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Turuo, MA iPhone Hidden by Rain Driven Sand Found By Richard Browne and Returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 14, 2026

It was a balmy Saturday night, clear enough to star gaze, but unfortunately loose a cell phone in the sand. Then the rain came like it hasn’t in several years so said the weather man. No searching or raking the area the “FIND-ME” said the phone was in gave up the lost phone. Take note here that the Ping mark for a lost phone is generally good for locating within about a 30 foot radius the rest is up to the owner to find it. Here again the party did not have the correct gear to really search the area for the lost phone. Someone came up with the idea of a metal detectorist that could help out.

When I got the call I was not at home to receive it and driving so I did not read or answer a text right away. At home a few text with a third party as Ari did not have her phone. To make things harder, Ari had left the Cape and was in Boston. Well, I had a ping mark on a screen shot of the area, but it was getting late and the beach was over an hour away, depending on traffic. I would be on the beach before noon.

At 11AM I was on the site. I went to the area of the ping mark. To my dismay there were parallel grid marks, someone had already been there. Either the phone had been found or it was not in the area that had been searched. I increased the to about a 40 foot radius. After a few passes bingo there was a big signal and a gentle push in the sand and there was the Apple iPhone. Mission accomplished. Well almost, I had to return the phone.

I texted the contact’s phone number, hoping Ari was still with her friend. Guess what…the phone I had just found started ringing, but it was locked and I could not answer the call. Back at my car a contact was made as was an arrangement for the phone to be picked up at my home. Where Photos were taken and more of how the phone’s loss took place. I am not sure here, but I believe Ari had sketched the Thank You card and added on the reverse side a heart felt Thank You. I know I have helped many in the same way and hope to keep up the trend for many years to come. A note to me is a meaningful gift that I can revisit time after time. Thank you.

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Twice Lost Wedding Band in Sandwich, MA Found and Returned by Richard Browne

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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September 12, 2026

53 weeks ago another RingFinder – Brian T. had the experience of searching for, finding, and returning John’s wedding band. This year I had the experience and both John and I hope no RingFinder will need to be called to the beach to search for John’s lost wedding band in the future.

This year it was difficult to get John the help he needed. He had tried to get Brian T. to return, but Brian was previously engaged. Leighton H. was out of town at a Treasure Show. Luke B. was working. That left me, I was the only RingFinder in the area that could break away in time to help John and I did.

It seams like getting the time of loss and height of tide is getting difficult to equate “waist deep” to the loss of a ring in the waters of Cape Cod Bay. John had done as I asked and spread a few coins in the area he had lost his wedding band. I started to find the coins almost immediately, this should be easy. No it was not. I had gridded both parallel and perpendicular to the water’s edge without success in finding John’s ring. But I had found all the coins John had spread “in the area” his ring slipped from his finger.

I had enlarged the area both ways on the beach and it would be very unlikely I would have “missed” the ring. Next I started a diagonal pattern. I started low to high on the beach and when the first half of the area had been searched, I started on the second half and bout ¾ of the way thru the triangle I went a bit further up the slope by about 5 feet, made a turn to go back down and there it was, the signal that I had been waiting for about 2 hours. I took one shallow scoop in the sand and John’s ring was now in my scoop, waiting for John to take it out.

John knew the routine from last year’s experience. I took the ring’s picture then one of John and the ring for the Book of Smiles. A book not too many people want to be in let alone twice for the same reason at the same beach but gladly both times had the same outcome.

Until next Labor Day…stay well, buy and wear a silicon band that will keep your wedding band on your finger at the beach or Davy Jones just might outsmart the next RingFinder. It is doubtful, but it could happen.

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Covell’s Beach, Barnstable, MA: IPhone found and returned

  • from Cape Cod (Massachusetts, United States)
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August 27, 2022

No phone call for this find and return. I was just finishing up an enjoyable evening of metal detecting and heading across the sandy beach when I found the best find of the evening, an IPhone.

The IPhone had a Find My Phone application on it. Unfortunately, I had no idea of how to use the app. I saw the battery was charged and the phone appeared to be functioning properly, but it was “locked” and I did not have the password to “unlock” it. Whatever I did, the phone started ringing. Again, I pressed the displayed prompts and I was connected to Krista.

The phone was Krista’s daughter’s and it had fallen off the beach chair as they were leaving the beach. At home Jenna went to retrieve the phone from the car’s trunk but could not find it. That is when the “Find My Phone” app was activated. If you are reading this blog and have a cell phone, I would suggest you learn about the app if you do not already know about it. As I personally have an Android phone and I have the splash screen instruct anyone that may have found the phone to call my home number. Now I will look into the Find My Phone app and see if there is one for the Android.

Back to the return: After a quick chat Krista said if I waited at the beach, she would be there to pick up the phone in about 15 minutes. I just had to wait as I know how important a cell phone with all the photos and information one needs is very important to them. Besides I also needed some information and photos to complete this blog. The time passed, Krista and Jenna arrived on time and the rest is filled with smiles, Thank Yous, and above all a promise for a personal note for my scrap book of Happy Memories.

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