La Jolla Shores Tag | The Ring Finders

Ring lost in Clairmont back yard found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Jay was working at cutting down a tree in his back yard. The tree in question is in the back corner of his yard, where he shares a fence with neighbors. In the process of chain sawing, trimming, and raking, wood chips, branches, and debris ended up on both sides of the fence. Jay gathered the debris in his neighbor’s yard and tossed everything back over a short chain link fence to his own yard for removal. Well, you guessed it, one of his tosses included his wedding band. After discovering his ring was missing, he searched both yards to no avail. Some of the debris was already loaded onto a truck, so, he (and I) hoped that it didn’t end up there. In searching his options, including renting a metal detector, Jay came across TheRingFinders. com website and my contact info. He called me yesterday evening and we arranged to meet at his house early this morning for the search. Jay showed me the search area and re-enacted his actions that most likely caused his ring to come off. With a good idea of location, I started my grid search. Quite a few targets to sift through, but I knew approximately what I should be hearing and seeing on my detector display. Found a sprinkler head blasting my ears and knew that wasn’t going to be it. The next good signal was a solid 18 on my Equinox….hmmm, a bit of a  high reading, but, still in the « possible » range. It read shallow, so, I just pushed some surface material to the side with my shoe. The signal moved, so, I moved the small pile just a little more and could see the outline of a ring. Sure enough, we had a match! As you can see in the photo, the ring color blends in perfectly with the ground cover, so, even sitting on top of the ground, it wasn’t easy to spot. A happy Jay went inside to give his wife the good news. A pleasure to meet you and thank you for the reward.

Ring lost at Pacific Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Glynis was visiting San Diego with her boyfriend and while spending a day at Pacific Beach she lost her ring in the ocean. Out in the water, her hands got wet and cold causing her finger with the ring to shrink a bit and make it fit rather loose. She decided to change her ring to another finger so it would fit tighter. A simple fumble of the ring, and it was in the surf and gone from view. They both searched for the ring in the 2 foot deep water to no avail. They also returned the next morning at low tide hoping to spot it, but, as we all know, that just doesn’t happen. The ring is a family heirloom passed down from her grandmother (recently deceased) to her mother and then to her, so, Glynis was totally heartbroken thinking it was lost forever. She decided to run a lost ring ad on Craigslist where I spotted it and contacted her with the option of having a Ring Finder search for it. She agreed and was cautiously hopeful.  She and her boyfriend had already gone home to Washington state, so, we had to do this by descriptions and directions. I arrived before low tide and scoped out the search area. Not terribly large, but, when you’re talking about a water search on a gently sloping beach at low tide, it gets big in a hurry. With a photo of the ring, and a search area defined, I started on the south end of it and worked my way north in a wet sand to waist deep surf grid pattern. It was an hour before I got my first signal of any kind. Rats, just a scrap piece of copper. Another half hour later and I got my second signal…..a brass grommet…..double rats, or words to that effect! Another half hour later, I was approaching the north end of the search area and was getting cold, tired, and discouraged by the lack of targets. There were lots of holes, troughs, and sand bars forming and disappearing in the mounting surf, so, there was a lot of sand shifting. I was hoping that in the 4 days the ring was there that it didn’t get buried too deep, or, I started thinking that maybe someone else had found it in the interim. At that moment, I got a weak, but, solid 9 on my Equinox in about a foot of water. 2 scoops down and I pulled out her ring! Glad to get out of the water, I gave Glynis a text with a photo of her ring. She was overjoyed to see it was recovered and that she will be able to wear it again. We made arrangements later that day to ship the ring to her, so, the story continues…….I’m glad I was able to find it and thank you Glynis for your generous reward.

