Salvage Rights--What would you do?

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Rob

Great job!

Excellent coments about the kids........My wife was jogging yesterday morning in the park,when she got home she noticed her braclet ($) was missing from her wrist,,she was a wreck. told the kids as she put them on the bus...The kids were saying dont worry mom someone will bring it back to you....She hopped in the car and drove to the park and started asking people have you seen a braclet...after the 3rd couple the women said like this one...and pulled it out of her pocket...unbelivable....my wife thanked them and asked for there names so we could send them a true appreiciation...they waved it off....then she thanked them again and hoped back in the car..she turned the car around to get back out of the park ....and she swears this is the truth.....the copuple were gone.......strange.......kind of eary I know if someone found my dingy I would be VERY grateful. See you in Annapolis!
 
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Fred Ficarra

Boy does this bring up memories

Back in 92 we were partying too hard in Malachi (SP)Mexico. I tied up our dingy poorly to a friends boat. Yep, came back and it had disappeared from the anchorage. It was a 12' West Marine with a 25hp Yamaha. (nearly new) In day light the next morning, from a friends dinghy, the spy glasses revealed what looked like our dinghy being towed by a Boston Whaler, headed inshore. When we got close we were sure it was our dinghy. What a sense of relief. The driver was Mexican with a strong BROOKLYN accent. He wouldn't give it to us but would take it to any boat that was 'TT Epitome'. When he did, we were still overjoyed. What a feeling. We dug out $100.00 in twenties and rolled them up like a cigar and gave them to the man. He saw the outside twenty and thought that amount was his reward. He was ecstatic. We never saw him find the other four bills. Later off English Harbor in Antigua, we passed a hard dingy (large) with a logo on it. We could tell it was adrift so we took it under tow. Sure enough, about a hour later, a large power yacht went by in the opposite direction. Yep, same logo. They didn't see us. We broke out the air horn and got their attention. We made their day. It felt every bit as good as getting our dinghy back. These stories remind me of the way we raised our kids too. We have never met a dishonest sailor. Oh, our son just got his MBA and was promoted as his company's west coast manager and repeatedly thanks us! (brag,brag,brag)
 
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Jeff M.

Good Karma!

I think Heidi had it right, it's all about good karma. And who can use a bit of good karma more than a sailor? Good for you for giving it back. Keeping it would have (sooner or later) proven to be a very bad deed.
 
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Ed Allen

I lost one at dry tourtugas

When anchored at tortugas ours got away in a strong wind at night. we thought it to be half way to mexico. We left the information at the fort on dry tortugas and sailed home a few days later. When we reach home 200 miles away we got a card. someone had towed our dingy, motor fuel tank oars life jackets etc, back into tortugas, and we could come and recover it. fortunatly a friend was leaving on his trawler to tortugas the next day. He recoverd it and towed it back to us. in tack and in perfect shape. Life is good when you have experiences like that. So years later when i found a new inflatable in tampa bay, needles to say we had the state run the numbers on it and returned it to the owners. His blew off his dock.
 
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Fred Ficarra

These are feel good stories but what is happening

is the basis of civilization. If most people didn't do this stuff we wouldn't have a civilization. We would have anarchy. All laws are based on this one simple rule. It's the "Golden Rule". And we all know what it is. The forces of evil in the world do not or don't care.
 
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Gord

Returned goods

One night, while Anchored in Nassau Harbour, a departing commercial fishing boat passed close to our bow, picking up our anchor rode with their propeller. By the time I gained our decks, the Fishing Boat had drifted down current, and was out of reach, preventing any raft-up. They had a man in the water, but he was unable to free their prop’ of my line, due to the strain. I got their attention, and indicated that I would cast off my anchor line, giving them a free running end to work with. They quickly agreed, and I made it so. Freed from my boat, they drifted about a half mile through the fleet, and out of site. Wondering what would become of them, and my ground tackle, I went back to bed. Some time later, I’m awaked by a clamor as they pass by, happily, once more under power. Through shouting & gestures they indicate their intentions, and heave my anchor et al overboard, with a large 30" ball fender attached, and go on their way. The next morning, I retrieved my gear, and took their ball fender to the gas dock at Brown’s Marina, where I had previously seen them fueling. The dockmaster indicated that he knew them and would hold the fender for their return. Four months later, moored at Staniel Cay, “Southbound” was approached by a Bahamian in a small skiff. “Hey “Southbound”, he said, hoisted 24 Kalik upon my coaming, and without another word, departed. Later, at Club Thunderball, I asked a local if he knew who that was. “Oh yah”, I was told, “that’s the guy from “XXX” - you helped save his bacon in Nassau”. Not only had he remembered, but he’d made the story broadly known to other locals. We’ve met up with these folk, several times over the years, since - and we’ve always share a convivial beer, and conversation. It was two little things we did for each other, merely what should be expected. The fact that we shared a common experience, with (very little) hazard to each, created a bond between us, that I will always cherish. Beneath their surface conviviality, Bahamians are (for the most part) a very reserved people, and deep friendships (such as ours) are difficult to establish. Sometimes: “No good deed is left unpunished” - but, much more often - “any good deed is it’s own reward” - and in this case “a small good deed, brought disproportionate rewards”. A long time ago, an “Old Salt” helped me out (with advice and encouragement) with a mechanical problem I had. When asked “what I owed him” (he spent several hours with me), he replied, “Me?, nothing. Just do what you can for the next guy, when you can help out”. Good, and sage advice! The tales shared here, illuminate the reality that sailors are good folk (even jerks like I, are nicer when sailing). Regards, Gpord
 
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Tom

Returned Goods

Gord, Very inspirational.Glad there are folks out there plugged into these values. This has been an excellent thread and your contributions are always thoughtworthy.
 
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