The Ring Finders - Huntsville, Alabama

09/21/2025

I received a call from Cesar on Saturday (September 6th, 2025) just before 4pm. He made a post in the North Alabama Disc Golf Facebook group and one of my co-workers, Rob, sent him my info. Cesar was playing in a disc golf tournament at the Mastin Lake Course in Huntsville, Alabama that morning. Cesar finished some practice shots and just before he threw the frisbee at the first hole, it started raining. He used a towel to dry his hands, but they were still pretty wet when he threw the frisbee. Right as Cesar got to the second hole and he set down his bag is when he noticed his cherished 2003 class ring from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, was gone. When Cesar called, I was doing some things around my house. Mastin Lake Park is only 10 minutes away, so I told Cesar that I would change, grab my gear, and head his way.

I met Cesar just before 4:30 pm at Mastin Lake Park. I had him show me all the areas he was at. He told me that he really felt that his ring came off at the first hole, because it usually fits him snug and the wet hands from the rain probably caused it to slip off on the frisbee throw. I searched the area with my Minelab Equinox 900 with the 15-inch coil from where Cesar was standing to the basket and extended the sides of my grid fairly wide. No ring. Even though Cesar didn’t think his ring came off on the practice throws, I still wanted to search that area to clear it. No ring there.

We eventually went back to the first hole since that was where it was raining. Cesar re-enacted the throw and he had a strong follow through with his right hand (hand with the ring) to the right side. I began searching further out to the right than where I had before. Cesar was walking ahead of me searching with his eyes. A few minutes later I heard Cesar say, “oh my God” as he bent down and picked up his yellow gold Citadel class ring!! Woo-hoo! I immediately looked to the sky and said, “thank you, God!” Cesar was so happy and thankful that he had his very sentimental class ring back! He gave me a big hug. We were both surprised at how far his ring flew. I added two photos at the end of where Cesar was standing and where the disc golf basket was. Cesar said his ring landed so far away and he had never looked in that area earlier in the day. What a miracle to find it! Praise the Lord!

Cesar and I chatted for a few minutes, took some photos, and we parted ways, headed home. Until the next one, please take care and God bless!

09/20/2025

I received a text message on Sunday afternoon (August 31st, 2025) from Roger stating he had lost his gold and titanium wedding band a few weeks ago while wringing out a rag at his vacation home in Crane Hill, Alabama. Both Roger and his wife, Dawn had their wedding bands custom made about 6-7 years ago while on a trip to Switzerland. I told Roger that I’d be more than happy to help. I was having family over for dinner, but told him I could come out the next morning on Labor Day. Finding lost items is definitely not work to me (lol) and was the perfect way to celebrate the holiday!

I met Roger and his family around 9 am the next morning. He showed me where he was standing and where he saw his ring drop. He said it looked like it landed in the small patch of grass on top of the large rocks. Roger was standing on the second story balcony and it was a long drop to the bottom. The house was on a decent incline, so the ring could have easily rolled down the hill, which lead to their boat dock at Smith Lake. I grabbed my Minelab Equinox 900 with the 15-inch coil and started my search.

I searched for over an hour, covering every spot by the drop zone and down the hill. Roger’s daughter suggested that I expand my search further to the left side, because it had rained a lot over the last few weeks and she thought it may have washed down between two trees. I covered that area all the way to the steps leading to the dock, but still no ring. I went to the bottom of the hill by the woods and dock to make a final pass since I had searched just about everywhere possible. As I was walking through, I suddenly eyeballed Roger’s ring sitting against the small wooden rail right before the drop off to the dock and lake! Wow, what a miracle!! It had rolled all the way down the hill and stopped just before the dock. If the ring continued to roll, it may have went over the dock and into the lake! You just never know how far rings will travel. It was also one of the heaviest rings I have found, which could’ve caused the long roll plus the long drop from the second story balcony. I immediately thanked God for the last-minute save!

I took some pictures and headed up the stairs to knock on the door. Dawn and her daughter greeted me. Dawn asked if I was going to call it. With a disappointed face I said, “yes, going to call it and head home.” Then I gave a big smile and said, “because Roger’s ring has been found!!” They both said, “are you kidding!?” I said, “not kidding, we got it!” Then I showed them a picture. They were so happy and said I had to say the same thing to Roger, lol, who was outside in the front. I could tell that Roger was slightly disappointed when I said I was going to head home. But then I smiled and told him the good news! Smiles all around 😊 Roger gave me a couple of big hugs and thanked me profusely.

