Tuesday Oct. 9, 2013
I got a call from Ted asking me if I could find a ring that he had lost while boogie boarding at a local beach. I needed to know the details before giving it a try. When we talked, I asked him what time of day and the best location he could give me. We determined it was during high tide which gives me a chance. He was straight out from 34th St. which narrowed the search area. He did not know when the ring slipped off his finger. I forgot to ask what type metal because that does make it easier when there is a lot of metal trash in the search area. With that information I thought I could give it a try with the next low tide.
I got to 34th St. an hour before low tide. I started a grid search half way down the slope working 35 -40 yards towards the water into ankle deep water. I worked my way south for more than hour till I was directly out from 33rd St. Then I returned to 34th St. working north to and from the water. I only found about 5 targets, a few coins and a couple pull tabs. Then when I was approaching 35th St. I got a 12-28 reading on my detector. I seem to remember that this was probably a lead fishing sinker, but I dug it anyway. It about 7pm and dark, I could hear the nice sound of metal hit the bottom of my scoop. I reached in the scoop feeling the ring. I was not sure it was Ted’s ring because I didn’t have a flashlight, also it seemed small for a man’s ring . When I got back to my vehicle I saw the inscriptions matched and was his ring. Plus it was a nice platinum .950, that’s why it sounded so good when it hit the bottom of my scoop.
Ted met up with me the next day to get his ring. He told me that he had not told his wife it was found. He was on his way home to surprise his wife. They had also been researching the purchase of a replacement ring. I only wish I could have been there when he showed it to his wife. I’m learning that the wife’s of guys that lose their rings are more upset than the husbands.
Here’s Ted’s story from an email he sent me:
Hi Stan, Thank you so much again for finding my ring. When I got home, I didn’t tell my wife immediately, I just had it on my finger and sorta put my hand down next to her at the dining table to see if she would notice. When she saw it, her mouth dropped open and she said « YOU FOUND IT?! » It was a great reaction, I wish I had recorded it.
My wife was pretty upset about me losing the ring. Mostly for the sentimental value, since it was the ring she put on my finger when we got married. The bible verse engraved on the band was the bible verse that was read at our wedding ceremony, and the date was the date of our wedding, so it had a lot of significance.
The day I lost the ring was actually a really good day. In the morning my whole family had a great time at the beach with some friends who were visiting. Awesome weather, got to have lunch at the beach. I didn’t notice the ring was missing until late that evening, probably around 8-9 pm. I thought it was probably at the beach since I had been boogie boarding and wiped out a couple of times, but really it could have been anywhere since it had been so long since I had seen it.
When you called me that first day, I was a little skeptical that you would be able to find it, since I wasn’t totally sure I had lost it at the beach. Plus it was a big beach! But at least it was the first hope I had since losing the ring. The next time you called to tell me you found it, I was totally surprised!
I put a story up on Facebook about the lost ring, as of right now it has 71 « likes » and 34 comments. People are amazed that you were able to find the ring after I had lost it! My assistant, who is from China, thinks this kind of story would never happen in China and is amazed it happened here. It is because you are such a great guy that I get to tell this wonderful story over and over again.
Thanks again, Ted
