Yesterday I was contacted to come search for a couple boundaries pins in Moana Estates in Kihei, Maui Hawaii. Today I was able to stop by and help out.
Moana Estates Kihei
Property Marker 1
Property Marker 2
This ring find began when I got a call from Joe who was on his Honeymoon at the Aulani Resort and coming from Chicago, Illinois. While enjoying the cool waters of the lagoon with his lovely bride Angela his White Gold Wedding Band slipped off and disappeared into the soft sand. They tried searching but it’s hopeless the sand is so soft every ring disappears at Aulani. Tony from the Beach Crew got word and told Joe to give me a call. The day was young, the surf and tide was low and Joe & Angela were leaving the next morning so I told Joe I’d grab my gear and head over to the resort. When I arrived Joe had already drawn marks in the sand for my grid search so I was able to start immediately. On about the fifth leg and in waist deep water I got a nice « 15-16 » tone on the Nox and in one scoop there was Joe’s White Gold Band shining in the scoop. I motioned to Joe & Angela on the beach chairs and they ran down to meet me on the shoreline. Perfect Fit! Honeymoon saved. We shared a few laughs and Mahalos and I made it home in time for dinner. Aloha to Joe & Angela
This ring find began when I got a call from Tim who was vacationing at the Aulani Resort coming from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While swimming in the lagoon as he was treading water in about 6-7 foot depth he felt his white gold wedding band slip off. Him and another friend immediately got some snorkel gear to hunt but it was useless. The soft lagoon sand consumed the ring. The beach team gave him my number and I agreed to come out after eating my lunch and packing my scuba gear. When I arrived Tim and his friend explained to me the circumstances to the loss but had different ideas as to the depth. I said how about I start at 7 feet and work deeper. They thought that would work. After about an hour without finding the ring and only two pieces of metal trash. I had a hunch it might be shallower. Sure enough on the fourth leg working shallower I got a boom on the Excalibur and after two fans there was Tim’s white gold band shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. I was relieved as that was nearly two hours dive hunting. Tim was out of the dog house with his wife and so thankful I came right out to recover his ring. Aloha to Tim!
This ring find began Sunday morning when I got a call from Rick who resides in Honolulu. While enjoying the day at Four Seasons Resort, at some point during the day his Platinum Wedding band went missing. He googled « Metal detecting a ring » and found « The Ring Finders » and fellow ring finder Don Bryant. Don referred Rick to me as the detectorist for Ko Olina Resort. Rick said he had been throwing a football in shallow water and snorkeling along the rocks and out to the deeper water buoys. Surf was up on the West shore so I told Rick I’d do a hunt when the surf subsided as the water gets horrible visibility where I needed to search. This morning was that day and I started in the shore sand on the extreme North side of the beach where Rick was throwing the football and had his lounge chair. No luck there! I decided to search the shallow waters before donning my scuba gear for the deep water hunt. This time of year the side shallows become pea green with algae growth and I wasn’t able to see the bottom in two feet of water. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to dive because the pea green soup was throughout the search area. Low and behold as I was coming towards shore on the third leg of my grid search I got a booming 17 on the Nox in thigh deep water and in one scoop there was a PT950 ring in my scoop. Thank you Lord! No dive required. I texted a pic to Rick and he confirmed it was his. We arranged to meet at my home after work for the return. Rick was very grateful and most happy to have the ring back on his finger. Aloha to Rick!
This ring find began Thursday when I got an email from Makenna at Ko Olina Operations. Her email asked if I could reach out to a Aulani guest named Joseph from San Dimas, California who just lost his Platinum Wedding Band in five feet of water while floating. I called the number she left me and Joseph gave me more details to the search area and he was sure it was in five feet of water near to the paddle board buoys. Five feet depth is difficult to detect walking so I told Joseph I would hunt Friday morning at low tide in scuba gear with my Excalibur. The lagoon was calm when I started the scuba grid search and after about an hour and a fully expanded grid I didn’t find the ring. When I surfaced and was standing in chest deep water a young lady in the water asked if I was looking for « The Ring »? I said « Yes » but I’ve searched the entire area with no luck. Then she says the guy Joe that lost the ring yesterday was only in waist deep water. She was sure of it as they were helping them look for the ring. Okay, I’ll go get my Nox and hunt the shallow waters. Sure enough on the second leg of my grid search in waist deep water I got a booming « 13 » on the Nox and in one scoop there was Joe’s Platinum Band in my scoop. The young lady was gone so I wasn’t able to thank her but I immediately called Joe to tell him the good news. Joe had already changed hotels to Waikiki so as you can see he just swung by my house this afternoon with his lovely wife and I returned his ring. Aloha to Joe!
This ring find began Labor Day weekend when I was approached by Aloha Security asking if I had found a White Gold Wedding Band with no markings that morning? I hadn’t and said I’d come back the next morning and cover the other side of the lagoon. It belonged to a friend of theirs and was lost at some point while he was walking in the shallow water the day before. The next morning I found the ring in waist deep water at the exact middle of the lagoon. I flagged down Aloha Security and they got me in touch with Willie from Waianae. We live on opposite sides of Oahu so we agreed to meet this morning for the return. That smile surely means he’s out of the dog house! Aloha to Willie!