I had left Roger’s ring right where I had found it to show them where it ended up. Roger, Dawn, and I went down to retrieve it. Everyone was so happy and couldn’t believe it had rolled that far. This was definitely the perfect way to spend Labor Day!

09/03/2025

I received a call on Friday (August 29th, 2025) in the late afternoon from Gabby. Gabby’s engagement ring was lost the night before in the front yard at her home in Huntsville, Alabama and she was hoping I could help her find it. Gabby and her fiancé, Matthew had bought a metal detector, but were unable to find Gabby’s engagement ring, which was a family heirloom – it was Matthew’s grandmother’s ring. I initially suggested the next morning for a search, but both Gabby and Matthew had to work, so I said I would head out after dinner.

About an hour and a half after Gabby’s call, I headed out for the search. I met Gabby at her home and I had her show me the area she thought her ring was lost at. Gabby also showed me a picture of what the gold engagement ring looked like. I told her she was welcome to go back in the house to relax and I would get to work, letting her know how the search went. I was using my Minelab Equinox 900 with the 15-inch coil. I cleared the main area in the front yard and expanded further to the right side, but didn’t find the ring. I double checked the main area and expanded my grid to the left side. I was a few feet from the street, when I hit a good tone and saw the outline of a gold ring emerge from the green grass. It was Gabby’s engagement ring! Praise the Lord!!

I snapped a few photos of the ring and went to knock on the door to tell Gabby the great news. Both Gabby and Matthew were so happy and relieved to hear that the ring was found! Smiles all around 😊 and the reason I do what I do!

09/02/2025

This past week I had a total of 6 calls for lost items, which is a higher-than-normal call volume for my area. I conducted a search for 4 of the items (the other 2 were too far or needed a diver). I’m happy to report that all 4 items were found! All praise and glory to God! He is so good!!! Here’s the write-up of the first recovery. Please be on the lookout for the others.

I received a text message on Monday morning (August 25th, 2025) from Ellen stating she had lost her soldered engagement & wedding rings over the weekend while pulling weeds at her mother-in-law’s (Judy) house in Huntsville, Alabama. Ellen had taken off her rings (including a ring she wears on a finger on her right hand) and put them in her pocket. She put her phone in the same pocket and pulled it out periodically to change songs. When Ellen was done with the yard work, there was only 1 ring left in her pocket -- the soldered engagement & wedding rings were gone. I told Ellen I would be more than happy to help search. We scheduled a hunt for Tuesday after I got off from work.

Ellen and her husband, Brad live in Birmingham, AL. Ellen had to be in Birmingham on Tuesday, but Brad was back in Huntsville for the day, so I met Brad at his mother’s (Judy) house around 4:30 pm on Tuesday. Brad and Judy showed me where Ellen had been working in the flowerbeds and another area around a tree. They were very kind providing some bug spray and a cold glass of ice water when I asked. Once I had my search area, I got to work with my Minelab Equinox 900.

I searched two piles of weeds, but didn’t get any signals. I moved to the grass area in front of the flower beds and had a good hit within a few minutes of searching. I looked down and saw that unmistakable glimmer of gold! It was Ellen’s rings!! I took a few pictures of what the rings looked like as is (pictures at the end). Prior to calling me for help, Ellen and Brad had bought a metal detector and tried searching. They had a few hits, but everything was below the surface. They were surprised that they missed the rings, but they were fixated on another target nearby, and the detector they bought was not the best for finding rings. Once you know the ring is there, then you think how could I miss it, but grass will easily swallow up a ring and it's really hard or near impossible to spot with eyesight alone.

I went and got Brad and Judy and gave them the good news! They were both so happy and gave me a big hug. Brad Facetimed Ellen and I got to surprise her with the rings and show her in real time. Ellen was so happy, relieved, and thankful! She told me this was a huge answered prayer. I told her that I had been praying as well. What an awesome feeling! Brad and Ellen have been married for 26 years! Thank God for another successful recovery!

