Now that Avemar was resting at anchor All was calm and quiet, the water flat. Hours before you’d have thought that waves sank her, Not from the weather, but because of a cat! The sea was smooth and the breeze was light. Dragonflies flitted about while the cat napped on my lap. It was hot and humid, the cloudy sky white. The sails were full, and I was checking the map. We were sailing slowly, only making a few knots The cat leapt to the rail and then layed down. I could see wind on the water, but only in spots. When all of a sudden, I heard a SPLASH sound! I didn’t see it happen but knew what to do, Hard over with the helm, like you would in a tack. The jib wasn’t cut, the boat turned and we hove-to. The cat had chased a dragonfly right off the back! I locked down the wheel and threw a life sling. It floated aft of the stern, the situation was grim! Lessons were learned: Untangle the rope before you fling, And… Who knew?
Well written! My Mickey jumped over my stern chasing a dragonfly as well. Mickey's first swimming lesson and he a born natural, kept his head dry the entire ordeal. The pet leash does come in handy.
Pilar jumped off a couple of weeks later. We were anchored, and I was sleeping. It was around 5 am, and I woke up to shrieks from on deck. I went up, and there was no cat. I found Pilar hanging onto the wind vane, self-steering on the back of the boat. I had the fishing net at that time. Pilar now lives on a houseboat in southern Maryland.
Well written! My Mickey jumped over my stern chasing a dragonfly as well. Mickey's first swimming lesson and he a born natural, kept his head dry the entire ordeal. The pet leash does come in handy.
Pilar jumped off a couple of weeks later. We were anchored, and I was sleeping. It was around 5 am, and I woke up to shrieks from on deck. I went up, and there was no cat. I found Pilar hanging onto the wind vane, self-steering on the back of the boat. I had the fishing net at that time. Pilar now lives on a houseboat in southern Maryland.