ash called me using Times phone and asked for my help. I agreed to meet Ash at the dock the next morning.

Search Area

Mrs. Ellis (my safety diver) and I arrived around 11am. As always, we checked the conditions before unpacking the equipment. While on the dock, we met Time who showed us where the phone was lost. When Ash arrived, he provided a detailed description of the incident and location. Visibility in the water was about two feet, and the water was about nine feet deep.

Water View

When the phone landed in the water, it planed, much like a paper airplane does when it’s thrown. It ended up under the dock. Nevertheless, I recovered the phone in a record breaking 6 minutes! As I touched the phone, I was surprised to see the screen light up. However, I should not have been surprised, as the newer iPhones are quite water resistant.

Ash, Rob, and Time

Ash’s iPhone 13

 

 

 

Thank you to Mike from Penguin Paddling (Home Page Penguin Paddling LLC), who rearranged the Kayak rental fleet for our dive! And thanks to Ash’s brother Time, who remembered me from a previous ring search!

Rob Ellis: Search and Recovery Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

 

 

 

 

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

Rob Ellis: Search and Recovery Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435    (20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

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Gold Ring, Lost and Found Under Water, Woodbridge, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
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June 28th: Underwater Metal Detecting, Ring Returned.

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

EZ Cruz Marina

John was enjoying an afternoon of boating with his father and rest of the family on Father’s Day. They stopped at EZ Cruz Marina to fuel up, and John jumped into the water. His beautiful ring decorated with diamonds and Claddagh symbols slipped off his finger. John called and we arranged to meet at the marina.

Search Area

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Ellis (my safety diver) and I arrived around 10am, we introduced ourselves to the EZ Cruz staff, and started to prepare. We evaluated the conditions. Water visibility was poor, and the water was about seven feet deep. When John arrived, he showed us exactly where and how he jumped in.

FOUND!

Ladder Entry

Circular Search Device

 

I decided to use my circular search pattern device I made just for these types of situations. Entering the water around noon, I worked through various trash targets including weights, glasses, and fishing rods. After about an hour I was able to find John’s beautiful ring!

Ring

 

 

Smile!

For my detecting friends, my Equinox 800 with a Coiltek 10×5 had a VDI of 22-24 for ring of un-known gold content.

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

 

 

 

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

 

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Lost and Found Tungsten Ring, Stafford, Virginia

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
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June 8th: Found and returned a Tungsten-Carbide ring lost in the snow five months ago.

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703) 598-1435

On January 3rd, Stafford, Virginia experienced a big snowstorm. Jeremy’s backyard had so much snow, it broke a large cherry tree. Despite the obstructions from the tree, Jeremy and his three sons broke out the sleds and put the snow to good use! While sledding down the hill, Jeremy raised his arms to shield his face from tree branches. That’s when his wedding ring came off. He searched for several hours, to no avail. Months later, Jeremy heard about “The Ring Finders” and contacted me.

Anyone living in this area can describe how going south on I95 on an afternoon is a sure bet for slow traffic. I correctly gambled that the express lanes toll fee of $15 would save me time. That and the $15 for my gas is why many Ring Finders have a call out fee.

Arrow Pointing to the Ring

A couple of years ago, my friend Brian Rudolph shared the Equinox Visual Display Indicator (VDI) range for Tungsten-Carbide rings.  Using his numbers and my own experience, I set a reasonable range for targets with the accept/reject option before beginning my search.

Jeremy showed me the area where he felt the ring fall off. With Jeremy, his wife, and three sons watching, I assembled my equipment and began a methodical sweep of the area. I picked up a couple of trash targets (common in all lawns), making sure they would not interfere with the ring’s signal. About thirty minutes later, I received a strong steady signal. I looked down and saw Jeremy’s ring partially covered by debris. Despite being a heavy ring, it was not more deeply buried after four months! It was such a pleasure to find and return Jeremy’s ring.

Jeremy

Jeremy’s Ring

 

For my detecting friends, the Tungsten-Carbide ring had a 20-21 VDI on my Equinox with a stock coil.

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703)-598-1435

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help.

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

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Lost and Found Ring, Underwater, Port Royal, Va

  • from Fairfax (Virginia, United States)
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June 2nd, 2022: Rob and Ray Recovered a Tantalum Wedding Ring lost in the Rappahannock River

I am an expert metal detectorist with the knowledge, skill, and experience to recover your lost items on land and underwater. Please text or call as soon as possible: (703)-598-1435

 

Ray with stick showing depth

On the last day of April, Scotty was fishing off the end of a pier when his new wedding band slipped into the water. He quickly noted where the ring had dropped in relation to the wooden structure. Because I was not available to search, I asked my friend Ray Jones to help. The depth off the fishing platform is about neck deep, depending on the tide. In spite of a current and low visibility, Ray was able to remove many misleading targets consisting of lead weights, fishing lures, coins, and other items. Even though he was wearing a wetsuit, Ray was unable to remain in the cold water and called off the search for that day.

 

 

 

Ray

I joined Ray for the next search. Because of conflicting schedules and storms, we were not able

Rob and Ray

to meet until June 2nd. I was the lucky one to find the ring, but it was truly a team effort.

 

 

 

Scotty Smile

Scotty’s Tantalum Ring

 

Ring Underwater

Crawdad Helping Me Search

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For my detecting friends, the Tantalum ring had a 23 VDI on my Equinox with a Coiltek 10X5.

 

 

Don’t give up. Many of my clients have bought, borrowed, or rented a metal detector before calling me. Just because someone has a tool, it doesn’t mean they know how to use it. I use state of the art equipment, and I have thousands of hours of experience searching on land and underwater. If you have tried using a detector without success, please call to see if I can help

Rob Ellis: Metal Detector Expert… Call/text ASAP, (703) 598-1435

(20+) Robert Ellis | Facebook

 

 

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