Lost ring Hanauma Bay Tag | Page 21 of 35 | The Ring Finders

This ring find began when I got a call from Logan who was on his Honeymoon in Hawaii. While relaxing at Hanauma Bay with his lovely wife Kristela he didn’t realize she had put her rings on a towel and when he shook it off they flew into the sand and disappeared. He assured me they were in dry sand because water hunting is currently not permitted. I told him I’d be there around noon during my lunch break. When I arrived I greeted each of the several checkpoints with a hello and that I was going down to the beach to hunt for a tourist’s Engagement & Wedding rings. Several folks recognized me and said good luck. Logan was waiting at the beach entrance with Kristela and they showed me where the incident had happened. A few tourists had moved into the area. I told Logan I would hunt in the open area first and if we had to expand the search we would politely ask people to move into the searched area. I was on about my 4th leg of the grid search when out of no where a Security Guard came over and asked me what I was doing. Very rudely I might add. She asked if I paid to enter and that I wasn’t allowed to detect the beach. Kristela immediately began crying. This Security guard was way over bearing and I wasn’t going to allow this to stand. I told her to call Kaipo the manager of the Bay and she said he was two managers ago. Everything she stated wasn’t accurate to my understanding so I asked her whose in charge and we need to talk. Logan engaged her and asked for the number. Long story short we were able to continue the hunt and I’d get the details later so as not to upset the myriad of workers at Hanauma Bay that each have a different view as to what is permitted and when. Unfortunately, this is all too often the case in Hawaii and if you stand your ground sanity usually shows up. As I restarted my 4th leg I approached a tourists towel in the sand when I got a nice solid #9 on the Equinox and was pretty sure this could be the target I wanted. On the second scoop I looked in and there glistening in the Hawaiian sun were two beautiful rings. Showing them to Kristela she burst into tears of joy and the tourists around us gave a round of applause. So ring finders don’t let those over zealous security folks stop you from doing good work. Keep moving up the chain until sanity wins. Aloha to Logan & Kristela!

This ring find began when I got a call from Cheyenne who was visiting the islands from Seattle Washington. Cheyenne told me her husband Brandon was tending to his toddler son on the beach when his ring fell off into the sand. Being distracted by his son he wasn’t exactly sure which way it went. I told Cheyenne I’d be there in 45 minutes to search. When I arrived Brandon reenacted what happened and then I began my search. I found a quarter and a Corona bottle cap and then I got a nice tone in the wet sand. I dug about 6 to 8 scoops then abandoned that target thinking it was a very deep can and how could the ring be 12 inches or more deep when it was just lost an hour earlier. After working parallel to shore I decided to go perpendicular as the waves were erasing my track. As I got to the spot I previously abandoned the awesome tone was still there and I decided I wanted to get that target. At least three more scoops and there in the scoop was Brandon’s ring. How in the world did it get that deep into the sand? We’ll never know but we now have Brandon’s ring back on his finger. Aloha to Cheyenne & Brandon!

This ring find began on October 19th when I got a call from Klaus from British Columbia Canada who was on vacation and staying at the Four Seasons Hotel at the Ko Olina Resort. While taking a swim in the lagoon his Gold & Diamonds ring came off. We met the next morning on the beach and Klaus was fairly certain it was in chest deep water. After a thorough search I didn’t find the ring and we decided it would require scuba to hunt the deeper water. Because of jellyfish and surf I wasn’t able to scuba dive until Friday 2 November. I took the morning off from work as the conditions were ideal but it was going to get bad that evening. I started the dive hunt by laying my bright orange grid line in the sand parallel to shore in about 5 feet of water. I hunt down the line then move it seaward after each pass. This way I don’t miss any area if the water gets silted up. The area was sterile I believe I only found a dime then on the fourth leg in 8 feet of water the tone in my Excalibur was unmistakeable. I fanned the sand and there exposed a beautiful Gold & Diamonds ring. I texted a picture to Klaus when I got ashore and he confirmed that was the ring. In the picture above you can see the smile after the ring arrived in Canada with Klaus. Aloha to Klaus.

This ring find began when I got a late evening call from Rhonda who told me she just lost her Wedding Ring Set at Makapuu Beach Park. While applying suntan lotions she removed her rings and placed them on her beach chair then forgot they were there. After returning to the beach and checking with the lifeguard she was sure they were gone forever. We decided to meet first light so not to allow another detectorist to find her rings in the dry sand. As we met the next morning in the beach park parking lot the place was packed with studio gear as they were about to shoot a scene for Hawaii FIVE 0. The crew was very nice and allowed us to get to the beach to hunt. It wasn’t 3 minutes after Rhonda showed me the spot where she had been relaxing in the chair that my Equinox had a nice Number 13 tone. It actually took four scoops to get to the target and there in my scoop was Rhonda’s lovely Wedding Set. Much relief and hugs all round. Later that day Rhonda sent me a pic of Steve & Danno walking on the beach. She stuck around to watch the filming. How cool is that? Aloha to Rhonda!

