Cape Cod Tag | The Ring Finders

Keys Lost and Found on Sandy Pond Trail Cape Cod, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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April 4, 2025

A dog walk around Sandy Pond, as part of Crynne’s daily routine, lead to a stressful afternoon when she returned to her car and could not find her keys. A few trips around the pond in hope of finding the keys proved they were hiding from sight. She thought a metal detector would surely help in finding them.

Eleanor at J&E Enterprises was very helpful, as always. Her recommendation was to call Rick, a member of TheRingFinders. On the call I heard the information I needed and was on my way. My first suggestion was that my search, with Crynne leading the way, be done in the opposite direction from the way Crynne always walked around the pond. This would give us a different point of view.

Mainly because Crynne’s hobby was to remove the trash she saw during her walks, the path was nice and free of trash. Of course some of the removed trash had been just off the beaten path, those areas had to be searched with my metal detector. About ¾ the way around the keys were found. They had been in an area that Crynne had walked over a few times, but from the reverse direction. They were just out of sight when coming from the opposite direction. The keys really did not need a metal detector to be found. Sometimes just a different point of view is all that is needed in ending a stressful situation.

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200th Return by Richard Browne Member of TheRingFinders.com Centerville, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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February 24, 2025

It was the second warmest day since January 1st and a grate day to clean up some of the winter’s wrath on tree limbs. Dan was in the wooded area next to an old cranberry bog behind his house doing just that. He was carrying a fallen limb to the rear edges of his property when a low hanging branch snagged one of his hearing aids from his ear. After hours of searching, without finding the hearing aid, Dan reached out for help.

A call to Eleanor, at J&E Enterprises, got Dan two useful bits of suggestions. First he was encouraged to call one of TheRingFinders and in the meantime he could try dragging a magnet. Dan called me first. I answered the call and I was on my way. While waiting for me to arrive the search with a magnet was on. Something I had never thought of while searching for any of the 6 hearing aids that I have returned.

As I had done the day before, I adjusted my detector to the specific model hearing aid I was searching for. The area was again less than a 20 foot diameter around the branch. A standard cross hatch search pattern because of the foliage and terrain was about impossible. About 20 minutes passed with many bogus iron alerts from my detector, right tone but wrong numeric reading. A slower, shorter swing of the detector started on the outer  edge of the most probable area that the hearing aid would be in. Low and behold right under the branch that had caused the loss and again, as in yesterday’s find, the hearing aid could not be seen while standing above it. I had to get on my knees and carefully move the foliage that was covering the hearing aid before retrieving it for Dan.

This was my 200th return since I joined TheRingFinders and as I did on the 100th return I wanted to give something special to the owner of the lost item. Unfortunately I did not have the Carpe Diem token with me and I had to return to Dan’s home the next day. The token was designed by a metal detecting friend, Jim Wirth. Sentimental Memories are something that cannot be replaced and I am so fortunate to have so many. Thanks to all that have reached out to TheRingFinders for help and in making Unforgettable Memories.

 

 

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Lost Hearing Aid Found and Returned, Yarmouth Port, MA

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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February 23 2025

The month of January and first 3 weeks of February have been very cold here on Cape Cod. I had only been out detecting one day since the first of the year. Well the Temperature had got into the 40’s and people have been getting out for a walk the past two days. Anne was one that got out for an extended walk with her sister and dog. While on the walk she lost a hearing aid. After not being able to find the lost hearing aid she contacted friends, including one of my neighbors, Eleanor of J&E Enterprises who in turn contacted me. It is great to see how people come to one’s aid when help is needed.

During the walk with her dog a low hanging branch caught Anne by surprise and dislodged the hearing aid. Anne and her sister looked for several hours and could not find it. The hearing aid’s app showed the location to be in the Cul-de-Sac area. Good information but not much help. A cell phone app for locating a “lost” hearing aid gives the location to be within 30 feet or so of where the two were disconnected. Knowledge of the tree lessened the search area to a 10 foot circle within the Cul-de-Sac. A visual sight search was about impossible as the bronze hearing aid and ground cover blended in perfectly with each other.

