Imperial Beach Tag | Page 3 of 5 | The Ring Finders

Ring lost at Mission Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Pete and his wife were escaping the heat inland and decided to go to south Mission Beach. Pete took his wedding ring off before going out in the surf, and gave it to his wife to hold. It was a bit big for her fingers, but, that’s where she held it. By the time Pete came back, his wife wasn’t feeling too good, and in their haste to pack up and leave, the ring came off and into the dry sand. After Pete did a Google search to get help, he came across one of my posts and texted me.  Being a Saturday afternoon, parking was going to be impossible, so, I had an early dinner and hoped the crowds would lighten up a bit so I could actually get to the beach.

I texted Pete back when I got to the beach and found he was already there waiting. He showed me the search area, and I started at what he thought was ground zero, and spiraled out from there. Naturally, since he had been there earlier in the day, the tide was at a different level, people had come and gone, so, figuring out exactly where they had been camped wasn’t a sure thing. After quite a bit of the supposed search area was covered, I was beginning to wonder if someone had already found it. I was finding a few other targets with similar target I.D.’s so I was still hopeful that it was still there somewhere. At the end of one of my passes, I was dodging around where some people were sitting and hit an area a bit out of the initial search area. It was an area where I was going to expand into next. I could see that people had been there recently by the disturbed sand. Sure enough, I got a nice solid 15 on my Equinox and found Pete’s ring. A happy Pete can now go home and make his wife feel a bit better. Nice to meet you Pete and thank you for the reward.

Lost earring in Kearney Mesa found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Naomi was at a local park and lost a family heirloom earring. There were a couple of areas where she had been, including where she was playing with some dogs on the ground. On arrival, we met and she explained the situation and showed me the two areas, both of which are on a baseball field. Unfortunately, there was some guys playing ball on the field, so, one of the areas over by the left field foul line was busy. The other area was deep in right field and not too close to where they were playing, so, that’s where I started. Naomi had the mate to the lost earring, so, I was able to use it to give me a sound and I.D. number to go by. Wow, that little thing didn’t give much of a signal, in fact, in a couple of modes, it didn’t register at all! The best signal I could get was in the Gold prospecting mode, where I got a fairly solid 1 on my machine. I started swinging over the grass and found there were so many signals that I had to eliminate all the other numbers except 1 and 2 or I would be there for days! I made a couple of quick passes where she thought she had walked hoping to get a quick recovery. No dice, so, out came the cones and I started to do a complete grid while she walked over to see how long they would be in the other area. As it turned out, they were just about done, but, that was unnecessary. I decided to complete my grid and on the second pass, the weak little sound on my Equinox that I was hoping for, alerted me to the earring sitting there in plain sight. In a flash, Grandma’s earring was back on Naomi’s ear where it belongs. A pleasure to met you Naomi, and thank you for the reward.

 

Ring lost at Mission Bay found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Michael was out on the beach at Mission Bay in front of his apartment when, while waving to someone, his loose fitting wedding ring flew off into the sand. A search by sifting through the sand proved fruitless, so, an online search was in order where he found The Ring Finders website. When I turned on my phone in the morning, I noticed the text and contacted Michael. We made plans for a 10am meet and search. After arriving, meeting Michael and his lovely wife, we went to the site while talking and getting the ring loss story on the way. The search area was fairly large, but, not ridiculous. All dry sand and maybe 30 X 100 feet or so. I started at one end and after 3-4 passes, several coins, and a dog tag later, his gold wedding band came to light. All smiles on the happy couple now and thank you for the reward.

