Tag: dogs

January 15, 2014

AMAZING DAY with LAHOWIND

All photos courtesy of Kimberly Young – LAHOWIND & Kimberly Joy Photography

This past Sunday our friends Kim and Jereme of LAHOWIND drove up from Naples to hang out, talk about cruising plans and go for a day sail in Charlotte Harbor aboard our boat, S/V Mary Christine. They are going to set sail for the Bahamas and Caribbean about the same time as us with their dog Oliver. Be sure to check out their website if you haven’t already! If all works out we may be buddy-boating for a while so hopefully you’ll hear a lot more about them soon.

We were SO lucky to have Kim take pics of our harbor cruise!! I love them all!!! Her photo skills make Betsy look 10 times cuter than she already is, which is pretty darn hard to do ;)

WHAT STUDS!! The guys had a great time chatting about boat stuff, fishing, diving and cruising.

There wasn’t too much wind that day and the guys had both trolling lines out. About half way into the afternoon we heard a beautiful sound… ZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FISH ON!!

Peter knew this fish was big. Real big. The guys couldn’t tell what it was until they got it to the surface.

LUNKER!! It was a 32″ grouper! It’s very rare to hook a grouper on a trolling line so the fishing Gods were definitely with us this day! We weren’t totally prepared to hook something so big so we were scrambling to find the gaff to bring him in. This was our second fish for S/V Mary Christine underway and thank goodness Kim was on it with the camera! We were all so excited. The winds calmed down even more and we slowly drifted along under full sail at an easy 2 knots which made it really nice for focusing on the fish situation. I kept an eye on our course and sails while the guys took care of the fish. We could only find a 20″ minimum regulation so he was a keeper for sure.

We had such a fun time with Kim and Jereme!! This is only the beginning… in just two more weeks we should be ready to leave Florida and head to the Bahamas to continue these epic adventures everyday :)

Livin the dream as we sail to Where The Coconuts Grow in search of surf, sun, sand and serenity…

January 15, 2014

First night at anchor

Last weekend we had a perfect opportunity to take the boat out and try anchoring overnight for the first time. The weather was nice, tides were favorable and we finally had the confidence to take the boat out by ourselves with no extra crew! We’ve been out on S/V Mary Christine maybe 10 times already but every time so far we’ve had someone else with us, either friends or family. Our first time out just the two of us was amazing! Its starting to sink in a little more, we’re really doing this :)

We sailed across Charlotte Harbor over to Cayo Costa where our friends Jan and David had arrived an hour or two ahead of us. Its real tricky to get in and out of Pelican Bay where everyone anchors up. There is a very narrow channel with 1-3 feet depths on either side. Since we didn’t have previous tracks in and out, Jan and David met us in their dinghy to lead us in.

I backed the boat down as Peter dropped the anchor. We don’t have our chain marked yet for length but Peter did a rough estimate of how much chain he was letting out. It was pretty rusty and made an awful mess on the bow. We pulled the anchor snubber out of the depths of the line locker and got that all set up too. The current made it a challenge to keep the boat into the wind and to reverse in the right direction at the same time. We did pretty good for the first time though!! I suppose it’s just like docking… practice makes perfect. Pretty soon we’ll be doing this in our sleep, literally ;)

The next item on the agenda was to drop the dinghy into the water. We hooked it up to the mail halyard and lowered our dink down. Suddenly, we realized something was missing…

Our gas tank was safe and sound inside a crate… back on the dock at Burnt Store Marina!! No need to take the outboard off anymore! We will be rowing this time. Good thing I like to row!

We grabbed a spare line to tie the dinghy up at shore and got the dogs ready. Betsy is only 45 lbs so Peter could pretty much just pick her up off the deck and set her down. She was a little unsure of it all but that dog has no fear!

I didn’t get any pics of lowering Gunner down because it was a two-person job. I’ll try for some next time so you all can see how we get this big guy around. Thanks to our AWESOME ‘Help’EmUp‘ harnesses, we were able to get a 75 lb dog off the boat into the dinghy relatively easily! Peter grabbed the forward handle and I held the rear hip lift handle and we lowered him down. Gunner had one thing on his mind… Get To Shore!! He gets really excited to go anywhere so this was totally fun for him. They both did really well once they were inside. We have an aluminum floor so we didn’t worry too much about their nails.

