Santa Barbara County · about 45 minutes from me
Lost Ring Recovery in Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara is my second home turf. I've recovered rings at East Beach, West Beach and right alongside the pier — including one that flew home to Switzerland.
Searching in Santa Barbara
The sand around the pier and along East Beach turns out not to be detected very often — I routinely pull up old coins there, which tells me the ground is undisturbed and a recently lost ring is very likely still sitting where it fell.
If it went into the water
I search land and shallow water, and the tide decides everything. Tell me the time of day it happened and I can work backwards from the tide chart to figure out where the waterline actually was — which is often nowhere near where you'd guess. I've started a search at 3:30 in the morning because that was when the minus tide let me reach the spot.
What I bring
A Minelab Manticore detector, a long-handled CKG sand scoop, a pinpointer, and a methodical overlapping grid rather than a wander. On grass I cut small plugs that go straight back so the turf recovers without a trace.
What you can do before I arrive
Stop looking, and don't disturb the area. Raking sand or combing grass with your fingers relocates the ring — usually deeper and sideways — and destroys the one piece of information that mattered most.
A recovery near Santa Barbara
An engagement ring found by the Santa Barbara Pier — and mailed to Switzerland
Irina was on holiday from Switzerland and had already left Santa Barbara by the time I found her ring. I insured it and mailed it — she had it back two days later.
Read the full story
Beaches
Santa Barbara beaches I know well
Santa Barbara questions
Common questions
How fast can you get to Santa Barbara?
I'm based in Fillmore, so Santa Barbara is about 45 minutes away. I work seven days a week and I'll always try to match the search to the best conditions — on the coast that usually means working around the tide rather than the clock.
What does a search in Santa Barbara cost?
A $75 call-out fee covers travel and fuel, and it applies whether or not I find the item. If I find it, you set the reward — what the recovery is worth to you and what you can afford. Full pricing here.
What should I do right now?
Stop searching the area and don't rake, sift, mow or water it. Then call or text me with the time, the place and as much detail as you can, ideally with a photo of the spot. Preserving the area is the single most valuable thing you can do.
Do you search private property in Santa Barbara?
Yes — yards, gardens, driveways and private lawns, with the owner's permission. Most of my inland work is exactly this.
Lost a ring in Santa Barbara?
Call or text 805-290-5009. The sooner I hear from you, the better the odds — and the first conversation costs nothing.