Lost ring at Mission Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Joe’s buddies were throwing him a bachelor party here in San Diego. Got the beach house, check, got the beer, check, took an Uber to get the Cardiff Crack (a special Tri Tip roast beef sold up the coast a ways), check, hitting the beach and throwing the football around in the water, check. What they forgot was that you should leave jewelry at home and not take them to the beach…..especially out in the ocean. He’s from Arizona, and just started wearing this ring, so, a common rookie mistake :-). The cold water combined with slippery conditions allowed his ring to just fall right off in the waist deep surf. An online search and The Ring Finders popped up with my contact info. I get the call just a hair after high tide, so, we made arrangements to meet a good 5 hours later when the tide would be a lot further out. Makes the search much easier to contend with when you can avoid most of the surf, current, and undertow. I arrive around 8:30 pm and meet Joe at the location. Earlier I had him take some reference points and pace off how far he had been out in the water. These were important details that help narrow the search area and increase the likelihood of success. I started gridding and getting no targets at all…..as in mind-numbingly quiet. After about 4-5 passes, I get a solid 11 and scoop a bottle cap. Rats….even though I figured it wasn’t going to be his size 14 tungsten carbide ring, I was at least hoping for something good. 2 more passes and I get a screaming 20 on my Equinox. Now, that’s more like it! Sure enough, Joe’s ring was in the scoop. He and his buddies were totally amazed and thrilled that Joe’s ring was recovered. Let the bachelor party begin! It will be a lot more pleasant trip home to AZ too, since I just realized that the ring is inscribed with « til death », which might have been the consequences coming back home without the ring!  Pleasure to meet you Joe, and the bachelor party gang, and thank you for the reward. 

Ring lost at La Jolla Shores found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

James was here in town for a wedding, and staying at a beach resort at La Jolla Shores. Yesterday was a hot and dry day, so, He was out enjoying the beach and throwing a ball to his cousin in the cool, shallow water in front of the resort. Well, we know the scenario here! Ball gets thrown, and his family crest, signet, heirloom ring decides to take a dip too. Ring hits water, sinks quickly into the sand, and disappears. An online search brings up The Ring Finders website and my contact info. The tide had already receded a bit, and was still heading out, so, my wife and I jumped into the car and headed to the location. We were actually able to find parking not too far away, which two weeks ago would have been impossible on a Saturday afternoon. We meet James out on the beach and he shows us the search area. He makes his best guess at where « ground zero » was and I start a spiral search out from there in the wet sand . Half hour later and no ring, I start a cross grid and expand out beyond my initial grid. Another half hour later and only two targets total, I finally get a sweet, solid 16 on my Equinox just outside my initial search area. Sure enough, James’s ring pops out of the shallow plug of sand. A pleasure to meet you James, and thank you for the reward.

Phone lost at Ocean Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

This young lady was at Ocean beach last night with friends until after dark. She had her phone in her sweatshirt pocket until she was tackled to the sand and the phone popped out and was buried out of sight. She and her friends looked for it and even used the « find my phone » app last night and this morning to narrow the search area, but, to no avail. I got the call just as I was getting ready to leave La Jolla Shores after finding a lost ring there. 20 minutes later, I was at the location at Ocean Beach and met her and her mother. They ran the « find my phone » app again and showed me the search area. After wandering around a short time trying to zero in on the signal, I got a good hit on my Equinox and looked down to just see a tiny bit of phone case edge barely visible above the sand. I reached down and pulled her phone out and waved over to them walking ahead of me. Mother and daughter happy now and a lesson learned about loose fitting sweatshirt pockets! A pleasure to meet you both and thank you for the reward.