Using the second hearing aid as a “standard” I adjusted my detector’s notch filtering and sensitivity settings to give a good indication to the missing hearing aid. The exact location of the lost hearing aid would be known when the detector’s coil was passed over it. Starting at the tree where it was believed the loss occurred, it took only a couple of minutes to locate the hearing aid. However, I could not see the hearing aid until I got down on my hands and knees and moved some leaves.

Anne was right with me as I recovered her hearing aid and was very grateful for the service I provided. She called her husband, thanked me many times, chatted with my wife as I put my gear away. I know she is waiting for this blog to be posted.

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Barnstable, Cape Cod, MA Pearl Earring Lost and Found with RingFinder’s Help

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 15, 2024

A wonderful day at a nature center turned into a stressful night for Carolyn. While helping her children through the Nature Trail and before leaving the center one of her cherished pearl earrings came dislodged from her ear, however the earring back did not. Thinking of how to find the earring, Carolyn went to a hardware store that rents a metal detector. Luckily the store person knew a bit about the detector they rent and would not rent it to Carolyn. The reason was it just was not sophisticated enough to detect such a small piece of metal especially in an environment that would have many metal objects in the area i.e. pull tabs, nails, pieces of fencing etc. An effort was put forth and proved the rental cost would not be justified by the known detector’s results.

Another suggestion by the employee was to contact “TheRingFinder”, in this case. me. The sun would have set by the time I could have been on site. So an 8AM meeting was set. Carolyn and a few others returned to the event area before the sun set and frantic looking all over the parking lot and areas that could be seen before the sun set, but did not find the pearl.

In the morning I, along with Carolyn, started by first looking through the car’s seats, floor, voids between the center console and seats, cup holders to mention the obvious. Nothing was found and a quick walk over the parking area and on down to the kids nature trail. This was straight forward from the place the loss was discovered going back along the path of the previous day’s activities. Even with my adjustments made to my detector of choice for this search, the search was hampered by the many bits and pieces of metal in the area I had to search over. I stopped to do a bit of control tweaking because I was now on wood chips and not gravel and I wanted to have the best setup to find the earring.

Up to this point I was following Carolyn pretty closely, and she got about 10 feet ahead, looking down and at her foot was the earring. The was the end of my searching the area. Carolyn said if it had not been for the store emplyee’s honesty as to the rental detector’s capabilities, my logical thinking and implementation of a methodical search “we” would not have found the earring. We both agreed it was “Meant To Be”.

With a happy Book of Smiles photo, pair of earrings, need to get back to her children, the hugs, Thanks, Best Wishes, and a weekend to remember ended is short order as we parted to go on with each of our own day’s agenda.

 

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Dennis Port, MA Heirloom Ring Lost, Found and Saved the Vacation

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 10, 2024

Vacation time on Cape Cod has almost come to an end. Now it was time for a local to leave far a vacation thru Spain with a 15 mile a day hike itinerary. That is Chris’ plan but first she had to find a family heirloom ring. She had looked “everywhere” with no luck in finding the ring and new it was time to reach out for help. One town official gave her the name of the local dealer of metal detectors, J&E Enterprise. Due to the urgency of finding the ring before the air flight to Spain left, my number was given to Chris. One call for help, a few minutes to determine if I could help and I was on my way to start a search.

I arrived even before Chris showed up. After I had my gear ready Chris pointed out the area where the ring might have been lost, and we reviewed the previous day’s activities. While I started my search Chris, with a few suggestions from me, went inside to do a search of her own.

I started in the outdoor shower with a pin-pointer and a detector that could “see” through the floor boards. Nothing rang out, I moved to the path to and the bird feeding area. Again, nothing. That is when Chris came out to show me the ring I had been searching for. It had come off of her finger the previous night as she packed for the trip. At this point we both were thrilled, Chris because she had the ring back on her finger and myself because I would not have to tell her that the ring is not in the areas you have told me about. There is nothing worse that having to tell a person “I did not find the object”.

This type of search has happened more than once. It is related to the fact that one feels that the “missing” object is right “here” when in reality it is over “there”. The “here” is where the object was noticed that it was missing, not where it was really lost. That is why I ask a series of questions before a search begins, just to determine the entire area that may be involved with the loss. An average metal detector is useless inside a house due to the amount of metal, electronic appliances, house wiring, and plumbing also creates a problem. A pin-pointer or a detector with notch filtering may be helpful in certain areas such as an attic.