Ring lost at La Jolla Shores found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Annabelle was at La Jolla Shores surfing when, while ducking under an incoming wave, her hard earned graduation ring popped off her finger and plunged in the waist deep surf. After an online search, Annabelle’s mother Ginny, called me about an hour and half later to see if I could help. Do beaches eat rings? Sure I could! At least I would give it the old college try! Surf hunts are never easy, and with a storm southwest of us causing some bigger surf, this was going to be an extra challenge. I picked 11:30pm as a time to meet, as low tide was going to be coming up at 1:15am. Annabelle lost her ring about and hour and fifteen minutes from +5.9 high tide, so, with a -.01 low tide coming up, the ring should only be in very shallow water or wet sand. I met with Ginny, Annabelle, and her two brothers on time and we proceeded to the search area. As I suspected, the surf was not going to cooperate. Rouge waves kept blasting up the wet sand wiping out my grid marks, and after a half hour and a few tries going from beach to breakers, I gave up on that plan and tried running parallel to the shore where I was able to take some bearings from lights off in the distance to help keep me on a straight line. After another 15 minutes and not finding a single non-ferrous target all night, I got a nice solid 10 on my Equinox in ankle deep water. One scoop later, and I see a nice looking ring in the basket. I walked over to Annabelle and Ginny and asked if this was THE ONE. Annabelle picked up the ring in relief, joy, and disbelief. A pleasure to meet you all, and thank you for the reward.

Ring Lost at La Jolla Shores found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Bonnie and her fiance were visiting here in San Diego and went to La Jolla Shores to enjoy the sand and water. They went out surfing, and when coming in on a wave, her engagement ring came off in waist deep surf. An online search brought them to The Ring Finders website and my contact info. I got the call later yesterday and after looking at the tide chart, figured I’d give it a try this morning at low tide. It wasn’t going to all that much lower than when she lost it, but, every little bit helps when detecting in the surf. Bonnie sent me a Google map and I used that to start my search at 6:30 am this morning. They showed up about 20 minutes later and I discovered that I needed to move north about 50 yards and was told it should be just north of where they had cones placed on each side of the lifeguard kiosk the day before. Being early still, they hadn’t put the cones out yet, so, we just had to guess where they had been. After a new starting spot, I began my grid and after a short time, they said they had an appointment to go to, wished me luck, and left.

I continued on with my shore-to-surf grid pattern heading north through the search area. After an hour and not a single target, I decided to go back to the starting point and head south. Half hour later and still not a signal, I began a crossgrid working parallel to the shore and working from deeper water toward the beach. At this point the tide had turned, started to come in, and the surf was getting rougher. After reaching ankle deep water and nothing to show for it. I was wondering where to search next. At that point, I noticed that the lifeguards were putting the cones out. Since they usually put them in the same area each day, I took a closer look, and realized that I needed to go south just a little more to completely cover the supposed search area. After a bit, I was just about finished with that area too. Wet, cold, tired, hungry, I was going to call it a day after the next pass or two. Just then, I got the signal I’d been waiting to hear all morning. One scoop later and I was relieved to see Bonnie’s ring. I emailed them the good news and headed home. They came by my house a little before noon and a happy Bonnie was reunited with her beautiful ring. A pleasure meeting you both, good luck with your move and upcoming marriage, and thank you for the reward.

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.

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.

Lost ring at Ocean Beach found

  • from La Jolla (California, United States)

Marcio was at Ocean Beach with his wife and child having a nice day in the sun when the outlook changed. He had been building sand castles, washed the sand off the toys in the surf, and went in for a short dip. After all this fun, he realized his wedding ring was missing. He does an online search and contacted me for help. Even though the tide was coming in and approaching the evening high, I agreed to meet them and get an idea of where the ring may have been lost, do a preliminary search, and maybe get lucky with a quick recovery. Oh well, that wasn’t to be. I searched all the dry sand around where they were camped out for the day and also hit the slope heading down to the water. The tide and surf was up on this steep section of beach and had a nasty shore break, so, a water search at this time would have been pointless. I told Marcio that I would return in the early morning hours to take advantage of the minus low tide at that time. Fast forward to 12:30am when I arrived at the beach. I started a grid from dry sand to knee deep water, and at 1:10am got the signal I was waiting for. I texted Marcio with the good news and connected with him later that day for the return. Great to meet you folks and thank you for the reward.