Lost ring at La Jolla Shores found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Karim just wanted to rinse off a bit of sand in the ocean before leaving the beach. Sounds simple, safe, and easy right? Well, after wading into calf deep water and reaching down into the water, a wave washed through and stripped his wedding ring right off his finger. Immediately sifting the sand for the ring with his fingers proved fruitless. His wife hit the internet, found my number, and gave me a call for help. The loss happened 2 hours before low tide but by the time I got the call, it was just after low tide and it was coming in, so, the next low tide this morning was the best time to give it a try. We met at 5:30am and I started my grid where Karim thought he went into the ocean. 1/2 hour later I had only heard some iron sounds, when, I get a screaming 25 hit on my Equinox. Well, that didn’t sound like platinum to me, but, I scooped it anyway. There in my scoop was a ring, but, not Karim’s ring! By this time, it was starting to get light enough to see better, and Karim realized that we were in the wrong location. We then headed north about 150 yards and I started my grid work again. Again, nothing but iron grunts for 1/2 hour or so, when I get a weak but repeatable 3 on the Nox. Scooped and found a corroded piece of aluminum can. Rats! 2 feet away and I get another weak but repeatable 3 and figured I had another piece of that can. Scooped it anyway and was surprised to find Karim’s platinum wedding ring in the bottom! I was looking for a low non-ferrous tone, but, didn’t think it would read quite that low, but, I can’t complain about the result. Now Karim and family can head home to NorCal in a happier mood. A pleasure to meet you Karim, and thank you for the reward.

Ring Lost in Bressi Ranch Found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Even though it was later in the day than usual, and their regular ball playing routine would be postponed to another day, Jay took his dogs to their favorite area for a run and romp in the park grass. While wrestling with his two dogs, his now loose fitting wedding ring popped off his finger and disappeared in the long fescue grass. Even though the search area wasn’t very large, try as he might, with flashlight and hands and knees hunting that night and the next morning, Jay couldn’t come up with it. He found me online and we arranged to meet around noon. We walked the short distance to the search area and after just 3 other signals, Jay’s wedding ring told my Equinox that « hey » I’m here! See? I’m a solid 15 and not a pull tab! Save me! Jay was more than happy to get his symbol of love back again to continue it’s story. Great to meet you Jay, and thank you for the reward.

Lost ring at Mission Beach found.

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Tim and his family were spending the day at Mission Beach on Thursday. He had set up a tent and was soon informed that camping tents were not allowed. In his haste to strike the tent and gather the gear, apparently, his ring came off. When he discovered it missing, naturally, they all looked in the bags, gear, tent, and sand, but. no ring. I get the call on Saturday in the early afternoon. They had returned to the beach at the same location hoping to find the ring. Knowing the traffic and parking nightmare that is Mission Beach on a Saturday afternoon, I was able to convince the wife to come along so she could drop me off and then look for the mythical parking spot. All worked as planned, and after meeting the wife and kids, getting the low down on how the ring was lost, and being shown the search area, I begun my search. Maybe 15 seconds later, I get my first target, a solid 21 on the Equinox, and scooped up his cobalt (only my second one of these) wedding ring. Tim got me right on the spot! Everyone was thrilled and better able to enjoy the rest of the day. My wife hadn’t found that theoretical parking spot yet, so, she circled around, came back, and picked me up. Drive time, over an hour, recovery time less than a minute! A pleasure meeting you all, and thank you for the reward.

South Mission Beach ring recovery

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Neiva decided to play some volleyball and soon discovered that her ring was hurting her finger, so, she removed it. After the game she tried to put the ring back on, but, found her finger had swelled a bit and wouldn’t allow that. The ring was then thought to have been placed in her bag, but, apparently it was left on the blanket. Later when getting ready to leave, Neiva picked up the blanket and gave it a shake to remove the sand. When she searched for her ring, it wasn’t in the bag, and obviously now, wasn’t on the blanket either. She and her friends searched with their fingers sifting through the sand, but, could find the ring. Neiva Googled for help, and my name came up. Being a sunny Sunday afternoon during the summer, I knew the beach traffic and parking was going to be a nightmare, but, headed into the fray anyway. Sure enough, traffic was backed up, and once I got to the beach, dozens of cars were circling the lots waiting for an opening. I finally found a spot and headed to the volleyball court to meet Neiva. She showed me the area where she had her blanket and bag, and I began my search. First target read a nice solid 10 on my Equinox, but, turned out to be part of a pull tab. Next signal was a solid 6 and was her ring. A happy Neiva could now join me in the traffic and head home. A pleasure meeting you and thank you for the reward.