This ring find began when I was hunting the lagoon waters with my Equinox. I was approached by a gentleman named Alex from Ukraine who lost his gold wedding band in the dry sand seating area of Naia Lagoon. He asked if I would attempt to find his ring as six adults scoured the area with no luck the previous day. Of course I said and we went up to the area. Alex drew an approximate grid in the dry sand and I started the hunt. After a pull tab I got a nice tone and there in the scoop was Alex’s ring. Elapsed time three minutes. Alex was surprised by the speedy recovery and was very appreciative of the service. Vacation saved. Aloha to Alex.

This ring find began when I got a call from Ondrej from Albany New York who just got married in Hawaii. After the wedding while swimming with his lovely bride Tamara in the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village his ring came off in about 7 feet of water. This lagoon is used by guests constantly and if you don’t get there early it gets completely silted up to the point of zero visibility. Also that depth requires scuba to do a thorough search. We agreed to meet the next morning at 6:30 to be sure to beat the crowd. When I arrived the next morning Ondrej & I were shocked to see the lagoon was more then half way drained for cleaning. The seven foot depth area was now only waist deep at the most. The orientation was way off to determine whereabouts they were swimming but we made a best guess and I started a grid search. I didn’t bring my scoop as I fully intended to do this hunt on scuba. I had my waterproof pin-pointer to help with my hand retrieval. After about 30 minutes and a few coin targets I got a nice tone on my Excal. I started pin-pointing and in the waist deep and crystal clear water the probe pushed the ring up from the silt and the rising sun glinted off the gold. Awesome I thought no scoop required. I reached in pulled out the ring and asked Ondrej, « Is this your ring? » Utter amazement as Ondrej and Tamara each gave me a hug. As often as this happens it means so much. Honeymoon saved! Aloha to Ondrej & Tamara.

This ring find began September 3rd when I got a text from Ruth who said she just lost her Platinum & Diamonds Engagement ring while snorkeling in Lagoon Four of Ko Olina Resort. I made my way to Ko Olina where I met Eric & Ruth (both from San Jose, California) to hunt for the ring. Ruth was sure she lost the ring in chest high water or deeper so that’s where I started my grid search. After over an hour with no luck I decided I better come back the next morning and try the deeper water on scuba. When I arrived the next morning the security guard had already picked up ten box jellyfish from the shoreline so I aborted the dive. It would be Friday before it would be jellyfish free. I started the dive and after an hour and a half under water with no luck I decided I’d try again Saturday AM. On Saturday I brought my friend Terry in case I needed some help. After another hour and a half dive and a complete search of the area I was definitely frustrated when the ring wasn’t found. I thought what if Ruth only discovered the ring missing when she was in the deeper water. I decided to do the shoreline out to chest deep water. BOOM it paid off! In no more then thigh deep water there was Ruth’s awesome ring in my scoop. My theory was correct and as you can see it brought smiles to Ruth & Eric in San Jose when they finally had the ring back on Ruth’s finger where it belonged. Aloha to Ruth & Eric.

This ring find began when I received a text from Michael who was visiting Oahu from Kansas City, Missouri. Working as a Government Contractor for the US Army he had some free time to visit Kualoa Regional Park before Hurricane Lane assaults the islands. While he was walking near the waters edge he stumbled and to break his fall he put his hands down in the water that was full of coral & sand. At that moment his Gold Wedding Band came off and disappeared. He immediately and for the next hour searched in vain for his ring in the 1-2 feet of water. His eyes were burning rom the salt water and he eventually gave up. He called his wife to tell her the bad news but she was very comforting and said just get another one. It was too sentimental so Michael did a google search and found theringfinders. I called Michael that evening and with Hurricane Lane bearing down on the island we decided to meet the next morning at 6am at the Park. When we arrived the gate was locked and wouldn’t be opened until 7am. We decided to park along the street and walk into the park. Michael took me to the spot where he stumbled and at low tide the water was barely ankle deep. I fired up the Excalibur and 5 seconds later « BOOM » super loud target. This place is full of fishing lead so I thought I was going to be detecting for awhile. As I scooped the target and lifted it out of the water I could see a gold ring glinting in the rising sunlight. Whoa! That was some good luck. It was Michael’s ring and also in the scoop was a 1 inch by 4 inch piece of copper roofing material. That was the « Boom » only the ring was in the same spot. Michael was very grateful and we shook hands and bid each other safety from the oncoming storm. Aloha to Michael!

This ring find began when I got a call from Gabrielle who was on her honeymoon from Ohio. While relaxing on the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Village she took her engagement and wedding rings off and placed them on a towel on her lap. After a period of time she got up and not remembering the rings were in her lap they fell into the sand. The engagement ring was easily spotted but the wedding band was gone. She googled losing a ring and got Dave Sheldon on Maui who told her to look up « theringfinders » and that’s how she found me. I told her I was just getting off work and could grab my Equinox and head down to the beach in about 45 minutes. When I arrived her husband took me down to the area of the beach they were lounging at. I asked to move the aluminum beach chairs then fired up the Equinox and started a grid search. It wasn’t but ten seconds I got a #7 on the Nox and two scoops down was Gabrielle’s ring. It was directly under the chair and someone must’ve stepped on the ring to push it that deep. Quick recovery and honeymoon restored to bliss. Hugs & handshakes. Aloha to Gabrielle and her husband!