It’s been done many times before. Blogs. Videos. Podcasts. About dogs on sailboats. Monohulls. Catamarans. Day cruisers and liveaboards. Should you? Shouldn’t you? Young dogs? Old dogs? Big? Small? What’s best? What’s a big no-no? 

But ultimately, what’s the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW?!?!

The most important thing to know IS THIS:

Having a dog on the boat prohibits your spontaneity. We can talk vaccines and breeds and potty breaks in a sec, but first things first. 

Paperwork and Vaccines

Before you depart from your current country, you need an import permit AND health certificate, amongst other things, for each pet. The “health certificate” is the key thing to ruining your spontaneity. It’s essentially the physical and health inspection the vet gives your dog/pet before you depart your current country. The new country requires this permit to be done so many days before you depart so that the pet may seem as healthy as possible as close to the departure date as possible so they have less of a chance of acquiring any diseases before they leave. 

The Health Certificate

The health certificate often expires in a short while, often two weeks or less. So you have, we will call it 10 days for example’s sake, 10 days to depart your current country before the certificate expires and the new country won’t accept it. This does not include travel time at sea. So what if a storm comes? What if you decide to go to a different country? What if you decide to leave earlier than the vet appointment allows? What if you decide to leave later? If your form expires, be prepared for another vet appointment. Each country has its own form and the vet will charge you for each one they do… and don’t forget they expire quickly! 

Another challenge could be diverting your destination mid-travel, perhaps even for the weather. If the decision was one of safety, most countries will be accommodating or may simply not allow your dog onshore. The forms usually include all current vaccines, microchip numbers, breed, age, weight, and a vet signature that the dog appears in generally good health. 

If you are coming from the United States, it is often that a USDA vet signature is required, and sometimes this is challenging to get. Don’t forget to get an extra copy in case customs decides to keep one. Two sets of everything is a good idea so that you always have hard copies of documents to present. 

The Import Permit

The import permit is a nice formality for the intended country of travel. It does not usually require a vet signature from your country of departure but SOMETIMES requires a signature from the intended country before departure. You find this form online from the intended country, usually from their Ministry of Agriculture website. Print and fill out with information about your dog: name, age, weight, breed, vaccines, microchip number, and any other required information on the provided form. Some countries will require that you send this form via email ahead of time to be signed and then emailed back to you. You will then need to print this new form with the signature of the vet or official from the intended country and present it to customs.  You will either provide this form with the other check-in forms for the vessel and crew or email it ahead of time to the intended party.  This may sometimes be a specific vet from the intended country of travel or someone from the Ministry of Agriculture Department. 

This is why it is a good idea to carry a printer on board. You can find small compact ones for a decent deal online or at your electronics or office store (Best Buy, Staples). You’ll want to be able to print from your email in some way or another. Having a printer that can scan is also a good idea to save your documents electronically that were given to you by the vet. 

In summary, your health certificate is your vet health inspection from your current country while the import permit informs your intended country of travel of your intentions of bringing a pet. The reason for this is that many countries do not wish to bring in foreign diseases. All of this technical talk aside, there are many countries that have all this paperwork as a formality and are pretty laid back. They are simply looking for proof of vaccines and may help you out when it comes to dates and timing. 

Is less better or is more better?

When it comes to paperwork on vaccines, more is perfectly fine, but keep your most recent vaccines up front. People doing paperwork usually want to move on quickly so make it easy for them. Less is better in that sense. Make your paperwork simple and straightforward, no need to present a book. (However, there may be some countries that prefer a complete history, but it’s not as common.)

Vaccines and Other Tests

There is also something called the rabies titer test. This blood test calculates how many rabies antibodies are in their system. You generally get this done ONE MONTH after their rabies vaccine. I would say most countries don’t require this test, but still many do. It is generally expensive and there is only one location in the United States that will do the lab work so it is also often a time-sensitive test. It can take weeks to get your results back. Get this done before you take off, BUT make sure you had your rabies shot at least one month before. Although not all countries require this, it’s easier to get it done when you’ve got the time. Don’t wait and find yourself in a pickle. 

