Cruising

Companions

By Nancy Herold and Mary Taylor

Most of the cruisers I know travel with a pet, maybe for companionship on a solitary watch, or perhaps to have an instant icebreaker when reaching a new port. Whatever the reason, it seems universal. Witness these cruising tales (tails) from readers on Atlantic and Pacific Coasts.
When Nancy Herold (Atlantic/dog) contacted us, she said she and her husband realized that a sportfisherman probably wasn’t the optimal Caribbean cruising boat, but it was the boat they had when there was a window of opportunity in their lives, so they went. That’s the spirit!
Mary Taylor (Pacific/cat) shared the information that feline Joey, having been raised aboard a boat by another couple, was actually the more experienced cruiser when she and her husband headed out for a two-year cruise of Mexico and Central America.

Here are highlights from their experiences:

Matey in the Caribbean
Jim and I were dog lovers long before we became cruisers. Planning the trip from Duck Key, Florida, to the West Indies aboard our 40-foot Cabo began with considering our crew, Matey, an Old English Sheepdog. Although vets are available in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and other populated islands, I carried basic antibiotics and ointments for skin, eye and ear infections, heart worm, and flea deterrents plus zinc oxide for her snout.
Experience told us that this puppy wants to ride where we ride.  Leaving her alone in the air conditioned saloon while we ran eight hours a day on the flybridge was not an option. She would howl like a coyote, bellowing over the roar of the engines. Using a block and tackle and a heavy lifting harness, we pulled her up the ladder onto the bridge. We installed a gate for her safety and I designed a white canvas tent to shield her from the sun.
Some of our stops were anchorages. We carry a removable dinghy lift on our transom, so when it’s time to go for marlin, we can leave the dinghy at the dock. The lift makes it easy to get Matey on and off the boat. She knows the drill and thinks every day’s a new beach. That can be harrowing when you encounter wild boar or pot cakes (wild dogs) on remote islands in the Bahamas.
We found the most beautiful dog beaches in San Salvador. Other great spots for her to run were on Harbour Island and Spanish Wells in Eleuthera, at Sampson Cay in the Exumas, at Punta Cana on the East Coast of the Dominican Republic, and in the U.S.V.I. British Islands will not permit pets ashore without a lengthy quarantine. To enter the Bahamas, you need to apply for a permit to the Department of Agriculture by registered mail in advance. No permit is required to enter the Turks and Caicos, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, U.S.V.I., and the French and Dutch West Indies other than proof of rabies vaccination.
To be invited back, scoop the poop and be considerate of those who don’t want a wet kiss from your buddy.

Joey Does Mexico
The sound of Joey’s yowl brought heads popping up from boats around us.  “Is he OK,” anxious voices called.
“He’s just fine” we reassured them. Joey was simply telling us he didn’t like his swimming lesson and that he knew how to get back on the boat. We wanted to make sure that if he ever accidentally toppled over that he’d know how and where to get back on board. So, we hung a towel over the side and gently set him in the water near the boarding ladder and towel. Once was all it took. Learning to walk on a leash took a bit longer.
Joey quickly trained us about how he planned to spend his days.  Early mornings were playtime. As we fixed breakfast, Joey would go up on deck and assure himself that all was in order in the anchorage. He’d take a quick inventory of the birds and check for fish. Once we got underway, he would select a soft spot on the low side of the boat so he wouldn’t suddenly get thrown to the floor in case of rough seas. That marked the beginning of a serious nap, which lasted until inspection of the next anchorage.
The only change to this pattern came if we were making an overnight passage. During the dark of night one of us would be on watch in the cockpit as the other tried to sleep in the swaying boat. Joey would always keep the sleeper company unless the going got really rough. Then he would crawl up into the cockpit as though he was looking for, or maybe offering, reassurance. He would curl up in the lap of the person on watch, moving only if splashed.
Cruising for Joey has been a moveable feast beginning within the first two days of our voyage when several small squid came aboard during the night. Ah, what a treat! Next came lobster bartered from a Baja fisherman, followed shortly by fresh fish caught with our trolling line. The feast got better as our skills improved. Clams, mussels and scallops were added to his diet from our diving in the Sea of Cortez.
Cats love to investigate. Since things continually break on a sailboat, many times we find ourselves nose-to-nose with a furry-faced helper while trying to replace a starter or fix a watermaker. Joey is fully at home on our boat, and our boat is a home because of Joey.