The current was moving with us and we got to shore pretty quick. The dogs got to stretch their legs and we checked out a few of the trails.

We wen’t back to the boat right away and started on dinner. BBQ pork loin and Caribbean rice was on the menu. Our LED cockpit lights were on and the evening was just perfect as we enjoyed our first meal at anchor. Next was time for showers. Since our generator isn’t quite fixed yet, we ran the main engine to be able to use the hot water heater. Hot water showers at anchor? Yes Please!! It was sooo refreshing. We snuggled up and enjoyed being rocked to sleep as the small waves lapped up against the hull.

All was quiet until 4am. Gunner has been recovering from a bladder infection and in the wee hours of the morning he HAD to go potty. The way he was whining and talking to us let me know that he really had to go. Peter was sound asleep, but I got Gunner up into the cockpit and took him back to the aft deck where our chunk of Astroturf lay waiting for the first potty away from the dock. It didn’t take long and Gunner copped a squat. HOORAY!!!! This was such a relief to know he’ll actually go if he needs to.

The dogs have been in training for a few weeks now. We would sneak the fake grass underneath them as they peed to get a little scent on it. If we held them in place long enough they would go as long as it sat over top of the real grass on shore. Betsy finally got the hang of it and she doesn’t have any trouble going on the boat if we tell her to.

Gunner must have been nervous because he had to go again at 6am and 8am. He was whining all night long and would NOT go to sleep. When 6am rolled around I decided to just stay in the cockpit with him incase he was trying to hold back a #2. It was cold, breezy and very dewy. Even though I didn’t get more than a couple of hours of sleep I did my best to enjoy the stillness of the bay around us. The sun began to come up and the gratitude slowly grew. A sliver of serenity? Youbetcha!

We had anchored in the deep hole in the center of Pelican Bay. When the sun came up I heard splashing all around and realized the dolphins were herding fish and feeding. They kept popping up in different places as they went around in circles swimming by all the boats.

In the morning we went to shore again and walked across the island to the gulf.

There were shells EVERYWHERE! The tiny pieces littered the white sand beaches as far as I could see.

There were a few horseshoe crab shells along the shore as well. Check out Jan’s post if you want to learn a little more about these strange-looking creatures of the sea :)

When it was time to row back to Mary Christine the wind was NOT our friend. It was blowing 15-20 knots and we had to row up wind. There were a few times we got a little scared we would be swept out to the gulf. We were barely making any progress and I all could do was cheer Peter on. He powered through it getting us and the 12′ dinghy back safely. Scary.

We wanted to get back to the marina before sunset so we pulled up the anchor and followed our tracks back out to the harbor. It was a little tricky keeping the boat into the wind again while Peter pulled up the anchor but we managed.

We sailed back and the puppies were happy to be going somewhere again.

We ended this awesome adventure by catching our very first fish while underway!! Spanish Mackerel… mmm!

Back at the marina we docked for the first time alone, and of course it went way easier than I expected :) We had a lot of firsts and a lot of fun!

Until next time!!

January 14, 2014

I’m gonna be an auntie!

My little sister Carmen and bro-in-law Keith are expecting their first baby in March! We’re so excited for little Jackson to arrive :) They live here in Florida so it’s really nice that Peter and I have been able to spend some time with them before we leave the U.S.

Carmen and Keith came down to see the boat and puppies a few weeks ago and we took them out for a really nice day sail. Neither of them had been sailing before. It was really fun to show them what we’re going to be doing for the next few years. Pictures are great but it really helps to put things into perspective when you can see the boat in person.

Keith was having a great time relaxing even as we were heeled over :)

Gunner and Betsy do better each time we take them out. They weren’t anxious or feeling sick. Gunner sleeps almost the whole time and Betsy cruises all around.

Of course the guys had to set up the trolling lines… You never know when you’ll get a bite!

Baby Jackson was getting rocked to sleep as we cruised through the harbor quietly under sail.