The majority of countries that I’ve seen in my research require the following vaccines:

-Rabies vaccine (1 year or 3 year, usually 1!)

-DAPP: Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, Parvo

-Leptospirosis

-Lymes

While still some countries will ask for:

-Proof of heartworm 

-Treatment for internal and/or external parasites

Most of these vaccines are yearly and others are every three years. However, the standards vary from country to country, and thus three year may not be accepted. 

Everyday life

Fake turf did not work for us!

Using the “bathroom”

The most common question I get when people learn we have a dog on the boat is asking how she goes to the “bathroom”! Everyone seems to have advice for this. I will start by saying it is different to train a puppy than an adult dog that had been living on land. Training a puppy to essentially have a “litter box” is something you should take the time to work on.  Re-potty training your adult dog can sometimes go smoothly. Putting their scent on a fake turf pad or buying the spray from the pet store or using your code word for going and lots of treats work really well for some people. I researched to my wit’s end about how to get my 9-year-old pup to go on the boat. Preface: We have a monohull and our dog has been day sailing before moving onto the boat. 

I tried everything that I could possibly do and no matter what I tried I could not convince my very smart well-behaved dog to “go” on the boat. She really thought it was so terrible and always refused. We even tried seaweed on the deck! All failures. After some deep searching, I found that many people were experiencing the same troubles as me. I have resorted to taking Roxy into shore twice a day. Some may say this sounds like a lot of work, but don’t we do the same at home? A walk in the morning and a walk when we come home from work? It works for us and also gives me some good exercise and a break away from the boat. Thanks to this, I’ve seen many beautiful sunrises and sunsets I may not have taken the effort to see. I’ve also gotten good exercise from paddleboarding when maybe I was preferring to become just a couch potato in the salon. 

So what do we do underway?

We wait. She holds it for as long as she can! I’ve read and talked to other couples and this tends to happen to them too! Even sailing overnight was difficult for us humans to get used to “going” on the boat, so we can’t expect our pet to get used to it right away! Over time she has gotten better, but she still holds it in as long as she can. We consulted numerous vets about potential health hazards with this and the worst we’ve heard is a UTI. Fortunately for us we have not had any serious issues. Eventually, when she’s reached her limit, she knows to go to the stern and do her business there, where it can fairly easily be washed away. Once the “seal” is broken she has a better time going underway. 

Navigating the Boat Underway

Safety and Navigating the Boat

Getting her sea legs took a bit of time. I would recommend some day-sailing in flat water first if you’re able. Give them baby steps and let them work up to rougher conditions. TREATS. ALL THE TREATS. Or toys. Do whatever you can to make them happy and feel at home. Side note: Many dogs struggle with walking on a dock or making a jump on board where there is no land, and only water, underneath their paws. Don’t assume they will be comfortable with this! We made sure to give treats the first time on the dock as well as boarding the boat and she had no issues, but not all dogs overcome this fear so easily. 

Safe Spot to Sleep

Another suggestion is to find a specific safe spot for your dog. There are going to be a lot of weird noises and weather for them to experience and you’ll want to make them at ease by giving them a spot to call their own. A spot in the boat where it is dry and warm or cool, depending on the weather, along with their bed and pillows and blankets and toys or whatever they enjoy! Bonus points if they can go there on command. Unfortunately for us, we discovered that our pup jumps out of bed and attempts to climb the companionway stairs and check out what’s happening on deck during storms with loud noises and lots of yelling. She knows what to do when I tell her to “go in Roxy’s bed”. Sometimes we have to block the companionway to keep her from checking things out. She’s slowly getting better at staying in her bed when things get uncomfortable. 

Getting some much needed zzz’s

Walking While Underway

Don’t assume that a non-skid deck that works well for you will work well for your furbaby!  Our non-skid deck is more of a skating rink for Roxy and she has a hard time walking around certain corners. She has gotten used to it, but it took waaaaaaaaay longer than I thought it would. I would add that it took probably 6 months before she really felt like this was her new home. In doing research this is not abnormal even for dogs that move from land-based houses to land-based houses. Referring to the deck, some people have chosen to get grippy shoes or socks for their dog or even those nail covers that make it easy for your dog to stand on slippery surfaces. None of those options really worked for us so I’ve resorted to using basic yoga mats or towels to help her walk or lay down in the cockpit. 