As I was getting ready to leave, my truck wouldn’t start – my battery was dead! Brad thankfully had some jumper cables and helped me get my truck started (I now have a pair of jumper cables in my truck, lol). Huge thank you to Brad for saving me there! I was able to get a new battery on Friday morning – just in time for a few more searches, lol…

07/27/2025

Allie's ring recovery on July 18th was extra special to me because it was my 50th overall successful search! I’ve now found and returned a total of 58 items (some searches had multiple rings/items). What a blessing it is getting to help others!

Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of sharing my metal detecting story with one of the writers of the Redstone Rocket, Ms. Marian Accardi. The Redstone Rocket is the Redstone Arsenal’s newspaper. I’ve been waiting for a special occasion to share it, and to celebrate my 50th successful search, here it is. Happy reading! And until the next recovery… please take care and God Bless!

As Christina McCree turns the pages of a book that documents her successful metal detecting searches over the years, she can’t help but smile.

07/22/2025

I received a text message just before midnight on Wednesday (July 16th, 2025) from Allie stating she had lost a few rings on Monday evening and asked if I could help her find them. Allie was attending one of the Concerts in the Park events at Big Spring Park in Huntsville, Alabama. She vaguely remembered taking off her engagement ring and wedding band (soldered together) and her promise ring, then she placed them in the cup holder of her folding chair so that she could apply lotion. Allie forgot to put her rings back on and at the end of the event, she folded up her chair and put it back in the bag with the rings still in the cup holder. She thought they had fallen out into the grass.

The promise ring was a thin gold band that used to be Allie’s mother-in-law’s (Brandi) engagement ring given by her father-in-law. Unfortunately, he has since passed. The diamond and prongs had been removed, and the diamond was incorporated into a different ring Brandi now wears. The modified thin 14k gold band was given to Allie as a promise ring by her now husband.

When I received Allie’s message I had already gone to bed, because I had to get up early for work the next morning, but I replied to Allie and told her I’d be more than happy to help. I said I needed to pick up my detector and gear from my house, so I wouldn’t be able to get out to the park until after work on Thursday evening. Allie said she had a prior commitment on Thursday evening, so we scheduled a search for Friday late afternoon when I got off from work.

Allie went back out to the park with a friend earlier in the day on Thursday to search for her rings. Her friend took a metal detector, but she had a of signals and interference, so she ended up doing a visual grid search. She was able to find Allie’s soldered engagement and wedding rings!! She was so excited that she ran over to Allie and forgot to mark the exact spot, but that was no problem, because they had a picture of where Allie was sitting with the hotels/apartments in the background. We were now 1 for 2 (or 2 for 3 depending how you look at it, lol).

I met Allie and Brandi on Friday afternoon at Big Spring Park. There was a lot of pop of rain showers and thunderstorms, but thankfully nothing was happening at the park. As we walked over to where Allie was sitting on Monday, Brandi explained the sentimental meaning behind the ring. I could tell how much it meant to her.

Allie showed me the area she was sitting at and Brandi showed me the photo of Allie to line myself up with. I had my Minelab Equinox 900 with the 15-inch coil. I began my grid search and started receiving various signals. I carefully checked each one with my Garret Pro Pointer. All the targets were below the surface, so I didn’t bother going any further. I came upon a nice sounding 15-16 signal. I bent down to check and there was Allie’s gold ring!! It was laying vertically, completely hidden in the grass. I looked up at Allie, smiled, and said, “we got it!” I looked over at Brandi and gave her a smile and thumbs up. They were both very happy and relieved that it was found. All praise and glory to God!

We chatted for a few minutes and started walking back to our vehicles. They thanked me again and we said out good-byes.

07/06/2025

I received a call and text on Sunday (June 22nd, 2025) afternoon from Taylor stating he lost his wedding band while swimming in a pond on his family’s property in Booneville, Mississippi. I was traveling for work training during the week and told Taylor that I would give him a call after I de-planed. Taylor told me that he felt his wedding band slip off his finger in about 3-4 feet of water when he was about 10-15 yards from the shoreline. He was helping his kids out of the deeper end. I told him that I didn’t get back to Huntsville, AL until Friday, but I would be more than happy to conduct a search on the weekend. We setup a 9am meetup time on Saturday, June 28th.