Another terrific outcome for the day. I am sure the trip will be very special and more enjoyable that Chris will not have been wondering about the ring, at least until she had unpacked.

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Truro, MA Gold Wedding Band Lost, Found, and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 1, 2024

“Chris I Love You Susan” was engraved in a wedding band that took a slip from Chris’s finger as his daughter looked on. Chris visualized were the loss took place and that there were 51 steps to the stairs leading off the beach. During the next few hours Chris made many unsuccessful dives to retrieve the ring from its watery resting place. A visual search also took place. Susan then took charge, acquired my number and called for help.

The next morning at 7AM the search began and lasted about 2 hours before the tide had come in and prevented further searching. I would return for the afternoon tide. Which I did. I paced off the 51 steps, took visual reference points into account and began a search. First I gridded over the sand that was under water in the morning. Nothing to dig, I moved into the water. Low tide, with between 1 and 2 foot waves along with some seaweed made detecting a bit tough. The second signal I had was over the small drop-off at the bottom of the beach’s slope. With everything moving as it was I had to take a third scoop before I caught the object in the scoop. I love to see the glitter of gold among the shells and sand. Without emptying the scoop I left the surf and counted 68 steps to the stairs. On the walk I pulled the ring out, verified the inscription, and dumped the shells.

Next feat was to climb the 98 steps to the top of the dune and my car. I cleaned the scoop, put the ring back into it, changed the boots I was wearing to sandals for safer driving and drove off toward Chris’s vacation home. I turned the last corner and there Chris was, walking back to the beach to see if I was there. I told him the surf was now too rough and it would be worthless to climb down to the beach and back up. But I would appreciate him looking in my scoop. A bit perplexed, he did and could not believe that it was HIS ring from Susan.

At the house, a cappuccino, many friendly licks from his dog, and lots of wonderful stories were related. I just love how I get to know people by just going a bit out of my way to help them. It is also great knowing that there is at least one more reason for having wonderful memories of a vacation on Cape Cod.

 

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Dennis, MA Wedding Set Lost, Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 31, 2024

On my way home from some hobby detecting; not looking for anything specific, just enjoying the afternoon sun and sea swells, and waiting for another call for help in locating a lost object. I was less than a mile from home when my wait was over. A neighbor, Barbara, was calling to request that I respond to a woman in distress over a missing marriage ring set of 36 years this month. Sure, I am on my way was my answer as I pass the road to my home. Next I called home to tell my wife I would be a bit longer, put dinner on hold, I had to go and find 2 rings.

Within twenty minutes I was ready to start the search. While being escorted to the area on the beach where the rings were lost I was told that another detectorist had found the engagement ring but had no success in locating the wedding band. Maura had removed her wedding band and engagement ring at the beach to apply sunscreen. She put the two rings in the cup holder of her chair, but forgot to put them on afterwards. A few hours later she folded up her chair and left the beach. Back at the house she realized she didn’t have her rings and knew instantly what happened. Returning to the beach and sifting through sand with hands. There were also many interested people all wanting to help. Unfortunately the only help to find the wedding band came from the call to my phone. One woman helping – Barbara told Maura about a world wide group TheRingFinders, that she had a connection, and then called Richard 1 of some 600 TheRingFinders.

It took me about a dozen swings of my coil before I located the wedding band. My advantage over the other detectorist was in the quality of the detector being used and some 40 years experience with detectors. I passed a few detecting tips on to the new detectorist, Thank Yous were passed among all the helpers and I left for the waiting dinner.

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Yarmouth, MA. Gold Celtic Cross Lost, Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 29, 2024

Almost five weeks ago, Caeleigh was enjoying a day on the beach. She was wearing a very sentimental Celtic cross that her parents had bestowed upon her on the day of her first confirmation.

I am not positive on just how the chain with the cross became separated and lost in the fine sand.

Today I was out testing a new detecting scoop grip and found only pull tabs and a screw. About to give up for the day, I got out of the water and headed to my car. Gerry had been watching me and was inquisitive about my detector and could find a hearing aid. Yes it is possible, but unlikely unless the detector is “tuned” to react to the hearing aid’s metallic characteristics. When our conversation was about over and I was about to start searching for the hearing aid, Katie approached and asked the same question ecept her item of interest was a gold Celtic cross. The answer was the same.