Hanging out behind the wheel

Another road bump you might hit is your dog navigating stairs, whether it be the companionway or down into the hulls of a catamaran. These stairs are usually steeper and slicker than what they’re used to and can be difficult if the boat heels! Navigating the stairs may take some training as well. Something else we came across was helping our dog figure out how to turn around mid-stairs as she sometimes wants to climb all the way up, but is not allowed in the cockpit and needs to make her way back down. 

Please let me outside!

First Aid

Regarding safety, we also carry a dog-specific first aid kit equipped with her flea and tick and heartworm medication, tick tongs, mild sedative, antibiotics, spare leash, toothpaste, nail clippers, and a few other things.  This way it’s a quick grab and we don’t confuse it with our human medication. Perhaps read up on basic pet first aid before you push off as well, or get certified!

Dealing With Temperature

Depending on your intended plans, you will want to make sure your dog is comfortable in the temperatures of the places you’ll be visiting. If you’re visiting somewhere with a hotter climate, you may choose to invest in a cooling pad for your pup to lie on. Certainly, make sure there is enough water and perhaps find a way to swim your dog from your boat if a beach is not available. We’ve trained Roxy to jump off the paddleboard and climb back up (with assistance) to help cool her down in the middle of the day. If you find your dog has a hard time cooling off, a good first step is to cool the pads of their paws. You can use water or alcohol, which evaporates quickly and will cool them off. If you’re lucky enough to have ice on board, perhaps give them some to eat or add it to their water bowl. 

Staying cool under the canapy

What about leaving the boat? Do you need to lock the hatches and close the windows in case it rains? We have a canopy system that allows us to keep windows on vent and block the rain, but also block the strong rays of sun from entering the boat. This keeps the boat cool if we need to leave during the day and are unable to bring our girl with us.  Of course, there are some, very few, situations where we have opted not to leave the boat because it is THAT HOT. But usually, we are not eager to leave the boat ourselves if it’s going to be that much of a scorcher. This could be another good reason to invest in a cooling pad. 

What about if it’s cold? Does your boat have a heater? Some toasty warm foulies are available for purchase online or even a variety of dog coats. Try to get something that will keep the water out and the heat in. Perhaps keep a spare coat or sweater in case the original one gets wet. If your pet is not accustomed to the cold or wearing warm clothing, try to get them used to it before you leave. Can’t say this enough. There is so much for them to learn when they first get on the boat, and the easier you can make it for them, the better. 

Bundled up!

Food and Beverage

As far as food goes, a non-skid food and water bowl is a good idea, or even a rubber mat so it’s not going to move around onboard. Choose a designated spot and also consider keeping a water dish inside and outside the boat so they don’t have to go chasing for it. Always make sure they have water before you leave! Storing the dog food is something to think about as well. I try to buy small bags in place of the big ones, but this is a personal preference. 

Regardless of the bag, I break down the food into zip lock baggies to try and keep critters out. You may even choose a hefty bin depending on the type of storage on your boat. However, I would recommend various storage compartments in case you get food that goes bad OR you find a creepy-crawly critter. This way, you’ll have some backup food. Once I found a maggot in some food that must have sat on the shelf for a long time in this tiny grocery store in the Bahamas. I threw the food overboard, but still had plenty left as I had food separated into individual zip locks. 

We are lucky that our dog does not have motion sickness and also does not mind a change in the brand of food. For many dogs, this is an issue. Getting dog food shipped to your location may not be an option. Find a way to prepare for these hurdles you might encounter along the way. 

Be sure to monitor their drinking. Have they been drinking regularly throughout the day? Are they not drinking enough? Are they guzzling their water? Guzzling could lead to some problems too so if they are quite thirsty after some intense playing, perhaps space out some servings of water for them. 

There are two dogs in this picture

Grooming

Grooming my girl is fairly simple. We are lucky to have a short-haired dog on the boat, but that doesn’t stop the hairs from finding their way to the bilge. If I was lucky, I’d have a little hand-held vacuum to sweet it up every day. I currently use a broom and check under the floorboards every once in a while. If you are planning to get a dog to take with you, this is something you may want to consider! You may not mind the shedding hair, but it could be an issue for some of the systems on your boat. 