I met Taylor in Booneville after a beautiful drive 2 hour and 15-minute drive through the Alabama and Mississippi countryside. He helped me take my water detecting gear down to the pond. I got in the water and had Taylor direct me to where he thought his ring came off. I put in my marker pole and went back to the shoreline for my Minelab Equinox 900 with the 15-inch coil and long handled Xtreme scoop. Taylor went inside the house and I started searching in the water.

On my walk out to the marker pole I found a penny. Then, when I was about 1-2 feet from the pole on the left side I received a nice sounding tone on my Nox. It took about 5 tries until I could get the target in my scoop, because the water was up to my chin and I was slightly buoyant from my wetsuit bottoms. The pond bottom was a soft mud. Once I confirmed that I had the item in my scoop, I walked over to the shallow end to shake out the mud. I soon saw a gold ring glimmering back up at me -- we had Taylor’s wedding band! I took out the ring just as Taylor’s mother-in-law, Jenny and Taylor’s wife, Brooke we’re walking outside. Taylor followed behind. I held it up for them to see and we all cheered! I looked up to the sky and said, “thank you, God!”

I walked to the shoreline to hand Taylor his ring and the family dog, Loki was there to greet me and celebrate. Taylor and his family were so grateful for the help and told me how much it meant to them. Taylor and Brooke had just gotten married on November 16th. I told them that helping others and seeing the joyful reactions is the reason why I do this. I give God all the glory.

Taylor invited me in for some coffee and Jenny offered some delicious homemade breakfast – biscuits and gravy (what I wanted all week lol), eggs, and a porkchop. I graciously accepted. Jenny’s husband, Darryl had just arrived home and we all enjoyed a nice conversation. We then said our good-byes and I was back on the road headed home to Huntsville. Until the next one… please take care and God bless!

02/04/2025

I received a call on Wednesday (January 29th, 2025) from Alice stating that back in October her mother-in-law, Judy, had lost her ring while standing on her front porch in Scottsboro, Alabama. Alice’s nephew had tried looking for it with a metal detector, but unfortunately, he was unable to find it. Alice had recently come across my ring finders page (The Ring Finders - Huntsville, Alabama) via Google and she thought they’d give it a shot. I told Alice that I’d be more than happy to help look for Judy’s ring. I work my normal “9-5” job during the week, but said that I could come out on the weekend. We setup a search for Saturday.

I met Judy at her home in Scottsboro at noon on Saturday, February 1st. We talked for a few minutes first, because we had both realized that my father-in-law, Lindell Sr., actually works for the company that Judy’s son, Steve, and daughter-in-law, Alice, own. Small world! I asked Judy to show me what she was doing when her ring came off. She said her dog had rolled around in the yard and had some dormant Bermuda grass on him. He was standing on the steps of her front porch, and Judy began brushing off the grass with her right hand. She then felt one of her rings fly off and heard a ping on the metal railing on the right side, but she couldn’t tell which direction her ring went. This was a very sentimental ring that was bought during a cruise to Mexico for her 40th wedding anniversary. A beautiful and irreplaceable yellow gold ring with a ruby.

I began searching with my Minelab Equinox 900 metal detector. The shrubs were very full, so it was a close quarters type of search. I did my best to swing the coil around the foliage. Then I got down on my hands and knees and began searching in and around the shrubs with my handheld pinpointer, the Garrett Pro Pointer AT. I had searched the entire right and left sides of the landscaping, plus the front of the yard. I only found various bits of small flexible metal, which was probably used in the construction of the house. The landscaping had a metal edging around the entire border. It gave off a loud tone. The border was covered up with a mondo/monkey style type grass. I knew I needed to manually search the entire boarder, because the metal could easily mask the ring.

I carefully searched through the monkey grass. I cleared the right-side border, but no ring. Next, I started searching the left side and I had gotten about part way down when I finally saw it… that yellow gold beaming back at me! I was so happy and relieved that the mystery was finally solved! It took an hour and 45 minutes, but Ms. Judy’s gorgeous red ruby ring was found! I got in a couple of quick photos and rang the doorbell. I told Judy that it was a tough search, but… we got it! I opened up my fist to show her the ring. She was so excited and gave me a big hug! We both thanked God for answering our prayers.