The first area I covered was for the hearing aid. The detector I had been using in the water was just too sensitive over the 18 inch sweep to locate the hearing aid, but I tried. I moved over to the area of the cross and chain. I knew the cross could be located, but the fine chain would be very difficult. I was correct, the cross was retrieved from the sand with no problem

My second detector in the car did not have programming capabilities. One of my detectors at home would fit the needs perfectly. So I left the beach to get my best detector for the items I was searching for, a hearing aid and a gold chain in salty beach sand environment. I returned an hour later to complete the search. At the beach I was in luck with the adjustments I made to the third detector, it would react equally well to either object with the same settings.

As good as the detector that I chose for the situation and adjusting it for the objects to find, I did not find either one. There are possibilities that; either object may have been found, the beach cleaning rake buried them beyond my detector’s depth range, or I just missed detecting them. Also, the hearing aid may have been lost elsewhere.

I had talked to all involved and took pictures of Caeleigh and her cross before going home to get the third detector just in case what I feared happened, which it did. The active search for the chain and hearing aid have ended for now, but the information will be retained per chance I do find either one at a later date or hearing of another detectorist finding one of the still missing belongings.

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Eastham, MA, RingFinder Finds and Returns Lost Wedding Ring to Military Member

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 29, 2024

Mike and I just did not connect on the game of phone tag last night. This morning we did. Mike was in desperate need of help for a solution of how to find his sister’s wedding ring that was lost in the sand. The loss happened when a towel was forcefully removed from a beach bag bringing the ring out with it and a few other items. All but the ring had been found.

Within an hour I was at the beach getting a run down on where I should be looking for the ring. I could see a gallant effort had taken place before I arrived at the beach. There was a 5X10 area of the sand that had been sifted to a depth of about 2 inches. That is where the ring should be. So, I started a search pattern parallel to the water’s edge and about 20 feet long as marked by two inverted red beach buckets. Ten passes and no ring, time to turn and cover the area perpendicular to the rows I had already made. It was on my third perpendicular pass between the second and third parallel pass that I had a great sounding tone that I was excited about. Yes, a shallow scoop and the signal producing object was in my scoop. It was the golden wedding band.

Time for pictures, hugs, and kind words. Another vacationing couple on Cape Cod would go home with everything they came with. Eliza and Sam, both active serving military members, are a fantastic couple that I enjoyed talking with and hearing of their military service and sharing some of mine with them. Mike stayed in the background but could not leave without my thanks for reaching out to a RingFinder for help doing what we do best, ending a stressful situation with a picture perfect for the Book of Smiles.

Oh, I will not forget what I and my wife left the beach with, a box of Cape Cod Treats of outstanding donuts. How they knew my favorite is the glaze covered cake donut and my wife’s, a chocolate covered donut with sprinkles I will never know. My first such gift. Thank you all.

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Yarmouth, Cape Cod, MA Wedding Ring Lost, Found and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 26, 2024

I was home talking with my wife about the day’s happenings and saying how glad I was that it was now time for rest. The sun was going down and the dinner dishes were done and put away. But I should have known better that the rush to find a lost item was not over. I was right. A wedding band was lost on a public beach and could not be found. I could not refuse to help as the original call was to J&E Enterprise and the caller had been suggested to call me. Rick, TheRingFinder.

The beach was less than 5 miles away and I was on my way. I arrived and was greeted, given a brief synopses of how the ring was lost and what had been done to find the ring, and got ready to search. Derek had removed his wedding band and placed it on his T-shirt for safe keeping while he frolicked int the warn evening sands of Cape Cod. Not thinking about his ring he picked up the T-shirt to put it back on. That is all it took and the ring was “gone”.

The area had been marked out, some of the sand was sifted, crawled over, felt and searched by about 10 others. I started searching at the high tide line and then moved toward dryer sand. In less than a minute I “heard a solid tone in my ears and then a jingle of gold in my scoop. The ring was no longer in the sand. It was on the way back to the rightful, waiting ring finger.

Derek was one happy person. Hugs and Thank Yous were going to last for ever. The end of a perfect day was here and I was on my way home, again. I will have a bit of time to relax and reflect on the day, just in time before the next call for help is received…

 

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