I’ve also trained my dog since the beginning of adopting her to get her nails clipped by me.  She does really well and I try to choose calm days to do this. A swim platform with a shower hose makes bathing and rinsing saltwater off of them much simpler too. Don’t forget to rinse those private bits to avoid infection!

Gear

I’ve chosen a leak-proof dog bed for her as she loves to swim and sometimes gets wet from the rain. As an older dog, she sometimes has incontinence and the waterproofing works well for that too. 

A harness style life jacket is a good way to go so you can easily pick up your dog from the dinghy or if she is to fall overboard. We use a simple life jacket from West Marine, but there are plenty online to choose from and read reviews about. Some life jackets include a reflective strip so you can find your pup in the dark, whether onboard or onshore. 

Roxy weighs 50 lbs and having a harness style life jacket makes it easy to pick her up or grab onto her while on deck. During rougher conditions when she wants to hang outside, we will also harness her in so that she has limited mobility and has to stay in the cockpit, assuming this is safe of course. Your dog may need some time to get used to this as well. Maybe practice wearing it around the house before you take off!

Harnessed in but still getting some sniffs!

Also, note that many life jackets are NOT breathable for your dog and may make your dog feel hot especially when there’s not a lot of breeze but there IS a lot of sun. You may choose to carry a normal more breathable harness (not life jacket) and lock them into the cockpit with just the harness so they don’t overheat. This is your personal preference, but another reason it’s a good option for doing some day-sails and testing out what works for you and your pup. 

General gear you might consider:

Must haves: life jacket, food and water dishes, probably a dog bed or specific sleeping location

Good ideas to use: Cooling pad or jacket/shirt, doggy sunglasses or goggles, non-skid shoes or towels for navigating the deck, warm blank, coat, waterproof collar, identification tag with boat details

Being out and about

Exercise

Exercise can be another challenge and is different for all types and sizes of dogs. Perhaps you’d prefer a smaller dog that usually needs less exercise? Or maybe a large dog is good for you as you prefer to go for jogs or swims every morning. Regardless of type, your pup is going to need some exercise, which may factor into how you spend your days on the boat. It may shorten a day trip you had planned or it may make it impossible for you to do a side trip off the boat. What about visiting other boats? Many boat owners may not want your dirty dog with their dog hair aboard, especially if they run charters. 

Going for a swim!

So how can you exercise your dog? We play fetch in the salon. We go for walks on the beach or in town if it seems friendly. We will swim with the paddleboard off the boat if the anchorage isn’t too busy. Some people buy specific toys you can fill with treats to help keep their minds occupied. While underway, exercise can be a bit trickier and in general, our pup doesn’t mind snuggling up at her older age of 10. But that still doesn’t slow her down too much! If we want to stretch her legs, we wait for good weather and take her for a walk around on the deck. Sometimes bringing a toy or some treats.

Once again, be aware of how your dog behaves on your dinghy or paddleboard or kayak. Can you have control over your dog as you pull up to the dinghy dock or beach? What if the dock is tall and your dog is too big and heavy to lift that high? What if you have multiple dogs to hold onto while you try and dock? Do you have a swim platform or do they need to be lowered down? Can they jump off your boat of their own free will while you’re working on something else? These are things you’ll have to figure out. Create a routine when it comes to leaving the boat with and without them to help with behavior and also make them more comfortable. 

Curtis and Roxy out for a sunset paddle

Where is your dog allowed and not allowed to go? There are two categories for this. Country regulations and general onshore happenings. 

Country Regulations

Regarding country regulations, each country is different and the biggest impacts are rabies and breed. Are you coming from a rabies-free country? Is your dog a banned breed in that nation? You can read up on this often on the ministry of agriculture websites for each country or just by googling. Websites with tons of info are as follows: 

www.aphis.usda.gov Meant for dogs traveling from the USA but still loads of information on each country. There is a drop-down menu for you to select which country you are interested in going to. 

www.pettravel.com has included lots of good information but may not be kept as regularly up to date. Lots of forms and regulations change on a regular basis and it may be a good idea to check out the country’s specific website or even email the persons in charge to confirm everything you’ll need upon arrival. 

