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Lost Subaru Key Fob… Recovered from Steep Slope in Oakland, CA

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)

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

It’s not too often I get calls about lost keys or key fobs, let alone from a 10 year old, but on Monday May 6th that all changed.  The young boy requested that I come look for a set of keys that found their way off of a deck and onto a slope covered with ivy, blackberry, and other organic debris.  Of course I asked if the young boy would be assisting me and that I had an extra metal detector that I’d be glad to share.  Excitedly, we scheduled the search the following afternoon after school had gotten out.

It took 30 minutes or so to make my way to Oakland, CA were the key fob made it’s way into the wilds.  Upon arrival, I met the family including mom, dad, and several siblings.  They showed me to the scene of the mishap and explained that while swinging a rope the boy accidentally struck the keys sending them into the void below.  A search ensued but produced no results.  My first thoughts were that I asked a young 10 year old boy to assist me and now was looking at a very steep and hazardous looking slope entangled in ivy and blackberry vines.  But after producing my back-up machine to the boy and a garret pin-pointer to another sibling, there was no turning back.

The four of us, myself, the two boys, and dad (who was assisting by removing thorny blackberry vines from the slope) started a hasty search of the steep hillside.  The boys were excited every time the metal detectors sounded off and they quickly set out to discover what had made the machine scream out.  The hillside was riddled with targets like bottle caps, pull tabs, aluminum cans, and a large number of other interesting items. After about 20 minutes of looking, dad said that he may have saw something on the slope while pulling out vines and the two boys rushed to confirm the presence of the object.  First the young boy with the metal detector confirmed something metallic, then the sibling with the pin-pointer narrowed the search.  Moments later, with a bit of careful probing, WE MADE THE RECOVERY!

After a short celebration our little crew, and now mom and other siblings, collected on flatter ground for a little exploration and metal detecting.  For another 30 minutes or so we located and dug a plethora of targets, mostly do-dads and trash, but everyone was having a fun and educational experience.  Overall, the search for the wayward key fob and mini-hunt that followed was hugely successful.  Thank you kindly for allowing me to provide this service, I always love to get those willing and able involved into the search and having an interactive experience.

This was our target today!

A substitute picture of myself for the book of smiles!

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

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

Gold ring lost in San Francisco Bay….RECOVERED!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)

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

The sun had set 30 minutes earlier and the fog meant no moonlight would be available.  The tide was going out of the San Francisco Bay at a rapid clip.  The water temperature was approximately 53 degrees and the ambient air was about 55 degrees.  I dressed in my farmer john wetsuit and fired up the Equinox 800 knowing that this recovery was possible, but would likely be difficult.

Earlier in the  evening, Ben contacted me stating that he had lost his heirloom gold wedding band at a private beach club while performing a « plunge » in the bay.  He could narrow the search to a 10×10 foot area of water about waist deep.  The request was made for immediate mobilization for a recovery effort.

After meeting Ben at the Aquatic Park, he escorted me to the beach location… a beautiful little private section of the beach along docks housing historical ships for the maritime museum.  An aesthetically pleasing and adventurous treasure hunt was now under way.

I entered the water for a hasty search of the area and made 4 passes from the top of the beach to chin deep water.  The only light was provided by the headlamp I donned on my head.  The water was void of any targets.  I had to test the coil against the sand scoop to be sure it was functioning proper.

On the 5th pass I hit a jumpy 16-17-21 target in chest deep water, the only thing I had detected in 30 minutes of searching.  It would take several attempts to collect the object in the sand scoop, but upon inspection…a ring, a gold band…WE HAD MADE THE RECOVERY!!!

If I’m being honest, this was one of my proudest recoveries.  I felt the part of a true treasure hunter searching cold water, in the dark, beneath the tall ships of the maritime museum.  The owner of the ring, Ben was both astounded and grateful that the ring he once thought lost was back in its rightful place on his finger.

Thank you Ben for entrusting me with the recovery of your very precious ring.  It was a pleasure to assist you.

Ben was ecstatic to have his 10k heirloom wedding band back on his hand!

 

Bens 10k Gold Heirloom Wedding Band.

 

Night Shot of the search area.

 

Search Area without supplemental lighting.

 

As seen with headlamp.

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