lost ring in Pleasanton Tag | The Ring Finders

14K White Gold Ring Lost at Shadow Cliffs…Found in 3 feet of water!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

On Memorial Day I received a message from Madison requesting help.  While spending the day with family at Shadow Cliffs, a man-made lake in Pleasanton, CA, he lost his wedding ring in 3 to 4 feet of water.  Shadow Cliffs is part of the East Bay Regional Parks District, and they require a special permit for detecting.  I have always carried this permit, but it comes with some red tape.  Specifically, it does not allow for metal detectors to enter the water.  I informed Madison that I would request special permission from the park manager before we could schedule this search.  The park team was great and very accommodating!

With permission to enter the water and permit in-hand Madison and I met at the lake to perform the search.  It was a beautiful, warm day and we were both excited to get into the water and recover the ring.  He walked us out to chest deep water and stated that he thought that the ring was lost at this spot.  A 15 minute hasty search turned up a few dimes and no rings.  The best news was that there was not a lot of trash to contend with.  A grid was established working parallel to the shore line first in deeper water working towards the shallows.  I informed Madison that I believed that the ring would hit between 12 to 14 on my Equinox 800, but would investigate every signal to « clear it » from the grid.  With each target, I could see the anticipation in Madison, but he was a good sport each time we pulled up what was not his ring.

 

At one point after being in the water an hour or so, we questioned the position of the area and the depth of water.  We moved to more shallow water and it wasn’t to long before…WE MADE THE RECOVERY! It took three attempts to get the 14k white gold band into the scoop but I just knew that the 13-14 signal and perfect tone was our sought after prize.  When I noticed that Madison had not seen me recover the ring I moved closer and asked him to describe the ring again and if it had « looked like this! »  The instantaneous smile appeared that makes performing these recoveries so great and he said he could hug me, to which I leaned in for the embrace!

Once back on the sand beach I took some obligatory photos and we walked down to the lifeguards who had been interested in our activities.  The lifeguards had doubted the success of our venture and were excited for our victory. Then he and I stared out at the water for a bit and talked.  Madison was just the sort of guy I’d like to know.  He was patient, kind, and thoughtful and seemed like a great father.  Thank you Madison for trusting in me to assist you with your ring recovery.  I very much enjoyed your company and conversation while we took this journey!  Best Wishes!

 

 

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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Beautiful Sapphire and Diamond engagement ring lost in Pleasanton, CA…FOUND!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590 

On August 20th, Samantha sent me a kind message requesting help with a ring that was lost. The project, would be to search some thick bushes in the front yard of a home in Pleasanton, CA.  I informed her that I’d be glad to help, but that the next day I would be celebrating my son and metal detecting buddies 4th birthday.  The search would have to take place on Tuesday mid-afternoon.  This was agreeable with Samantha.

On Monday, I was able to drive by the home to assess the gravity of the project.  What I saw was a seemingly endless sea of juniper mixed with rosemary bushes.  The probability of detection (POD) for this search was not going to be good.

An endless sea of juniper and rosemary bushes to search.

When Tuesday arrived, I readied my gear for the search effort and headed to the site.  It was a beautiful warm day and I was feeling good.  Talking with the neighbors was a bit of a revelation. Although I was requested to specifically search the bushes, I was informed that searches had already taken place of the landscaping and lawn next door…with a metal detector. Another new piece of the puzzle was that there was a sound of the ring hitting concrete the night it went missing.

I spent a good 45 minutes performing a difficult search of the brush, as that was what I was hired to do. As I worked, I kept thinking about the new information I had learned from the neighbors as well as from one of Samantha’s friends who stopped to talk to me about the lost ring.  I decided to have a look for myself over the area that had previously been searched while I pieced together the information I had.  I used a Garrett pin pointer around the base of some of the foliage and that’s when « We made the Recovery!!! »

Can you spot the ring in this photo?

In the end, I spent an hour and a half searching.  I was extremely relieved to not be wading through the brush.  It really would have been a humongous undertaking searching that area and even after searching, I don’t think I would have been confident it was sans engagement ring. As always, I was very much appreciative of everyone who contributed details and information that led to a successful ring recovery for Samantha.  The tears of joy I heard when I let her know the sapphire and diamond engagement ring was secured told me that it meant a whole lot to her.  Thank you Samantha for taking me on this journey with you and allowing me to be firmly embedded in the wild story this ring will tell.  Best wishes for your future!!!

First look at the recovered sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

Photographed at the site.

Photographed at the hand-off.

 

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590