On Saturday August 22, 2026, and just after 3 p.m., I received a text saying, “Hi There! I just lost (30 mins ago) my engagement ring and wedding band in the ocean. I understand these are just possessions, but it still stings after wearing for more than 16 years. Not sure what to do, but I posted on Facebook and you were highly recommended. Yucca Ave and Waccamaw in Garden City.” I immediately looked up the tide tables for Garden City and saw high tide was going to be in less than an hour at 4:10. I called the number attached and spoke with Kelli. I asked the usual questions, like how deep she was and whether she could meet me to show me the area. She told me that it was her sons 12th birthday and they had already made plans. Since she was still on the beach, I asked her to turn around and take a couple of pictures of what was behind her to give me a reference point. She also told me that she was about waist deep. I told her I’d be out there about 7 p.m. to work the outgoing tide.
On my way down to Garden City around 7 p.m. a big storm with heavy rain and lots of lightening started. It was one of those storms where people drive 5 mph and have their emergency flashers on. I sent Kelli a voice text saying that I may have to call the search off for the night because of the storm. I wanted to keep going to see if the storm would stop by the time I got there, although it didn’t look good. I could handle the rain because I was going to get wet anyway. But, with 2 lightning rods in the form of a metal sand scoop and handle in one hand and a metal detector in the other and standing in the ocean would probably not work out to well for me.
When I got to the beach, the storm had stopped. I walked out on the beach and found the reference points Kelli shared in her photos. It wasn’t that big of a search area, and I did my normal grid search. From Kelli’s explanation, I really expected her rings would be on the lower part of the sloop. I worked from the high tide line out to knee deep on a falling tide and only found 2 fishing weights. I expanded my search to the south, with no luck and then tried to extend it to the north. It was getting dark by then and I was just about to call it a night. That’s about the same time a family of 5 or 6 decided to come out and shoot off very loud fireworks. I called it a night and sent Kelli a text saying I couldn’t find them. I didn’t say anything to Kelli, but I had already made up my mind that I was going back in the morning at low tide.
I arrived back the next morning at 10 just before low tide and started a fresh grid search. I was able to go from the dry sand to about knee deep. From the pictures Kelli sent, I knew I was looking for white gold rings, but I did confirm it with her. With that in mind, I knew the VDI (visual display indicator) numbers on the Equinox 800 would be in the low single digits for the engagement ring (2-6) and middle to low double digits (9-12) for the wedding band. I started to the south of the southern mark in the pictures and worked north. I was less than 10 lines over when I hit a solid 6 on the VDI. Bingo! This should be the engagement ring. A couple of scoops of wet sand and I had her engagement ring. Ok, so the wedding band should be within a few feet. I searched and searched both north/south and east/west from the engagement ring spot, nothing. In the process I lost my spot so, I started on my last grid line and started working north. A few yards away and higher on the slope I got a solid 9, I had the wedding band. Again, a couple of scoops and saw the wedding band sticking out of the sand.
Kelli had told me that they were leaving that morning to go back home, so I would have to mail them back to her. I made my way back to the car, rings in my pocket and text Kelli with a picture of her rings saying, “GOOD MORNING, what do you think? I think you’re getting your rings back!!!” She immediately responded, “Oh my god!!! I’m still in such shock! Thank YOUUU.” I love the surprises and making returns. She got her rings back in the mail today, Thursday and as her picture shows, she’s very happy!
Kelli – Thank you for trusting and allowing me to help find your precious treasures. I wish you all the best.
Jim