You can also choose private companies like IPATA (International Pet and Animal Transportation Association), to sort out your travel plans and documents for you if you don’t have the time or find it overly complicated. There may even be a few places that require this type of bureaucracy. For example, the Galapagos Islands are well protected and you may have trouble getting your pet checked in there at all.  At the least it will require a lot of planning ahead of time.

Challenges You May Face Taking Your Pet to Shore

When it comes to taking your pet ashore, you’ll want to be aware of the local perception of pets. Even if a breed is allowed, people may feel easily frightened or may approach you in an uncomfortable way. Restaurants or even specific beaches may not allow your dog. Join cruising forums regarding pets and check Active Captain to find out more information on specific places or bays. 

You may need to heighten your awareness of your surroundings when arriving in a new place. You’ll want to be respectful and considerate of cultural norms when it comes to taking your pet ashore. There may not be trash cans scattered about for you to dispose of their droppings. The environmentally conscious person may choose to purchase biodegradable doggy bags. Often found at your local pet store or can be ordered online. In my experience, they often come in the color green. 

Changes in Your Pet

Lastly, can moving your dog on a boat change their personality? I’m referring specifically to dogs that have grown from the puppy stage. Our dog had to gain a whole new appreciation for her balance skills. And it does seem she gets a bit sadder when we leave the boat without her (probably because we are around her all the time). She doesn’t have her dog best friends next door but still enjoys finding and playing with other dogs, but chances like this are fewer and farther in-between. Her life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows as sometimes she gets ignored for the pertinent boat project or long passage at sea. However, she gets to be with her people way more frequent than before and, while we are in the tropics, gets to do a lot more swimming, which she loves. The smells of new land bring excitement to her cute little doggy face. She seems happy and that is the end goal for both parties!

In Summary

This may seem overwhelming and often it is! We lose out of some spontaneity and sometimes struggle to plan a day of adventure around the safety of our pup. Having a dog on board can be very rewarding, but it created many challenges and obstacles that I would prefer to avoid. Do you already have a dog or are you considering adopting one for your new liveaboard lifestyle? There is much to consider and it is best to do your research and choose what is safest and best for both you and your (potential) pet.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Sailing and Cruising with a Dog appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Preface

Before reading on, regardless of your opinions about the virus, we decided we were going to be safe rather than sorry. We took what some might consider ‘extreme precautions’. I encourage you to keep an open mind while reading about this experience. 

During this pandemic, we have spent most of our time in the British and US Virgin Islands. Once we arrived back to the US Virgin Islands, our friends aboard SV Sargo recommended a provisioning company to us via a company called Stocked VI. We would place our order via email and expect delivery within a few days. The provisioning company covered our needs across multiple grocery stores and were very prompt. They would deliver just about anywhere in St. Thomas or St. John and all we had to do was drive the dinghy into shore and load up. So let’s get into the nitty-gritty of this process of transporting the groceries during the beginning of COVID-19.

The Groceries Arrive. The Fun Begins.

The provisioning company arrives at the previously agreed upon location with all of our goodies. We buy as much as possible to avoid having to go to the store. Only one of us goes to shore while the other prepares the cockpit with Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer. The shore-bound person arrives with large duffle bags to pack in as many groceries as possible. The sweltering sun beats down on our refrigerated items and our masked faces. The shore person, usually Curtis, tries to assemble the bags in our 8 ft dinghy so as to not smush too many items and to keep them as dry as possible. It’s an upwind ride back in the waves and salty droplets fly over the bow of the small vessel, spraying our groceries. This could be round one of two or three as the number of bags and the size of our dinghy limits our abilities. 

