Dear Bill,

I am so glad to be in contact with you; this has turned into quite a fine little yarn! First let me tell you about the oar, which I hope is indeed your missing one...

We were sailing on our home waters of St. Margaret's Bay in our Albin Vega ALCYON when my wife spied the oar. Always keen to practice our overboard drill (we sail with our two children) we gybed and rounded up to the 'casualty'. Once along side the oar we began to appreciate what a pretty piece we'd found. Sue got it with the boat hook and, once aboard, I recognized the Shaw & Tenney stamp. (Although I sail a plastic boat, I am a keen reader of WoodenBoat magazine...) We brought it home and briefly considered using it for some sort of decor touch, but quickly concurred that it really belonged in an oar lock. I placed an ad in our local rag - The Masthead News - describing the oar in enough detail that the owner would know it, but kept the maker's marque to myself for verification. Then I figured I'd make inquiries about getting a mate, just in case it went unclaimed. Thanks to Paul at Shaw & Tenney, the rest we know...

The oar has a number of small breaks in the varnish and some minor abrasions, consistent with having gone ashore. I'm happy to report that the wood is not in the least stained and there is nothing some varnish on the wood and some oil on the leather won't cure. It would give my wife and I great pleasure to see the oar back in its proper oar lock. Please advise me how to ship it to you and I will be pleased to take care of the arrangements.

As to your kind offer, please retain the third oar "just in case" and consider that your only obligation to us is that you visit us the next time you are in our home waters of St.Margaret's Bay. We have a guest mooring suitable for CHAOS. I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Jim Legere & Sue Whitehouse

lighthouse@ns.sympatico.ca