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Miracle Recovery

Although I’ve found 60+ rings over the course of my metal detecting “career,” I would call none of them miracles… until last night.  

Shane called me around 4:30 pm Saturday, July 30, 2022.  I had just finished a 7 mile hike along Geneva Lake’s beautiful lake path with my family.  Shane was paddle boarding on Twin Lakes (specifically Lake Mary), took a spill, and when he rose up out of the water his wedding ring was gone.  Thankfully, his wife found The Ringfinder’s website through an internet search.  I made it out to Twin Lakes just before sunset.  Shane, a newlywed of two years, was in good spirits despite losing his wedding ring.  We talked and surveyed the search area.  Providentially, a video of Shane spilling into the water was captured from the dock and after reviewing the footage, a search area was selected. 

After gearing up with my Minelab 800 metal detector and my Nemo breathing device from Blu3, I slipped into the water.  My hope of finding the ring sank much like Shane’s 14K gold wedding band.  I was in about three feet of murky, seaweed infested water on top of about three feet of mud.  This search went from bad to hopeless.  The proverbial needle in a haystack didn’t even come close.  The water blackened with each minute as the sun officially set around 8:15 pm.  My flippers and detector were constantly sinking into the mud with each movement.  I struggled to sweep my detecting across the skim of mud tangled with seaweed and submerged sticks.  

My first target sounded promising.  It turned out to be a fishing lure.  My next two targets sounded like beer can pull tabs.  They both were.  About 50 minutes after arriving, my fourth target was strong and registered similar to my own wedding band.  As I brought the target out of a foot of thick mud, I gently squeezed, cupping both hands together so as not to let anything sizable slip out.  When I felt a firm, round shape, I gasped.  This is impossible, I thought.  How could I have landed on a 1” piece of round metal in a 327 acre lake?  

I called to the shore. “I found a ring.  Let’s not celebrate yet.  I’ll swim to the dock.”  I placed the ring on my index finger, clenched my fist and swam in.  It was dark and Shane was called out to verify the find.  The celebrations began before I had my flippers off.

This was a miracle recovery.  I was pleased to see it back on Shane’s finger and a genuine smile back on his face.