I’m truly blessed that I get to go on all these fun adventures and meet such wonderful people. Until the next one…please take care and God bless!

01/01/2025

Here are the smiles I found in 2024! 7 items found -- 5 rings, 1 earring, and 1 cellphone. All praise and glory to God! 🙏 Happy New Years to all and God Bless!!!

01/01/2025

I’m in Tampa Bay, Florida visiting my parents at their beach condo for New Years week. My dad and I were out metal detecting at one of the local beaches yesterday (December 30th, 2024). I was detecting on the wet sand along the shoreline when a gentleman flagged me down. He told me that his wife, Lisa, had just lost her cellphone in the dry sand. They tried raking their hands and feet through the sand, but couldn’t find it. A couple next to them suggested using a metal detector… and they just so happened to spot me metal detecting, lol. Talk about right place, right time! I told him that I’d be more than happy to help.

We walked over and I met Lisa. I asked the usual questions including how her cellphone was lost. Lisa knew she had it on her when her family was moving their beach cart, towels, etc. closer to the shoreline. It was a fairly small area to search with a metal detector, but it would be nearly impossible to find Lisa’s cellphone without one. Her cellphone case is also a tan/sand color, so it easily blends in.

I asked Lisa for the outer boundaries and I setup a visual grid. I cleared the main area in about 5-10 minutes with my Minelab Equinox 900. Her family was digging a hole in the new area, so they picked up the toys and moved the beach cart out of the way. I started searching the new area and got a good jumpy signal near the hole where the cart was. I used my fingers to search the sand (I didn’t want to use my sand scoop and risk damaging Lisa’s cellphone). I quickly felt and saw an outline of a cellphone! We had found it! I picked up the cellphone and held it in the air to show the group. I gave Lisa a big hug and everyone around us began cheering. Lisa was so happy and relieved to have her phone back! We have so many photo memories and other personal things on a cellphone that we just can’t get back if it’s lost forever.

I talked with Lisa for a few minutes and she told me that her family is from Ohio. They were in town for a wedding and decided to add a few days to their trip so they could go to the beach. I was so happy that I was at that beach on that particular day and time. Lisa said that getting her cellphone back really made her day/year. I told her that it really made mine as well. I give all praise and glory to God!

10/29/2024

Jessie’s testimonial and photo:

A needle in a haystack! I lost my wedding ring while canoeing on the Buffalo River. This ring wasn't just any ring; it was my grandmother's engagement ring and my husband's grandmother's wedding band soldered together. I was devastated when I lost it. By the grace of God, I stumbled upon Ringfinders and found Christina McCree. She responded immediately and was ready to help me find it! She traveled and went on an 8-mile kayak trip to help me find it in freezing cold water. She was patient and kind, and like a superhero, she found my ring!!! It was truly an answered prayer. I highly recommend reaching out to her if you're a fool like me and accidentally lose your wedding ring!

Jessie’s sister’s story (she’s hoping to get it published in the local newspaper):

An answered prayer and miracle for sure! Ring finder, Christina McCree, comes to the rescue and helps a couple recover a lost wedding ring and family heirloom in the Buffalo River in Tennessee.
Four friends set out for a fun filled day at Crazy Horse Canoes. The peaceful serenity of an autumn afternoon was shattered for Jessie Camp, when the beloved symbol of her marriage slipped from her finger and vanished into the waters below. What began as a joyful day of canoeing with friends quickly spiraled into a heart-wrenching loss.

On that fateful day, Jessie and husband Todd were canoeing down the buffalo river, their laughter echoing among friends as they paddled blissfully downstream. The tight-knit group had come together to celebrate the beauty of nature—a moment filled with joy, camaraderie, and the thrill of outdoor adventure. However, as the current picked up, their less experienced friends struggled to stay afloat and flipped their canoe. Jessie and Todd knew they had to go back and help them. They found a place for their canoe and without thinking swam upstream to help their friends.

By the time Jessie and Todd made it upstream, their friends canoe was sunk lodged under a tree. They tried for about an hour to recover it. With no luck, they knew they were going to have to navigate the last 7 miles with only 1 canoe.

