Dog Days

Perhaps the most enthusiastic sailor aboard our last cruising boat, a Jeanneau 45.2, was our young yellow Labrador Badger. He started sailing as a puppy and loved everything about the coastal cruising  life. As we approached the dock where we caught the launch that we would ferry us out to our mooring in Newport Harbor, he would begin whimpering with excitement and pulling on his harness like a sled dog. Without being coached, he’d leap into the launch and position himself at the bow. And once onboard the boat he’d tour the deck, bark at any passing seagulls and set himself up in his own corner of the cockpit. Underway, he liked to find a leeward coaming to lie against and would put his big head on top of it and watch the watery world go by. Once anchored or moored somewhere snug we’d take him ashore for walks and swims and we often returned with a wet sandy creature who’d rolled in wet seaweed. He’s a lab, after all. Two essential gear items made sailing with him possible, one was the stern shower on the sugar scoop transom and the other was a supply of Gill quick drying towels.
We sold the boat to a local family a while ago and after the new owners had taken possession and move the boat to a nearby marina, I found myself one afternoon delivering some gear that was stored at home but belonged with the boat. I brought Badger along and as we walked down the floating dock he caught a whiff of the 45.2, his boat, and took off at a full run. With unbound enthusiasm he leaped aboard the transom and up into the cockpit much to the surprise of the new owners. By the time I got there, he was settled in his cockpit perch and looked very pleased with himself.  We all miss that boat, none, I suspect, more than our lab who turned out to be a real sea dog and a great shipmate.