When the dinghy arrives, I tie it up to the stern as close as I can and begin the bucket brigade of groceries to the boat and out of the sun while wearing gloves. The difficulty is keeping my balance while both boats rock differently against each other. One moment Curtis is rocking towards me and the next away from me. He deadlifts the groceries up over his head and I try not to pull every lower muscle in my back reaching for them. Once the first load of very heavy and awkward duffle bags and backpacks makes it to the stern, I run them around our giant wheel to the cockpit, closer to the interior of the boat, to make room for the next round of groceries as Curtis grabs the empty bags and heads back to shore.

Curt removes cardboard packaging.

Refrigeration Station!

After we finish transporting the groceries to the boat from the dinghy to the stern around the wheel and to the cockpit, we begin the Lysol wiping of our items. Curtis uses sanitizer and gets a fresh set of gloves to begin the sanitation process. We discard as much cardboard as possible, for example, removing Wheat Thins from their box packaging to leave only the plastic bag. We do this normally as bugs are attracted to cardboard and we prefer to offload as much trash while we can. This effort is joined by Curtis and I both wiping down each grocery item as we can’t be sure how many hands it’s passed through before arriving at our boat. We begin with our already somewhat warm refrigerated items as I make my way down the cockpit stairs. The fridge is situated directly in front of the stairs so the bucket brigade continues as Curtis whips packets of lunch meat, cheese, veggies, and other chilled foods towards my face. If I’m not quick enough, I’ll take a peppered-turkey to the back of the head, unintentionally of course!

Placing the chilled items in the fridge is not a complacent task.  It requires much logic and planning as space is limited. Meats and other items that are temperature sensitive are placed as near to the cold plate as possible. To give you an idea, our fridge has two stories. It opens from the top for the second story and also has a door along the bottom for the first story. We organize things based on what must not be smushed with what must be eaten first with what must remain as cold as possible. Frustration ensues when an item cannot be found and cold air is released from the fridge and humid air enters and gathers on the cold plate creating a layer of insulating ice that later has to be thawed. 

The blue foam covers the fridge to keep cold air in and warm air out. Along the walkway is a side door with access to the bottom.

Pantry Tetris

Once items are “securely” in the fridge in a place we most certainly will have trouble finding later, we continue with pantry and dry storage items. I play a shuffling (or Tetris like) game to move older items out of the way and newer items further in the back. The items had currently lived in a refrigerated store and thus sweat out the rest of their chill and Lysol liquid as I pack them away in our unairconditioned boat. Provisioning becomes a workout as we carry the heavy bags and individual items throughout the boat to their resting places. I imagine I’m doing bicep curls as I move cans and bags of flour about. Curt finishes the sanitation process and takes the remaining cardboard back to shore to be tossed in a dumpster, recycling if we can find it (which is scarce on the island).  

What feels like a day took a matter of hours. I used to take about 45 minutes at the grocery store (shout out to all my Aldi loving fans) and maybe 10-15 minutes to put everything away. I probably did this about once a week. I suppose if I stretch that out to a month, the time adds up to about the same. But there is no sun-beating-down-on-my-cold-food timeline or pressure of organizing items in the fridge “just so”. Perhaps people with children don’t share the stress-free grocery shopping I used to.

Before the pandemic, provisioning was much the same. However, groceries were not delivered, but carried a mile or less on our backs as we walked and traded bags on our way back to the dinghy. When we arrived, we worried not about sanitizing, but simply discarding trash and packing away our refrigerated items. Since things have calmed down, I have returned to walking to the grocery store, dawning the required mask, and sanitizing my cart and items upon return. We have a solid base of food should we need to escape a hurricane or go offshore for a few weeks. 

Everyone is a Provisioner Now

I could write more about the types of items we purchase, but perhaps that will be for another blog. As I write this, I realize that grocery shopping, or provisioning, has been a likely unique experience for many during this pandemic. For example, during my first trip onshore in a month, the only masks we had were fiberglass masks. I wore this to the store and was both ridiculed and thanked during my shopping experience. Toilet paper did not run out, but we were limited to how much we could buy, along with a few other items, such as tuna cans? What fun toilet paper, limited items, or mask stories do you have to share about while grocery shopping, or provisioning!, for yourself and your family during the pandemic? Please share in the comments! Cheers!

Fiberglass masks. It is all we had!

Making all of our American friends jealous. Note: This was BVI pre-mask requirements.