Keith tested out the helm and did an awesome job.

It was so nice to have family come visit and it’s always great to get in more practice out on the water :) While we won’t still be in Florida when Jackson is born, we will definitely come visit him as soon as we can! Hopefully baby Jackson will be able to come visit his auntie Jody and Uncle Peter at some beautiful island soon too!

January 3, 2014

Buddy Bowl – How to keep water available for pets on a boat

One of the small details that went overlooked when we first moved onto our sailboat was keeping water available for the dogs. It’s never been an issue before. We just put a bowl out and check it a few times a day to make sure the kids have plenty of water. We know they like to drink mostly after eating and after a run, with a little bit throughout the day. No big deal.

When we first moved aboard the food and water routine was no different than it was on land. Fill the bowls and the dogs empty them. It wasn’t until our first sail with the dogs aboard that we realized our original plan wasn’t going to work. I had read a few suggestions online that some people just use an oversized bowl and only fill it up half way or less so that the water doesn’t slosh out all over the place when you’re under way. Guess what spilled the water out when we tried this method? Me! I spilled more water out of that bowl while moving around in the cockpit than the amount of water that was spilled from the boat heeling over.

In researching more helpful tips and tricks for liveaboard dogs I came across the “Buddy Bowl.” That was it! It was perfect!!

I contacted Great American Spillproof Products and they gladly sponsored our adventures by providing us with two (2) 64 oz TOTALLY SPILLPROOF Buddy Bowls for Gunner and Betsy!! These will be totally essential for every day use while anchored up and especially while we are underway.

We keep one tucked behind the ladder at our forward companionway next to where we feed the dogs inside the boat. Gunner and Betsy know right where it is and they have no trouble at all helping themselves when they feel a little thirsty. Gunner ALWAYS lets Betsy drink first if they are both thirsty after a run :) He’s such a gentleman, just like his daddy.

We keep the second Buddy Bowl on the floor of the cockpit so the dogs will always have water while topside. When we are underway, they frequently like to lap up a little water every hour or so. We’re in southern Florida now and heading to only warmer climates so its super important for us to have water available at all times for our pooches. It’s also important to keep water available for them if they are feeling seasick. Last time we took the boat out we put them down below and Betsy didn’t feel that good. She was happy to know where the water was though.

The staff at Great American Spillproof Products recommended sending us the 64 oz models instead of their standard 44 oz size based on our weather conditions and the size of our dogs. They hold more water (a HALF GALLON!) so you don’t have to refill them as often! It doesn’t look like the 64oz bowls are available in their online store but I’m sure they can help out if you’re interested in getting one for your furry friend.

It looks like it might be hard for the dogs to actually get to the water but it’s really no trouble at all. Gunner has a long nose but it’s just his tongue that needs to get inside to where the water is. Gunner is also a VERY messy drinker and his food, water and slobber usually get flung at least a foot from his bowl. The Buddy Bowl is even more awesome because it catches all that excess water inside instead of spraying out away from the surface of the water where his tongue hits. Score!!

We tested them out and sure enough, they are totally spill proof. The Buddy Bowl will even hold the water if you tip it upside down! The bowls are made in the U.S. with non-toxic/BPA-free food grade plastic, and they keep the water cleaner with less surface area for bugs, dust and other dirt to collect in. There are fastening points on the bottom for tying the bowl up for storage or keeping it in one spot. We don’t have to worry about tying it down though since there’s not too many places it could slide to :) They actually stay put very well on their own.

The Buddy Bowl is easy to clean and even dishwasher safe. Even though we don’t have a dishwasher anymore its still a cool feature :)

This really is an awesome product and could be used in the car, on a boat, outside, inside, at the beach, camping, in a crate, anywhere! It’s also especially handy if you have little ones around that like to spill the water bowl and splash around :)

We are proud to promote the products we love by sharing our experiences with others in hopes that it may bring the same joy to you!

If you’re interested in ordering one of these, the online store on the BuddyBowl website is down at the moment. Simply send an email to cree@greatamericanspillproof.com to place an order!

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING… We are PROUD to share these awesome products and services with our readers. There are so many different solutions out there for everything we could possibly need, but these are the solutions that work for us.

