Ring Recovered Tag | The Ring Finders

Lost ring recovered from the Big Lake They Call Gitche Gumee

  • from Chisago City (Minnesota, United States)

I received a call from another Ring Finder from Southeastern Wisconsin (Paul Humphrey) about a party that had lost a ring up in Lake Superior and was wondering if I would be able to go up and assist a couple with finding their ring.  Paul was about 4-5 hours away and thought I would be closer.  He said that he would go if I was unable to make it. Superior Wisconsin is east of Duluth Minnesota by about 5 miles. Its about 2 ½ hours North of the Twin cities.  I told him that indeed I would be able to help them out, and that they could get ahold of me to set up a time that would work.  A short time later I received a call from Grace stating that her husband was in the lake at Wisconsin Point playing with their Labrador and when he got out, he noticed that his ring was missing.  He was not very far out in the lake but was not sure where he lost it. Wisconsin Point has several beautiful sandy beaches and has some sand bars that that go out about 250’ only about 3-4’ deep.  Grace sent me overhead photos with the location somewhat marked out.

I went up on a weekday while they were at work. I had a pretty good idea from talking to them and the photos where they were at. One thing that was said was they were on a sand bar. So when I got up I called them and let them know I was up looking for the ring. I was unable to reach either one of them but did leave messages for them.  So I started working the beach and the edge of the lake with my metal detector.  I was working a long narrow stretch about 400’ long.  I noticed a sand bar and recalled something said about that, so I decided to work out a couple hundred feet. All places that would be a great place to play with a dog.  I spent around 5 hours working the sand bar.  Beautiful weather, sunny skies, surf was calm, and very few people to work around. Near the end of the day a gentleman walked up and introduced himself as the person that had lost the ring. He said that I was 250’ to far east.  So I moved over and started working the area that he said he was in.  A storm front moved in and was starting to lightning about 15 minutes after moving to the new location.  We were forced to pull out for safety and would have to come back another time.

About a week or two later I went back up and was looking in the area that was pointed out to me.  I started my day working the beach where they had set up for the afternoon.  I just wanted to rule out the sandy beach before going into the water.  It would not take long, and I could be reasonably certain that that area was cleared.  While searching the beach what appeared to be a mother, daughter and a toddler were out on the beach in the area around where I was searching. The toddler was so cute and was mesmerized by my swinging the detector back and forth. She would follow me just to see what I was doing.  It was added to the enjoyment of the search.  I briefly spoke to the adults about what I was doing and that I was on a mission rather than just scavenging looking for lost items.

After that I went back out into the water, another beautiful day. Surf was calm and a beautiful day to be out searching. I was working a 100’ wide area going back and forth along the beach working my way out further into the water. The beach had a drop off about 15’ out that dropped down about 2 feet.  It was difficult to cover the area that had the slope being sand. I worked it from the top side and then the bottom side.  I found a cell phone and some miscellaneous junk items.  After about hour I was out about 35 feet and I picked up a signal. It was not a signal that I was thinking would be the ring but scooped it up. I could not believe it, it was the ring.  A beautiful rose gold ring with black diamonds just as they described.  I kind of let out a little YES after I found it and the folks on the beach were excited that I had recovered it.  They came over and seen the ring and where amazed at being able to find that small ring in such a large body of water.

Being 2 hours north of home I called and again was unable to get ahold of Grace and left her a message I was hoping I could meet up with her to give the ring back.  She called me back about 10 minutes later.  “ Hey Grace are you working today? I have something that I would like to get back to you”– No she said she was taking her dog to the vet. But you could tell her excitement. She said she was thinking of going out and buying a new ring later that day. I told her I would meet up with her at her vets office and return the ring.  In the moment I forgot to get photos of the ring being returned to her but they did send back one of the ring back where it belonged.  I did capture a couple of photos on the beach.

What another wonderful recovery. It never gets old helping people recover lost items.

 

    

Wedding Ring Takes Flight Bobec, NB

  • from Fredericton (New Brunswick, Canada)

Happy Owner

Peek-a-boo

The Target

So I got a call for a lost wedding ring. The gentleman was weeding his raised bed gardens in the fall to prepare them for replanting. At the end of the day, after discovering the missing ring he figured that on one of the many trips to throw the handfuls of weeds into the woods, his wedding ring joined them on the flight. He proceeded to search the many weed piles on the forest floor, with no luck. He even borrowed a metal detector, which made lots of noise and gave him exercise but no wedding ring. He then found me online and called and we arranged a time to meet/search. I arrived, got the whole story and saw the search areas. I then laid out and started my search, with the highest likely areas of loss first. After searching all the gardens, weed throw areas, paths to and from, and possible areas of other outdoor chores and coming up empty, it was time to expand the search area. After a 1/2 hr and 8ft outside te original search area, I heard the tone that I was looking for, and after moving some grass aside there was a lovely circle of gold looking back at me. I pulled a surprise reveal by asking him to see his wife’s matching ring to remind me what I was looking for, and when he showed it to me I said « You’re right it does look exactly like yours », and placed his ring beside her ring in my hand. A confused look came over him followed by a wave of realization and his eyes welled up and as he started thanking me. That reaction was all the thanks I needed.