There are times when you take and times when you give. For miles and miles we have been taking. Taking peoples hospitality, taking opportunities that are given to us and taking from the communities that we fleetingly inhabit. Finally we were given the chance to give a small something back.

Before we could give something back we had a horrible feeling that something precious to us had been taken. After scooting to the bus stop, catching the bus into Annapolis, scooting some more and attending the outstanding Salty Dawg Rally Seminars Iain looked into his backpack and found nothing but air. His wallet complete with credit cards, driving licence, cash and his entire little world was absent.

While Iain threatened his rucksack hoping that it would give up its treasures, Fiona thought laterally and got the phone number of the bus company. Sure that he was entering a wild goose chase and that threatening an inanimate object would be more effective than getting on the phone and asking if his wallet had been magically handed in, he got onto the phone none the less.

Iain nearly keeled over in surprise as the lovely lady on the phone confirmed that they had his little world in leather format, but he’d have to wait until tomorrow to get it. As relief flowed over him the plan suddenly changed and he was advised that the bus driver would be able to drop it off wherever he was in Annapolis. Really? Yes really!

With visions of a bus rolling into the marina being driven by a driver holding a wallet devoid of any substance he didn’t feel like there could be any more surprises in store. Then, right on time, into the car park rolled a modern day knight in shining armour where his steed was a gold Mercedes and his delivery was a wallet full of cash, credit cards and Iain’s little world. Surprise hardly goes anywhere to describe how he felt as he was in receipt of so much more than his wallet. He’d been given the gift of human kindness and his faith in humanity, if it had ever waned, had been restored.

Our time to give something back was finally upon us at the Annapolis International Boatshow, the biggest sailboat show in North America. We were to ‘help’ on the Salty Dawg Rally stand and ‘sell’ the benefits of the rally. Becoming horse from talking to prospective sailors and with the iPad wearing out from taking money we were over the moon to be able to finally be more than just a consumer of good will and other peoples efforts.

The boatshow was indeed full of sailboats. As we walked about the $1M yachts and the AWB’s (Another White Boat) we became happier and happier with little Ruffian who has carried us across oceans. That was until we bumped into birthday boy Skip Pond and the Outbound 46 where Fiona fell in love, with the boat that is and not Skip. So to realise that dream all we need is sell all our vial organs and raise the funds to run such a glamour ship.

After not purchasing an Outbound 46 at the show we still, as always, had jobs to complete on Ruffian. The mast was climbed and magically all those cables we’d put up it started to work. Lights sprung into action, the VHF enabled communication and the SSB received data. We were now ready for our mini OCC cruise happy in the knowledge that we’d been able to give just a little something back to the SDR.

We’re a sailing boat again.


With a mast and everything.


Ahhh. The lovely flat Crab Creek.


It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.


Time to give something ‘back’.


Happy Birthday to you, squashed tomatoes and stew.


Time to get those pesky lights working again.


We’re not yet tiring of this view.