North Myrtle Beach Tag | The Ring Finders
Ring Lost in the Ocean – Found in the Wet Sand at North Myrtle Beach SC
I got a call on September 6th from Amy asking if I could help find her daughter Adrianne’s engagement ring that was lost in the ocean during the incoming tide. After finding out the resort location I was on my way and arrived in about 15 minutes.
I got there about 6:30 pm and found out Adrianne was on her way back home for work the next day so I met Adrianne’s younger sister Samantha (Sam). Sam gave me a general location and explanation on where and how the ring was lost. She also told me the ring was “silver” with a diamond on it. The story was that Adrianne was playing catch in about knee deep water an hour or so before high tide. Adrianne attempted to catch the ball which she miscalculated just a little jamming her ring finger when she felt her ring slip off.
It turned out to be a long night, a couple of heavy storms with wicked lightening moved through and I wasn’t having any luck finding the ring. After 4 hours of grid searching (north/south, east/west and circular) I called Amy and let her know I’d be back around 7am the next morning. Thinking I was going to have to expand my search area quite a bit and that it probably wouldn’t hurt to get some help. I e-mailed TRF member Matt Fry (Myrtle Beach) and friend Jim Brouwer, author of the book “Gold Beneath the Waves, Treasure Hunting the Surf and Sand” asking if either of them would be available the next morning.
I got back the next morning at 6:45am and started another north/south grid. Around 9:30, after getting rained on again, I looked up to see Jim walking down the beach. At this point I could have literally kissed him for showing up but refrained because the condo patios and the beach were getting pretty crowded with people. Anyway, I gave Jim the lowdown on where and what. Suggested he start looking in the area going north and I’d go south. Two hours went by and I see Jim walking towards me again, wasn’t sure if he was calling it a day (which I doubted knowing him) or he found it. When he got to me he asked if I was sure it was a “silver” ring that we were looking for and that he got a 12.04 hit on his CTX 3030. Owning a White’s PI I had no idea what a 12.04 was, but Jim informed me it wasn’t “silver”. Ok, so I asked if he found it at which time he dropped this beautiful 14K White Gold w/approximately a 3/4 Karat Diamond on it. Wow, my instant hero!! I asked where he found it and I’m almost positive I had gone over that area at least 4 times between last night and this morning. I did a quick test with my PI and I got a very faint signal with the ring on top of the sand so I very likely could have missed it buried the inch Jim found it at which I’m not sure why. My PI should have easily picked it up.
After thanking Jim at least 10 times for his help, I slipped the ring over my little finger and dropped my gear off at the car. I found my way up to Amy and her husband Brian’s condo room and knocked on the door. Amy came to the door and I started giving her a song and dance about how we’ve been searching for so long and that it was raining again and then I paused to let it sink in. Then I stuck out my hand with the ring and said “And we found it”!! I can’t describe her excitement other than to say it was awesome. Sam quickly texted Adrianne who was busy at work. Another fantastic outcome thanks to a friend’s help. Thank you Jim Brouwer!
I got a text from Amy a little later saying Adrianne was speechless, she breathed the biggest sigh of relief. That’s what this is all about!!
Brian and Amy thank you so much from both Jim and me for the very generous reward.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Jim Wren
Lady’s 14K White Gold Wedding/Engagement Rings Lost in the Sand – Recovered in North Myrtle Beach, SC
Got a call at about 11:15 am from David saying his wife, Rose, had lost her Wedding/Engagement Rings in the sand and wanted to know if I could help find them. Told him I’d be there in 15-20 minutes.
David met me in the parking lot and on the way out to the beach explained that he and his wife suspected their little daughter may have picked the rings up out of the cup holder in the beach chair. Once we got on the beach I met Rose and the little culprit, who looked so innocent.
I made a line in the dry sand with my scoop that measured roughly 10X15 feet and had David and Rose clear the beach umbrella, beach chairs and other items from inside the search area. On the third pass I had the ring. I turned around to Rose and asked her what the ring looked like but she already knew I had found it because of the rattle in the scoop as I shook out the sand. I held the scoop up and let her pull it out. Another successful recovery with big smiles all the way around.
