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09/06/2009: "KEN DaVICO FINDS ANOTHER DIAMOND RING"
KEN WRITES OF AN ENCOUNTER:
"Yesterday Jeffrey called in distress. He told me a sad story about losing his US$8,000 platinum and diamonds wedding (ring) band while body boarding Kalipaki Bay".
"It was nearly dark so too late for an immediate retrieval. Jeffrey would just have to endure a bad night's sleep. This morning at 8am I met him on site. He was a little stressed out, had tears in his eyes as he was telling me how he lost it".
"I used the CZ 20-10 as my tool. He told me he had lost it yesterday at about 4PM. Said it came off when his body board hit the sand at the end of the shore break. It was now low tide and at 4PM yesterday it was high tide".
"I figured it would be above the surf wash area and out of the water on the beach face. I had him drive sticks in the sand to lay out a search area".
"I started outside the area about 15 feet past his margin. Worked my way across to his far marker and kept right on going with my search pattern. Got a good tone about 10 feet beyond his maximum mark but the tone was not strong. Scooped down about 8 inches and dumped the retrieved stuff out".
"Scooped a little back up and shook the sand through. There in the bottom of the old scoop was Jeffrey's beautiful platinum and diamond ring. Took about 20 minutes of tight searching and my day at the beach was done and amply rewarded".
"P.S. I received a phone call from the Kauai Police dept. Jeffrey had called to cancel his lost item report. They thanked for the help and said they would refer any others to me".
Footnote: Ken DaVico is an old mate from our joint seaplane adventure (with Richard Ibara and Barry Wilson) to the lost atolls of Kapingamarangi and Nukuoro (described in detail elsewhere on the blog as the best, most dangerous and exciting times any young guys could have).
Ken now lives in the Hawaiian Islands and seeks lost 'treasure' in the surf and elsewhere underwater when he's not competing in and winning triathlons. Ken has located lost Rolex's and gold wedding rings by the score.
Such losses and finds are possible in a highly visited, five star, tourist location. Why people wear such stuff in a heavy surf is always a mystery.