Sharing a homemade pizza social-distancing style!

Brownies are a real treat when you are trying to conserve propane!

Loading the dinghy when you have a rental car makes life easier. The luxury!

I wish I had more provisioning photos, but in the meantime enjoy! Is anyone interested in more pictures of some of the dishes I’ve made? Let me know below!

The post Grocery Shopping During Covid-19-From a Sailboat! appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

December, 2019, Hatchet Bay Eleuthera, Bahamas

Part 1a

We were making our way south down the western side of Eleuthera. We checked in at Spanish Wells, stayed a night at Meeks and then made it to Hatchet Bay for a few days. It was a well-protected hurricane hole with a few local “clubs”, which are more like hole-in-the-wall bars with music that will certainly ruin your eardrums. But before we knew that we anchored as close as we could to shore near a sign that we could just make out saying ‘convenience store’. Seemed like a place we could dinghy in so we dropped anchor and set it in reverse… oh shit. Our first big oops “we’re idiots” finally came into play. As we reversed I could hear this winding sound that was not usual to the motor. As I look back I notice the fishing reel tugging as though we had caught a fish! For a moment I felt excitement until actual horror set in, realizing we had run over our own line. 

We had sailed a good five hours and trolled the line during the beautiful sunny day, but the entrance to Hatchet Bay had distracted our focus with its narrow-hilly channel and no major signs of good spots to anchor. Keep in mind that we are also seeing places for the first time and are entering with the bare minimum of a road map which is our charts. Our charts show great detail regarding the water, but not lay of the land, so to speak.

As I pointed out to Curt our plunder he held back a bit of frustration and anger and turned off the engine. The anchor was not fully set and we were in about 25 ft of water. It seemed ok with the calm, but we needed to get that fishing line off of the propeller. The water was a bit murky and it did not seem appealing. However, it was hot and a swim seemed nice, and somebody had to do it, so I volunteered to jump in. I’m not so good at holding my breath for a long time, but I managed to get the line free… that is the lines as our line cutter had done its job and sliced the line in two. Only one cut seemed fine and we still had plenty of usable line left.

Just as I finished, I was sitting on the stern trying to make sense of the mess and Curtis had gone down below to set the anchor alarm or check our depth, a colorful handmade dinghy made its way directly towards our boat. Before I continue, I must fill you in with a story from a previous anchorage…

We had anchored in Spanish Wells right near the town dock. For all we knew this was the only place to anchor and probably the only place our draft could fit (although we found out later this was not the case). We had also thought docking was too expensive (also not the case), but the winds were blowing 20-30 and we needed to officially check into the country yet. Not sure where we could dock, we dropped anchor between the narrow channel and a mooring field. We stayed here for a couple days as the wind blew out of the east giving us just enough room to fit into the “anchorage”. A catamaran and ketch were moored and we didn’t think the other balls would be deep enough for our depth or far enough from the other boats. After the ketch left, we decided to take his mooring for the night as the wind was planning on shifting and would blow our stern directly in the way of the channel. It seems not but a half an hour went by before the mooring captain, famously known just as Bandit came and grabbed our davits and knocked on our hull. I came flying out of the cockpit to see him there as he had begun to quickly and somewhat angrily speak to me. Curtis quickly picked his head out of the cockpit as well as Bandit had scolded us for anchoring outside his mooring. He said the space outside his mooring field was not a permitted anchorage. We were unsure if this was true, but if that was actually the case, why did no one ask us to move? We became a little defensive as Curt and I made short choppy sentences explaining our situation of strong winds and areas of little protection to check in, which pretty much fell on deaf ears. Eventually he asked us how many nights we planned to stay and we definitely knew at that point it would be just the one. He collected his payment and asked how our day was going. It was an odd exchange, but we were relieved it was over. The next day, we were off the mooring and onto the next place.