We knew we all couldn't fit in the canoe, so Jessie, being most comfortable in the water, gave up her spot in the canoe. And the four friends came up with a plan. The two in the water were to stick together and hold the back of the canoe so nobody got left behind. The plan was working pretty good until they came across strong current and David the friend in the water hit a rock and let go of the canoe taking Jessie with him.

In an instant fighting current and rocks, the ring Jessie had worn almost every single day since her wedding—a unique piece meticulously crafted from her and Todds grandmother’s rings—slipped from her finger and disappeared among the swirling currents and submerged rocks. Jessie’s heart sank, as she desperately tried to recover her ring but was being pulled downstream by the current.

"My heart was shattered," she recalled, her voice trembling with emotion. "The ring was irreplaceable. It was a part of our family’s legacy, a connection to both of our grandparents. I felt like I had lost a piece of my past."

Despite her devastation, Jessie turned her focus back to her friends, ensuring they all made it safely down river before dark. The experience was bittersweet; the joy of helping her friends was overshadowed by her grief. Days turned into weeks, and Jessie was unable to shake the feeling of loss as she returned to everyday life without the ring that had been a constant reminder of her love.

On her anniversary, she was determined to find her ring! Jessie and husband Todd, made the decision to return to the Buffalo River with a professional ring finder, Christina McCree, equipped with an underwater metal detector, hopeful yet aware of the chances of actually finding the ring. It was going to be a needle in the haystack situation. The friendly Crazy Horse Canoe staff helped educate them on the river and where abouts the forks were as they recalled losing it at a fork in the river with current.

The couple and ring finder embarked on their mission hearts filled with a cocktail of anxiety and hope. Hours passed as they scoured the riverbed, weeds swaying gently above the water’s surface, the search proving both exhausting and exhilarating. We knew if we could just pinpoint the exact location, the chances of finding it would increase greatly.

With two unsuccessful searches, we went up river, and Todd was confident he finally found the right spot! Just a few minutes into the search at that location, excitement erupted as the metal detector beeped, signaling the potential of a treasure unearthed. Christina pulled out her pinpoint detector, moments later, she lifted her hand with a smile on her face, cradling the lost ring that had captured Jessie's heart so long ago.

“I could hardly believe it when she handed it to me,” Jessie recounted, tears of joy glistening in her eyes. “It felt like a miracle to have it back. The ring was tucked away under a rock, covered in moss, "We would have never found it without Christina, God, and the Crazy Horse Canoe staff. I am beyond thankful for them for my answered prayer.

The couple stood hand in hand, gazing at her ring, laughter spilling forth as they celebrated this incredible moment. Jessie understood that the ring represented far more than just a piece of jewelry; it was a symbol of her family’s love, resilience, and the unexpected joy of life’s twists and turns.

As they made their way home, the couple realized that love is not only about holding on but also about letting go and trusting that sometimes, miracles happen when you least expect them. In a world fraught with uncertainties, their story serves as a beautiful reminder that hope and connection can sometimes be found just below the surface.

10/29/2024

On Saturday morning, October 12th, 2024, I received a text message from Jessie stating she had lost her wedding ring set a few weeks prior while canoeing the Buffalo River with Crazy Horse Recreational Park in Waynesboro, Tennessee. This is Jessie’s grandmother’s engagement ring and Jessie’s grandmother-in-law’s wedding band soldered together as one. Highly sentimental and irreplaceable. To top it off, Jessie and Todd had just celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary. Crazy Horse is a 2-hour drive from where I live at in Huntsville, Alabama and the canoe/kayak float on the Buffalo is an 8-mile trip. We’d be pushing it close if we went for a search that same day. Jessie suggested that we go the following Saturday, so that we’d have plenty of time to search. I told her that sounded good, and as long as her ring was still there and she got me in the right spot, our chances of finding it were very good.

I packed up all the gear I would need for a shallow water search on Friday evening. Jessie said she was floating when she felt her ring slip off, so she thought the water was about 2-3 feet deep. Jessie had been canoeing with her husband, Todd and two of their good friends. Their friends hit some rough water and flipped. Jessie and Todd helped get them to safety, but their canoe was completely sunk. So, the four friends had to share one canoe for the remainder of the trip (about 5 miles). Jessie volunteered to float outside of the canoe, while holding on to her friend. About a mile downstream, her friend caught his body on something, which caused him to let go of Jessie. That’s when she felt her ring come off.