This post may contain information about a product sponsorship. We gladly accept discounts or samples when a company feels generous enough to support our cause. In return we support the manufacturer or local service by sharing their links and writing about our experience with them. We only seek out sponsorship and affiliate programs from products and services we actually WANT to use and likewise only accept offers for products or services that we WILL use. We are not paid for any reviews we write or feedback we provide. We simply like to spread the word and share great experiences we have had that could also bring joy to others.

December 16, 2013

Day Sail with New Friends

We met Kristin and Kevin here at the marina. I was out walking the dogs and Kristin stopped me to see Gunner. They have a Weimaraner as well and its always such a treat to see other weims when you’re out and about. They’re not very common so many people are fascinated with them and want to know what breed they are. Pronounced “wym-er-on-er” these dogs are one of a kind. They have a very distinctive personality and many of them have the same mannerisms. It takes a certain kind of person to appreciate their quirky ways ;) If you’ve ever been around one, you’ll surely understand. Gunner has grown to be very crotchety in his older years but we still love him just as much – he’ll be 13 this March!

After initially meeting Kristin, she brought Kevin by the boat to say hello a few days later. They have a Y Flyer they keep here in Florida and Kevin has been sailing most of his life. We had no idea what a Y Flyer was, but the Y Flyer is an 18 foot (5.5m) sloop rigged racing dinghy designed to be sailed by 2 people. Sounds like a blast and something Peter and I probably should have started out with! Instead, we took the “sink or swim” route and bought a 42′ liveaboard sailboat with no sailing experience :S

We thought it would be great to get the dogs together for a play date. Sadie is Kristin and Kevin’s female weim, not quite as old as Gunner but she is in her senior years. We had a wonderful evening a few nights ago over at their house for dinner and all three dogs got along great! We weren’t so sure how Gunner would do at first, but I swear he knows his own kind… it didn’t take him long at all to warm up to Sadie and make himself at home. Betsy got totally WILD and was SOO excited to play with another puppy friend inside a real house! Its been an adjustment for the dogs living on the boat and they sure appreciate a carpeted house when they get to visit one. They rolled around and played with toys all evening.

Saturday was another beautiful day out in Charlotte Harbor so we jumped at the opportunity to go sailing again! Our new friends were available and excited to come out with us and we’re so glad they did. It’s really fun to be able to take others out sailing with us and share the joy of being out on the water. Kevin taught us a few things about sailing a Ketch – his dad built one!! Now that we own a boat we can appreciate all the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into building a boat. It’s mind blowing when you realize all the little things that are done both during construction and later as upgrades.

We were a little more relaxed and yet again more confident as we sailed across the harbor. Winds were up to 15-20 this time out but that didn’t scare us!! We were really FLYING at 7 knots!!! Wow that was a great feeling. We practiced reefing the mizzen and genoa, tacking back and forth, and adjusting the running backstays. We had plenty of speed with just the two sails up, we didn’t even bother with the main sail again today. It was just magical with the wind in our hair, sun on our faces, cutting the engine, and just listening to the sound of the waves and the wind sweeping us over the water.

On the way back we kept the sails reefed and had some lunch. I stopped to grab some sandwiches from The Trading Post before we left the dock. There were quite a few other boats out enjoying the weather and we were so thankful we were out there too! This was our third time out after purchasing the boat and there was one final challenge of the day. Docking has been a knot in my stomach every time, and we knew this day was a little gustier than it has been in the past. Coming into the marina through the channel was even a bit nerve wracking as we were getting tossed all over the place by the currents. We’ve got a 5′ draft and the channel is dredged out with a good 8-10′ clearance but you’ve got to really pay attention and make sure to stay inside the markers. We’ve been told “you haven’t been sailing in Charlotte Harbor unless you’ve run aground” – yikes! Hopefully we can avoid that!

The Captain did a FANTASTIC job docking, better and better every time. It took a few tries but Peter backed her stern-in again without any damage for us or the dock :) It definitely helps to have a few more available hands for grabbing a line but hopefully Peter and I will be able to get through it by ourselves next time. Cross your fingers!!