San Diego

San Diego beachgoers make the most of a dreary start to Memorial Day weekend

NBC 7 meteorologists expect at least partial cloud cover until Monday, Memorial Day

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Everybody’s out on Mission Beach looking for something on Saturday.

The rain and wind left most of visitors looking for the sun.

“It's actually working out really well for us because we're selling tons of sweatshirts,” Hamel’s Manager Skyer McManus said.

Pablo Machado from Arizona was looking for a diamond ring for his wife.

“Sometimes I find cell phones,” he said. “I called the person in San Francisco. They came and picked it up … I also found a burlap sack a foot below down there with, like, 70 Bud Lights, so, I took it back to Tucson and put in the fridge. They're still good.”

On Saturday he found a quarter and it’s a good thing he’s not in it for the money because if someone were to add it all up, he’s found in the past 20 years doing this, he’s been making a $3 salary.

NBC 7 learned his Memorial weekend search is more than sand-deep. He served 48 years in the U.S. Air force.

“I think about the people working not just 12 hours a day, maintaining their 14 hours a day like I used to in Thailand in the Vietnam War,” he said.

One pass after the next keeps him grounded and humble. He came to the beach looking for a diamond on a windy and rainy day not knowing he was the gem himself.

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