I met Jessie and Todd at Crazy Horse a little after 10am on Saturday, October 19th. It had now been 4 weeks since Jessie’s yellow gold wedding ring set was lost. The three of us decided to rent single rider kayaks for this 8-mile trip. Crazy Horse was very accommodating and tried their best to help Jessie and Todd pinpoint the spot where her ring came off. The loss happened at one of the bends, but a lot of those areas can look similar, and it had been raining that day. We didn’t have any rain since, so the water level probably dropped making it even harder to pinpoint the exact area. We decided that we would stop and search at all potential areas, because once we passed it, we wouldn’t be able to paddle back upstream.

We loaded up in Crazy Horse’s transportation van and they took us up 8-miles to the put-in area. We got all of my gear and coolers loaded up in our kayaks and we were on our way down the Buffalo! Jessie and Todd felt that the first spot we stopped at to search wasn’t the area of loss, but we wanted to make sure. We were able to clear it in about 30 minutes and we were back on our way. Jessie thought her friends had flipped their canoe at one spot, but it ended up being further downstream than she thought. We saw two other kayaks get caught at an area and then Jessie said that spot was the correct area where their friends canoe flipped and sunk. The area the ring was lost would be about another mile downstream.
We came up to the second search area. Jessie really felt that this was where she lost her ring. The water depth ranged from ankle to waist deep and was pretty chilly. We had a cold front move in during the week, but thankfully it was warm and sunny that day. Plus, I had on my wetsuit bottoms, so the water wasn’t too bad. We spent about an hour searching, but I only found 2 pieces of trash. Jessie really felt like this was the area, but based on my search, I felt pretty confident that her ring wasn’t there. I said that maybe it was further down river. Jessie marked that spot on her phone and reluctantly continued on. We floated about a half mile further and we started getting a little discouraged, thinking, “maybe that was the spot?”

However, we soon came up to another area that looked like it could be it. Todd then stated confidently, “Jess, right there is where you said you lost your ring.” That area had some small rapids leading into a bend on the right side. Jessie thought Todd could be right.

There was nowhere to dock our kayaks, so Todd stayed with them on the left side. The water was about ankle deep (may have changed over the 4 weeks). I began searching at the top of the river going down to the bend. I had just made my way passed the spot Todd thought it was at, then I got a solid 29 on my Minelab Equinox 900. I couldn’t see anything, even after using my foot to brush away debris. I took out my Garret pinpointer and soon found the target. Completely tucked under moss, and covered by tiny rocks and dirt (never would’ve found it without a detector) emerged a ring! At first, I thought this wasn’t it until I turned it around and saw the diamonds gleaming back at me. It was 2 gold rings soldered together. This had to be it! Todd said, “I think she has it!” Jessie walked over with tears in her eyes and confirmed that was her ring. She almost couldn’t believe it. She gave me a big hug and we celebrated! I raised my metal detector to the sky and said, “thank you, God!”

We talked about the chances of finding a ring after it was lost for 4 weeks in an 8-mile stretch of river while it was raining. We decided that it had to be a miracle. And, both Jessie’s and Todd’s grandmothers were watching and smiling over us. After some reflection, we got back in our kayaks and were able to enjoy the remaining 5 miles of the Buffalo float knowing that we had what we came for.

Once we got back to Crazy Horse, we took some pictures, and I handed Jessie some of my business cards. We said our farewells. Jessie and Todd went to dinner, and I got on the road to head home to Huntsville. I had some of my mom’s slow cooker turkey BBQs and home fried potatoes waiting on me. By the time I made it home, this trip turned out to be an 11-hour adventure. Definitely well worth it to help someone find their irreplaceable family heirloom wedding rings and to see that smile! 😊

I give all praise and glory to God for this successful search. He has definitely blessed me with the means to go on these adventures and make these recoveries – truck, gear, detectors, and skills/works. Plus, I have the faith. Also, a huge thank you to the Crazy Horse staff! Highly recommend their canoe/kayak service and that beautiful float on the Buffalo River. I think I’ll always remember this ring search adventure as “the Mircale on the Buffalo”. Until the next one, please take care and God bless!