houston underwater metal detecting Tag | Page 2 of 2 | The Ring Finders

Lost Wedding Ring Sea Wolf Park Galveston, Texas (Found) by John Volek

  • from Sugar Land (Texas, United States)

« The Miracle Ring »

Lost Wedding Ring off the Jetties in Sea Wolf Park Galveston, Texas (Found)

I was contacted by Ray on Monday regarding his lost wedding ring at Sea Wolf Park in Galveston, Texas. Ray reported while fishing off the jetties on Sunday, his ring had slipped off his finger and landed out in the rock jetties. Ray said he saw the ring hit one of the large rocks in the water and bounce landing a few feet further out into the channel.

Ray said he had probed the bottom the best he could with his fishing rod thinking he felt a sandy bottom at 7 ‘ of water. I was hopeful based on the information Ray was able to provide,  and his detailed information on the approximate location.

I was already geared up for a trip to Canyon Lake the following morning, so Ray and I agreed to meet first thing Tuesday morning at the park.

I met Ray and his wife Michelle at Sea Wolf Park Tuesdays morning and we walked through the events leading of how the ring was lost. The jetties are an unforgiving environment, and trying to find a ring in those large boulders underwater did not looking very promising.

It was pretty clear from the onset, if his ring did not land on a flat surface underwater it was gone forever. The only way to know for sure was to enter the water and see what was below. The Excalibur proved to be ineffective in this environment, large jagged rocks, drop off’s to 20+ feet in some areas, fishing poles, cast nets, fishing line, sinkers, pipes, and host of other metallic objects. After about 30 minutes of trying to run the detector, I surfaced and handed the detector to Ray, indicating this in not good.

There was about 9″ of visibility on this day in the channel and the search came down to a visual hunt for the missing ring, The processes involved sticking your head into the underwater crevices and looking for the missing ring.

I looked and looked, seeing voids in the rocks everywhere that led to unknown depths and dangers. There were many places I was not willing to stick my hand much less my face. After what may have been another 30 minutes, I had already lost track of time, I began to think, and maybe already knew, this was an impossible task.

I was preparing to surface and explain to Ray, his ring is gone. I stopped prior to surfacing and took one more look around the marker pole we had place into the water. This was an area I had detected and visually examined numerous times, I looked to my left through some of the many rock and boulders, and their it was. I was looking through the center of the ring (like a tube), as it was sitting stuck between a couple of large rocks. The trick was going to be, to get the ring out, without letting it fall  into one of the many crevices  between the rocks.

I did get the ring, and sat their underwater for a few minutes thinking to myself, this is just utterly unbelievable. I surfaced a few minutes later and held up Rays missing ring.

I told Ray, I was on my way back to the surface to let him know its simply impossible. It was at that moment when I came upon his ring. I told Ray it’s a Miracle, with 9″s of visibility and in 7’ of water where most people would not never venture, with all the rocks, boulders and debris, I was able to find it?

In closing,

Michelle told me a little later that just prior to me finding the ring, she had done a social media prayer request hoping that we would find Rays ring.

« I think that pretty much sums  it up! »

 

 

image0000001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image0000001u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image0000011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment Used:

Hookamax Dive System

Excalibur II

 

Print

 

 

 

 

The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service

We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!

We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.

www.theringfinders.com                                         Texas

www.theringfinders.com/john.volek

Don’t wait… Call now!

281-330-7758

John Volek

Lost Wedding Ring Canyon Lake, Texas (Recovered) by John Volek

  • from Sugar Land (Texas, United States)

Lost Wedding Ring in Canyon Lake, Canyon Lake Texas (Recovered)

07/16/2015

I received a lost ring referral from Don Wilson « The Ring Finders » in Dallas, Texas. The referral was for an underwater ring recovery in 9-12′ of water in Canyon Lake. Don’s email provided contact information from Dallas resident Adrian.

I contacted Adrian the following day and he advised while visiting Canyon Lake on the 4th of July he lost his wedding ring. Adrian said while swimming with his fiancé his ring had slip off his finger. Adrian was able to provide very descriptive information on where on how he had lost his ring.

Adrian and I agreed to meet in Canyon Lake on Monday 07/20/2015 to search for his missing ring. Not knowing the amount of time or work that might be involved in this recovery, I called Greg Delong « The Ring Finders » Austin, Texas and  asked for his help on this search.

Greg agreed to help and plans were finalized for everyone to meet Monday morning at Canyon Lake. Greg and I arrived first and we conducted a quick assessment of the site. The water was calm, plenty of parking, low pedestrian traffic, and the weather was very promising.

Greg and I met Adrian a short time later at the lake and we were given a first had account how the ring had been lost. Adrian was very prepared to find his ring, swimming us out to the location on the lake where he had dropped his ring.

The reported water depth of somewhere between 9-12′ deep, just a little too deep for traditional water work with a metal detector. Greg and I assembled the submersible search grid and it was floated out to the search location and submerged.

Adrian gave a thumbs up, stating that’s the spot as the platform was submerged. Adrian had done a great job at identifying the location of where he had dropped his ring, ultimately the factor in its recovery.

As I dove down to start the search for his ring, I turned on the Excalibur, set the threshold and began my search on the outer edge of the grid. (I traditional like working the outside edge first and then move inward) I was on my second swing, when I hit a solid signal, looked down through the muck and saw Adrian’s ring. I couldn’t believe it!

I worked the bottom for a few additional minutes, trying out my new OTS guardian full face mask and regulator, really top notch gear, and a must for dirty water.

The pictures and video tell the rest of the story.