Total search and recovery time was under 2 minutes.
David and Rose, thank you very much for the reward.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Jim Wren/The Ring Finders/843-655-5889.
Man’s 14K White Gold Wedding Band Lost in the Ocean – FOUND in the Sand at Litchfield Beach, SC
I got a call in the early evening on 8/19 from Kevin, who with his family, was visiting from Virginia. He told me he was body surfing and was knocked into his daughter by a wave when he felt his wedding ring slip off his finger. He said he pretty much gave it up as gone forever but then later saw how much difference there was between high and low tide and thought there might be hope. He found me through The Ring Finders site and asked if I could help try and find it.
He gave me the location and a description of the ring and after checking the tide tables, I saw that the low tide was at 5:33 am the next morning. So after doing the calculations of drive and search times I told Kevin I’d be there by 4:30 in the morning and that he didn’t have to meet me there that early and I’d call him when I found the ring. I set my alarm for 3 am, which is way to early and dark to start a search for a ring but it worked. I got there about 4:15 am and marched off the 75 yards Kevin said he paced from the dunes and added another 25 yards. Kevin also told me it was about 5-10 yards north of the stairs of the beach access and I made it 15 yards. Dragging my scoop behind me I made a nice little search grid that put me right in the middle of the mid-tide line. I’m thinking this is a good sign and there is hope in finding this ring.
After a north/south grid search and finding nothing, I started an east/west grid over the same area and on my first line I extended my search grid to the low tide line. Coming back on the 3rd line, I got the one and only signal I had and Bingo. The ring ended up being buried about 4-5 inches deep and about 105 yards from the dunes. Naturally my head lamp batteries were too weak to show enough light but luckily I had grabbed a flashlight out of the car before I hit the beach and what I had in the scoop matched his description. I texted him at 5:17 am saying « Good morning, does this look familiar? » and added a picture of his ring. Got a response in about a minute saying « Incredible ». I also told him I was going to go eat breakfast and I’d be back about 6:30, this would give him a chance to wake up. When I got back, him, his wife Kristi and 2 young daughters were walking towards the beach. We introduced ourselves and then proceeded out to the beach so he could see where I found it. He told me that since he was getting his ring back that it was such a great start to the day that he and the family would watch the sunrise. And what a sunrise it was!!
Total search time was 45 minutes.
Kevin and Kristi – Thank you for the very generous reward and the opportunity to help you get your treasure back.
Kevin did all the right things in ensuring he had the best opportunity in getting his ring back – he paced off the approximate location and had land marks to his lost ring.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Jim Wren/The Ring Finders/843-655-5889
Man’s Wedding Band Lost in the Sand – FOUND Sunset Beach NC
I got a call from Shana asking if I would help find a Silver Wedding Band lost in the sand at Sunset Beach NC. I told her I’d be glad to help but I was at the movies with my wife and I couldn’t be there until about 10pm, which she agreed to. After the movies, I called Shana to let her know I was on my way, dropped my wife off at home, grabbed my gear and headed for the beach.
I arrived just prior to 10pm and met Jake, who was the one that lost his ring, and his wife, Maria at the beach access path. On the way out to the beach Jake told me that he was playing volleyball and when he hit the ball his ring flew off, he also gave me a description of the ring. Luckily they had left the net up and set out small light loops in the area they thought the ring would be in. He also let me know that about 15 family members had been digging through the sand in an attempt to find it. I let him know, for future reference, that it’s not really a good idea to try and dig through the sand because you could actually be burying the ring deeper.