This ring find began when I got a call from Wendy at the Concierge Desk of The Kahala hotel. She asked, « Are you the guy who can find rings? » « That would be me! » I said. She asked if I could come down to the hotel and find a lost ring for two of their guests. I got a few details and headed down to the hotel which is only 7 minutes from my home. When I arrived the valet was waiting and got Wendy and she soon introduced me to Debbie & Albert from Fort Collins, Colorado. They were on their 40th Wedding Anniversary and while in the water swimming Debbie’s gorgeous 1.4 Carat Solitaire Diamond Gold ring slipped off and disappeared into the sand. One of the beach attendants searched for a few hours but the ring was well hidden. The ring was lost at low tide at Debbie’s chest height. A high tide was peaking so I was only able to hunt out to neck depth with the Nox. I originally heard waist deep but I thought I better give it a go. After covering the entire grid with no ring I told Debbie and Albert I’d return the next day at the 11:30 low tide. I decided to use scuba so I could have unlimited range no matter where the ring came off. I arrived at 11:30 and informed Albert I’d start the hunt as they were checking out of the hotel. I set my grid rope from shallow to deep and commenced the search. On the deep side the sand was so thin it puffed like smoke when I waved the Excalibur through it. I was hoping the ring would not be there as it would have been extremely difficult to see. Very sterile beach, which is nice, so after a small piece of can slaw and a swimsuit drain tab I got a sweet loud low tone on the Excalibur. Two waves of my hand and there popped out Debbie’s wonderful ring. I put it in my jar and stood up. I waved to Albert on the beach and yelled to him that I found the ring… »Hopefully Debbie’s! » They met me on the shore line and I handed the ring to Debbie who assured me it was the one. Albert & Debbie were so thankful and relieved they would be returning home this evening with « All » their belongings. Hugs, handshakes and pictures followed. Another fine day in Hawaii Nei! Aloha to Debbie & Albert!
This ring find began when I got a text from Victor who was on his Honeymoon from San Francisco, CA. His text said, « Hello saw your website. Need services. » I immediately called and found out while relaxing with his lovely bride Yuliana, on a float, while adjusting his grip his brand new Yellow Gold Wedding Band came off in chest deep water and disappeared. He attempted to find the ring with goggles but the water was too murky. The tide was already coming in and there was some medium surf so we decided to wait until the next day’s low tide at 11AM. When I arrived Victor met me at the Valet parking area and we parked and went down to the beach. Yuliana was waiting on the beach and the two of them explained the circumstances and the location of the drop. I attempted to cover both their areas but Yuliana insisted the ring was more to the West. After about an hour and a thorough search in Victor’s area I moved West quite a ways and worked back to the East. I’d only found four Corona Bottle caps and a pull tab. I heard several targets in the reef area but couldn’t dig or see them through my mask. Suddenly, a booming 13/14 on the Nox near the reef and on the second dig I saw a Gold Ring in the scoop. Victor had gone ashore but Yuliana was right next to me. I told her I had a Gold Ring in my scoop and asked if she could verify if it was Victor’s. Thanking God it was. Victor rushed out into the water when Yuliana yelled to him I found it. He immediately put the ring back on his finger and I told him to get out of the water as the surf was starting to pound us again. I told them both that 9 times out of 10 the lady is correct on the location and us guys just can’t get it right. I’m listening to you ladies from now on. A few hugs and fist bumps and of course a pic and Victor and Yulianna were obviously relieved. Honeymoon saved! Aloha to Victor and Yuliana!
This ring find began when I got a call from Anthony from Phoenix, Arizona who was on his honeymoon and staying at the Turtle Bay Resort. He laid his white gold wedding band on his lap or the chair’s arm while applying sunscreen and realized when he stood up the ring was gone. He had only been married a week and the ring has disappeared in the dry sand. They hunted desperately but to no avail. I checked google maps and told Anthony it would take about an hour and fifteen minutes to get there but to just relax on the beach and we would find the ring. When I arrived Anthony met me near the parking lot and we proceeded down to the beach where his lovely mother and bride Austy were waiting. We had to move two beach chairs then I fired up the Nox and started the tiny grid search. I immediately got a loud « 12-13 » and after two scoops there was Anthony’s Gold Wedding Band in the scoop. It must have been stepped on to be that deep. We had a few hugs and pics then I had to get home for dinner. Honeymoon saved! Aloha to Anthony & Austy!
This ring find began when I got a late night call from fellow Ring Finder Kai. Siu & Cherie from Las Vegas contacted him about the Husband losing his Gold Hawaiian Heirloom Wedding Band in shallow water at Ulua Lagoon while swimming and diving into the water. I was heading there the next morning so I told Kai I’d contact them to get some details and start the hunt first light. Cherie answered the phone and said the ring would be in waist deep water about three feet from the rocks on the extreme left side of the lagoon. This should have been an easy hunt but the ring was no where in the general vicinity. I called Cherie remembering she said they were staying in Makakilo which is a few short minutes from the resort. Her and Siu decided to come down to make sure we had the location correct. Guess what? It was way off. More like 30 yards from the rock wall. Siu drew a grid in the sand and I recommenced the search. After hunting that grid for 15 minutes and not finding their ring, I did find a nice Silver Hawaiian Style Ring, I asked Cherie which direction should I expand the grid. She confirmed with Siu I should go more right. Low and behold on the second leg of the expanded grid I got a boomer on the Nox and in one scoop there was Siu’s amazing ring in the scoop. Vacation saved and beaming smiles from this happy couple. Aloha to Siu & Cherie!