20150720_143037_001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20150720_143133

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20150720_143058

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment Used:

Excalibur II

OTS Guardian Face Mask

Go Pro

 

 

Print

 

 

 

 

The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service

We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!

We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.

www.theringfinders.com                                         Texas

www.theringfinders.com/john.volek

Don’t wait… Call now!

281-330-7758

John Volek

 

 

Lost Ring Jamaica Beach Galveston, Texas (Recovered)

  • from Sugar Land (Texas, United States)

Lost Ring in Jamaica Beach Waterway  Galveston, Texas (Recovered)

This is an excerpt from one of the correspondences from Kelly regarding the lost ring:

To recap…. The ring is a family heirloom passed down several generations and my eldest son (Ryan) was wearing it for his Rehearsal Dinner Thursday evening, prior to his Friday wedding.  It is a gold Knights of Columbus ring.

We were winding up a late-night Canal Cruise when the boys decided to engage in a bit of horse-play – toppling Ryan overboard.  The ring came off his hand immediately upon entry to the water.

Thank you so much for offering us some hope in what we felt was a despairing situation.

Kelley

After having received some very specific information and photographs from Kelly, I knew we would need some form of underwater grid to conduct an effective search. Knowing what the water visibility is like in most of the coastal canals, (zero visibility} some form of a reference is a necessity to stay on course underwater.

I am going to limit the text version of this story, as most of it was recorded an discussed on the videos attached to this post.

A few things not mentioned in the video was the water temperature was 72 degree and a after and hour and a half, I was pretty much at the end of my rope. You know when the cold is getting the better of you, light headedness and nausea seems to be the message .

We moved the newly named structure (Kelly Grid) to it’s third location, and I think everyone’s hopes of a recovery had started to diminish.

I started out on my final pass with a little less the 700 psi in the tank, knowing this one would have to be a quick run as air and time was running out. After having removed several aluminum cans, nail, and other trash on the previous runs, I hit a new and unique signal on the final leg of the last run. I reached down into about 4 inches of mud, and new immediately I had found the ring.

I surfaced a few minutes later and saw Kelly standing on the bulkhead next to the entry/exit ladder. I swam over informing her I was out of air, and tried to think of a way to surprise her on the recovery, but I was just simply to tired.

I held up the ring and the rest is history.

 

20150430_155835 (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20150430_154733 (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment Used

Minelab Excalibur II

 

The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service

We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!

We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.

www.theringfinders.com                                         Texas

www.theringfinders.com/john.volek

Don’t wait… Call now!

John Volek

281-330-7758

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost Wedding Ring Lake Lewisville, Texas

  • from Sugar Land (Texas, United States)

Lost Wedding Ring Lake Lewisville, Texas

 

October 2014

Received the following e-mail:

Subject: Wedding band lost in Lake
Hello,
I came across your website and was wondering if you could find my lost wedding band.  I see you are in Houston.  I live in the DFW area and lost my wedding band this weekend in Lake Lewisville.  I have the exact location.  It would require you to dive about 20-25 feet with scuba gear.  I only had it for two months and I am willing to pay you for your services.  Please let me know.
Thanks.
Richard

I contacted Don Wilson from The Ring Finders in Dallas and relayed the call information to him, and my interests in attempting a recovery. Lake Lewisville is in Don’s backyard and I knew he would know all the logistical aspects of the search location.

Don did all the ground work on this job, taking photographs of the search location, meeting with Richard at dock weeks prior, and making all the arrangement with the marina for our visit. Having the Dallas team present (Don and Ellen) and their son Tripp was the only reason this recovery attempt was even possible.

Don, Ellen, and Tripp thank you again for everything…

 

SubstandardFullSizeRender_1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dock in Lake Lewisville  (the search location)

The depth 23″ feet, and after the 12′ mark total blackness down to the bottom at 23′, the bottom a soft silt mud. Utilized a custom made PVC dive pole to mark the primary search location from the surface. Used a boogie board leash as a lanyard attachment to the PVC pole ensuring I would not drift off of the search location (essentially cave diving in total darkness). The dangers in these black water dives is becoming entangled in or under one of the boat lifts or dock while ascending back to the surface.

 

FullSizeRender (2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see from the photograph above, overhead obstacles where a significant obstruction, basically you had to work your way under the lift to descend to the mark.

Now for the downside, after one hour and ten minutes of bottom time, I could not find that missing RING. The bottom of the boat slip at 23′ provided its own challenges, laden heavy with scrap material from the docks construction, and other large miscellaneous metal items made the search a real challenge.

 

IMG_2478

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two lawn chairs above were fastened together with a cable lock and were an unexpected find at the bottom. I worked the bottom with a handheld Vibra-Tech 730 sifting through 4-5 inches of mud pulling up targets.

Large pieces of iron, cut pad locks, small nails and bottle tops were among the assortment of recovered items.

 

IMG_0960

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A short video illustrating the recovery location

 

 

IMG_7544

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a tough way to end the day, I always like finding the prize. The ring may be worth another look one day, but for now the ring belongs to the lake.

 

Equipment Used:

Hookamax Dive System

Vibra-Tech 730

A strong support team (The Ring Finders-Dallas)

 

The Ring Finders Metal Detecting Service

We can search virtually any location, some of the most common places are parks, lakes, beaches and even your own front yard…If you lost your “Ring” or other precious item…We can find it!

We train regularly and use the best Metal Detecting Equipment available insuring the greatest possibility of finding your lost possessions.

 

www.theringfinders.com                                         Texas

www.theringfinders.com/john.volek

Don’t wait… Call now!

John Volek

281-330-7758