I started a north/south grid along the length of the net and on the same side where he thought the ring was and found a few junk items but no ring. I then did an east/west grid over the same area and came up with nothing. I was getting a little concerned that the ring may have been buried due to all the digging. I took a couple of steps outside the playing area and the net pole on the far side to start an expanded search, took two steps in the new grid and Bingo. I knew immediately I had it. I took a shallow scoop, shook out the sand and there it was. I nonchalantly walked back over to Jake and asked him again to tell me exactly what he did when he felt the ring fly off his finger and then asked him to describe the ring again, once he finished I held the scoop up to him and asked him if his ring looked like this one. Once he shined his flashlight into the scoop and saw his ring he got an instant smile from ear to ear and so did Maria. It doesn’t get any better than this! On the way back to the car, Maria let me know that they’re heading back home tomorrow so this was a Must find tonight.
Overall, this was an easy search but we were all surprised how far the ring flew from hitting the ball with open hands.
Jake and Maria – thank you for your generous reward and have a safe trip home.
Thank you for reading.
Jim
Man’s 14K White Gold Wedding Band lost in the Ocean – Found and Returned in North Myrtle Beach
On July 10th, 2015 I received a call from Scott stating he had lost his wedding band in the Ocean and wanted to know if I could help. I started asking Scott the obvious questions of what time he lost it, how deep in the surf he was, etc. There was no way I wasn’t going to help him but my dilemma was the fact that two days earlier I had had 3 separate surgeries at one time and the doctor had me on a lifting weight limitation of nothing heavier than a jug of milk and I could not get any of the areas wet and risk infection, so I was restricted to about knee deep water.
Scott and his family were headed back home to Charlotte, NC so they put me in touch with Scott’s parents Bud and Martha who were staying a few extra days on vacation. I met up with them on the beach and they showed me the area Scott lost his ring. Things weren’t looking good for me as far as the depth of water I needed to search. I searched out to about thigh deep water and started getting some bigger swells that were getting to close to my wounds.
After doing about as much as I could, I contacted my son-in-law who has never metal detected before and ask if he could help. He showed up in about 15 minutes and I started running him through the process of using my White’s PI Dual Surf detector, laying targets in the sand for him to interpret and showing him how to search.
About an hour of watching him search the surf and coming up empty I brought him back in and relieved him and started searching the low tide line towards the high tide line. At this point it’s about 10:30 pm, very dark and I’m thinking of calling it for the night and returning at low tide the next morning.
I was talking to Bud and Martha and decided I’d work a little further up towards the high tide line when my son-in-law spoke up and said “I’ll do it”. So I stepped back and let him go, at this point I’m thinking that I had created a monster. And what a monster he turned out to be, about his third pass in the grid I saw his face and watched him dig up a scoop full of sand. I walked over and showed him how to dump the sand out of the scoop, spread it with his foot and narrow his target area. Soon as he did the flashlight picked up a small round object and there was a ring. I verified the inscription that Scott’s wife Diane said would be inside the ring and we had the right one.
I called Scott and gave him the good news and his response was priceless, so was Diane’s which I heard through the phone.
Scott – Thank you very much for the gracious reward which I gave it all to my son-in-law.
Note from Scott:
Sooo Awesome!!! We cannot thank you enough!!! We will be back in August and give you a call. Thank You!!!
Thank you for reading my blog!!
If you’ve lost your ring on the beach or in the ocean contact a member listed in the directory at TheRingFinders.com web site as soon as possible.
Jim
Man’s 10K Gold Wedding Band Lost in the Ocean – Found and Returned North Myrtle Beach
I received an e-mail through my Ring Finders address at about 9:30 pm from Chad here on vacation from WV. His e-mail said he had lost his wedding ring 4 days earlier during high tide while swimming in the ocean. He went on to tell me that the ring was very sentimental because it belonged to his grandfather and that it was a gold wedding band with approx. 5 small diamonds going across » the top evenly spaced. He also thought it was 10K but wasn’t 100% sure. He requested that if I find it or know of anyone who might find it to please call him. He also said there was a gentlemen on the beach metal detecting at the time he lost it and he also requested from him that if he finds it to please call him.
