I haven't had much hunting opportunity this year, for lots of reasons. Yesterday I decided to make a day of it, no deep water, wet sand only for me and my Sovereign. I was the only hunter in sight, I guess nobody wanted to mess with the traffic from the Shriners' parade. Lots of targets, nothing worthwhile. After walking about 20 blocks, I hit a relatively heavy gold ladies signet ring. With only sunglasses, I couldn't make out any detail. I dropped it in the pouch and kept moving. I stopped at my usual halfway point watering hole and had the waitress with the young eyes tell me it was a college ring, 10K, with a full name inscribed. She read me the name since she knew I'd make an effort to return it.
On the return trip, in the area where I found it, I was approached by a respectful young man who asked if I'd found a ring. I replied I'd found some jewelry, what was he missing, he said his friend lost a ladies college ring nearby. I didn't let on that I had it, but offered to "try and find it" if I could to speak to the owner. She'd gone to her hotel room after she and her group of about 20 friends had spent the past hour trying to find it. As I followed him to their beach blanket, I slipped the ring on my pinky.
A few seconds after I got to their blankets, as if on queue, she came out of the hotel walking towards us, visibly upset as she talked on her phone to her Mom about losing the ring. Her friend yelled to her that I offered to help. She'd obviously been crying and said she'd give me all the money she had if I could find her ring, but she didn't think I could. I playfully pretended to look offended by her lack of confidence as I raised my hand in front of her face.
Fortunately, since I've been in this position before, I properly braced for the leaping hug and didn't pull any muscles or damage my detector.
These kids were the best and brightest from a small college, and they showed it as they treated me like a king for the next hour. They insisted on giving me all the cash they had with them on the beach ($16) and forced me to drink several of their beers. And a few of them were truly interested in my machine and the hobby in general. I answered a LOT of questions. It was by far my most enjoyable day of detecting this year.
And the ironic this is, that ring was the ONLY gold I've found on the beach this year!
On the return trip, in the area where I found it, I was approached by a respectful young man who asked if I'd found a ring. I replied I'd found some jewelry, what was he missing, he said his friend lost a ladies college ring nearby. I didn't let on that I had it, but offered to "try and find it" if I could to speak to the owner. She'd gone to her hotel room after she and her group of about 20 friends had spent the past hour trying to find it. As I followed him to their beach blanket, I slipped the ring on my pinky.
A few seconds after I got to their blankets, as if on queue, she came out of the hotel walking towards us, visibly upset as she talked on her phone to her Mom about losing the ring. Her friend yelled to her that I offered to help. She'd obviously been crying and said she'd give me all the money she had if I could find her ring, but she didn't think I could. I playfully pretended to look offended by her lack of confidence as I raised my hand in front of her face.
Fortunately, since I've been in this position before, I properly braced for the leaping hug and didn't pull any muscles or damage my detector.
These kids were the best and brightest from a small college, and they showed it as they treated me like a king for the next hour. They insisted on giving me all the cash they had with them on the beach ($16) and forced me to drink several of their beers. And a few of them were truly interested in my machine and the hobby in general. I answered a LOT of questions. It was by far my most enjoyable day of detecting this year.
And the ironic this is, that ring was the ONLY gold I've found on the beach this year!
...ps, I hope you will get out more often!
