One ring’s journey home after miracle find at Geraldton foreshore

When Jacqui Correy’s husband lost his wedding ring at a Geraldton Beach more than 18 months ago she never expected to see it again.

But in an astonishing twist of fate Ms Correy was handed the treasured possession on Friday after an amateur metal detectorist dug it up from the bottom of the ocean.

Ms Correy’s husband, Richard, dropped the gold ring while he was out paddle boarding with their youngest daughter Meg on Easter Sunday last year.

Meg and Mr Correy spent about half an hour duck diving for the lost ring, but didn’t have any luck in windy and cold conditions down by the Geraldton foreshore near the Jaffle Shack.

Ms Correy posted on Facebook in the hope it might turn up, but realistically thought it was a long shot.

About 18 months later Geraldton resident Jeff Hudson was shoulder deep in water 20m from the foreshore searching for metal when his detector made a very large sound.

He said the metal detector can work in water 3m deep.

“It sounded like something interesting,” he said.

“I heard the ding and went digging. On the fourth dig the ring came out — it was huge.

“You start thinking how it got lost and who it belongs to and trying to piece together that story.”

Mr Hudson found a maker’s mark on the hand-made ring of yellow and white gold, tracking it to Geraldton jeweller Mark Cox.

With so many clients over the years, Mr Cox didn’t have a clue who the ring belonged to.

But within minutes of him posting a picture on social media, Ms Correy’s sister tagged her in the post and the rest, as they say, is history.

“Good people do good things and obviously Jeff is a good person,” Ms Correy said.

“It reminds people there is a lot of good people in the world.”

It’s not the first time the piece of jewellery has been put through the ringer either, according to Ms Correy.

The Wandina resident said her husband squashed the original ring at work a few years ago, with Ms Correy taking it to Mr Cox for remodelling.

“It (the ring) has got some stories to tell now,” she said.

“Its got a rustic look now.

“We always joke how big Richard’s hands are. If someone found it they would think it’s a kid’s bangle.”