I responded back to Chad advising him that I’d be willing to help ,him and even though it was getting late I could be there within 15 minutes and catch the outgoing tide. In a follow up e-mail he stated he’d like to have me look for it so away I went. He and his family were out enjoying the sites of Myrtle Beach so I got there before he did and started searching where I thought he had described. Needless to say I was off about 25-50 yards. It wasn’t too long before he showed up and got me on track. As we were walking towards the new search area I asked him where he was from and when he told me WV I told him that just the night before I had found a young lady’s ring who was also from WV. Ironically she was his sister in law.
I started searching the low tide line working my way back towards the beach. It was late so Chad went back to his room. I worked my grid for about an hour and a half finding all the typical beach junk and finally got a good signal. The ring was deeper than I thought it would be but none the less it was the ring. I called him and just told him to meet me outside, I think he thought I was finished for the night. He met me and I held the ring out and he was shocked that I found it. Another very happy ending!!!!
Thank you Chad for the gracious reward.
I received the following e-mail from Jaime Plymale:
Author: Jaime Plymale (Chad’s wife)
Jim,
You are a kind, amazing man!!! A man of many miracles, an angel on earth!!! I cried when my husband showed me his lost ring that you found after 4 days and heavy storms!! When he lost it, I didn’t think we would ever see it again! I wish I would have been there to personally give you a hug!! What you do is wonderful and I am thankful for your help!!! Thanks so much!!!
What To Do When You Lose Your Ring
As Ring Finders, we get a lot of calls to recover jewelry soon after it was lost. Unfortunately, some people inadvertently make it harder to find their jewelry after they lose it. Here are some tips to help recover your ring, earring, necklace, watch or other jewelry.
The first thing to do is STOP. Look around, notice where you are, and what landmarks are nearby. If you are at the beach, which hotel/house are you at, are you near a lifeguard station, cabana, boardwalk or trash can? At a park, are you near a light pole, bench, tree or volleyball court? Unfortunately, too many people can only say, “I lost my ring on Ocean Beach” which is miles in length, and far too large to search.
Retrace your steps. When do you last remember wearing your jewelry? What is the last thing you remember doing? For example, it is quite common to lose a ring after applying lotion or washing your hands. Earrings and necklaces can slip off during sports, while changing clothes, or while arranging picnics and blankets.
Next, make a specific list of the places you have been since last seeing your ring.
Now you are ready to search. Be gentle! Tell everyone to walk around slowly, and search with their eyes. Avoid using rakes or other tools, as far more items are dragged into cracks, drains, holes, etc. by inexperienced searching than are recovered that way. You cannot recover what you do not see!
Do you have a smart phone? Open up the map, drop a pin on your location, and send the pin to a friend. This will save the GPS coordinates of your location so we can go right to that same spot later. This is VERY important on large beaches.
At the beaches in North Myrtle Beach, Cherry Grove, Myrtle Beach, Sunset and Huntington Beach we commonly recover items as deep as 6 to 8 inches, even when they were lost that day. The ring will usually start about half an inch under the sand, but get pushed deeper as it gets stepped on by searchers. While our equipment can find items up to about 10-12 inches, recoveries that deep are much harder than those on the surface. If you know where the item is lost, and cannot see it, call us quickly!
If you’ve lost your ring on the beach or in the surf, it’s very important to remember the date, time and location of the loss. This will help us determine the tide levels for that period and to conduct an optimum search.
At parks in Horry County, lost items usually remain on the surface, hidden in the grass or ground covering. Our advice is the same: Walk the area slowly and gently, using your eyes to do the work. Many items can be recovered through careful visual searches. Avoid rakes or other tools: we have seen small items tossed ten feet through the air when they catch on a rake tine.
If you do not find your item quickly, contact The RingFinders! We have successfully recovered jewelry of every description all up and down the Grand Strand. People have contacted Ring Finders from North Myrtle and Myrtle Beach. We work at parks, schools, private property (with permission) and businesses.
If you have lost a ring or other jewelry in the North Myrtle Beach area, contact me. RingFinders work on a reward-only basis. Click here to read more stories about finding lost rings.
Good luck!
P.S. If your ring is still on your finger, make sure it isn’t loose, and inscribe your name or ID on the inside.
Originally posted on Sept 6, 2010 by Dave Millman