Aside from Janine and myself, our crew consists entirely of four-legged (female) critters; two felines and a canine all of whom lived together with us on land before we set sail. Since they will no-doubt be featured in many a blog post to come, we felt we should share a bit about each of them with you here.
First, there are the two cats; Milka(dud) and Coco(nut) are litter-mates that we’ve had the good fortune to share our home with since 2011. At 8 1/2 years old, they’ve each experienced a great deal of life’s adventure, having moved with us between five different homes across two states. In their prime, they were both outdoor adventurers who roamed the neighborhoods (and woods/streams) near our previous homes. As they enter middle age they have both become quite content with relaxing below deck, though sunny days and calm nights at anchor still coax them up topside.
The two are like yin and yang; each with a completely different, yet complimentary personality. Milka is Janine’s talkative and intelligent siamese mix. I say she is Janine’s because Milka’s whole existence revolves around occupying the comfiest position atop Janine’s lap and purring-purring-purring ’til she can’t purr anymore. The two go together like butter on toast! When not occupying Janine’s lap, Milka spends her time pushing stuff off of ledges, hiding in cubby-holes and recharging her batteries under the warm sun. Oh and sleeping, she loves sleeping.
Coco is my stuck-up princess. She holds grudges, mocks her peers and won’t take no for an answer. All the while she adores having my full attention. We share a fondness for naps and generally being lazy. Unfortunately we don’t share the same level of intelligence… I wish I could say it was me who was lacking in the brains department, but after some of the situations Coco has wound up in over the years, I have to wonder if she doesn’t have a few screws loose upstairs. Though she isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, she’ll always be my sweet little bean.
Last but certainly not least, there’s Kiwi (or, Wiwi because of her fondness for peeing in awkward places). Kiwi is a handful! Intelligent, rambunctious, precocious and full of life. A true mutt, she probably has some Jack Russel, Pointer and Pit Bull in her, but we’ll never be able to say for sure. Breeds aside, she’s 110 percent puppy! The world is her oyster and everyone in it is her new best friend. This girl knowns no aggression, she is all love all the time. Whether she’s making friends with dogs and children she finds on shore, coaxing the cats to play with her (they won’t) or looking out for her porpoise buddies while underway, she just wants to be happy.
Janine and I could not imagine our journey without our beloved pets. Indeed, a 36 foot sailboat is tight quarters for two people, let alone two people, two cats and a dog. But the friendship, love and delight they bring to our lives is worth any hairball, any spicy dog fart, or any other minor inconvenience that comes with caring for pets aboard a sailboat.
A quick tribute to our old best girl Mocha: We said goodbye to our 13 year old chocolate lab Mocha last year. Though she wasn’t around to join us aboard SV Rua Hatu, she spent the last years of her life as a constant companion to us, often aboard our former vessel SV Uno Mas. Thankfully Kiwi joined our family before Mocha passed and got to learn the ropes from a true old salt(y dog). And of course make a new best friend! Mocha, we love you and will carry you with us in our hearts wherever the wind takes us!