With this story in mind, we were not at Hatchet Bay long before being approached by a couple in a colorful dinghy. Out on deck by myself I yelled quietly for Curt that we were once again being approached. “Another mooring captain out to tell us we could not anchor here!”, I thought. Thankfully I was wrong and it was longtime Hatchet Bay visitors, Sue and Earl, coming to be our official greeters. We soon learned that they had been coming to this same spot for 20 years as it was one of their favorites. They built their own boat from a kit and have sailed it all around the Caribbean and Latin America. They were on a mooring ball that some would say they wouldn’t trust to floss their teeth with, but the protective hills of Hatchet Bay made it fairly safe. An anchored boat next to them ended up floating away and washed ashore so the holding wasn’t too good. Where we were, with our half set anchor, turned out to be good holding for us and besides, the winds had lightened and the bay was well sheltered. They invited us over to see their boat and we were excited to see a boat that had been made by the owners and successfully sailing long distances for many years. Curt and I were amazed when they said they hove-to for 40 hours before entering the Bahamas banks. (There had been a solid week of strong winds and squalls rolling through). They didn’t squeeze into Spanish Wells mooring field as we had. Even though we were interested in checking it out, we thought we’d stay in Hatchet only for a night, so if we didn’t see their boat later that day, it probably wasn’t going to happen.

Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera Bahamas

Part 2

After our debacle with the fishing line and hot midday chat with the crew of  My Bonnie, Curt and I were very desperate for some cold, local beer. The two convenience stores we found did not carry any alcohol and we were pointed in the direction of the liquor store. Curt and I ventured mapless into the abyss of neighborhood/boarded up houses/clubs/small shops. If we had been in the United States, this neighborhood might have been home to a few restless and reckless souls, but this was the Bahamas. Still, we had both never been and this was not exactly a strong tourist spot. The liquor store had a loud gangly bunch hanging out in front, of what appeared more like someone’s house. We decided to bypass it and head to the beach. 

Our thirst continued however and right next to the beach was a white concrete building with two guys at the bar and music so loud a conversation was really inconceivable. We looked at each other for a bit before my adventurous side grabbed Curt’s hand and said: “Let’s go inside”. Da club had been painted above the door of the one-room, white, concrete building. As we approached, one man got up from his seat at the bar and went behind the bar and started fiddling with a few things. The room was nearly square-like with a long bar that opened up right at the front entrance and extended to the back wall. There were no other tables or chairs and the walls were covered with posters for calendars clad with women or rapper type musicians or advertisements of liquor from four or five years ago. Against the back wall were four large black speakers, two stacked on top of two, nearly as tall as the ceiling. A TV hung in the back corner behind the bar along with a top opening refrigerator. Youtube on the TV was connected to the speakers and playing the loud music. 

The speakers blared and Curt tried to order our beers. The man and Curt had to lean in towards each other to make out what was being said. Eventually, we learned it was 3 Khaliks for $10 so we agreed to that and began to enjoy the cold refreshing beer to the loud local music. A few more local men came in and sat near the other man at the open end of the bar by the door. The bartender changed the screen to a festival where bands played and men and women in hand-made sequins and feathered costumes danced the streets. After some discussion and watching, we asked the bartender about the festival. It had taken place Christmas night and into the morning. It was Boxing Day in the Bahamas and this festival was called Junkanoo. (We later googled the significance of Boxing Day and Junkanoo in the Bahamas). To find out more about Junkanoo click here.

Being the social butterfly that he is, Curt noticed the other “original” man sitting at the bar was nearly done with a fifth of Fireball. We had partaken in this popular college type drink of cinnamon whiskey at a few parties back home and thus Curt had complimented him on his drink of choice. He responded by offering us two of the three final shots in the bottle. We reciprocated with buying him another Khalik. Next he pulled out a few cigars, and having been to Cuba, Curt was quick to compliment him on those as well. Next thing we knew we were nearly best friends with the guy. Carey was the name he offered to us, as we later found out this was his last name as is custom to offer up when meeting a new person not from the islands. Carey and his younger brother and best friend Jack asked if we wanted to join them at the next bar. We were already in an adventurous mood and accepted. 

Before we left, Carey had mentioned an older couple that frequents they bay. He knew them well (as they had been coming here for 20 years). We shared that we had just met a couple in similar detail. Carey’s face filled with excitement as he said, “let’s make a stop at me mom’s”. As it turns out, Sue and Earl were just visiting there as they became near family to the locals. The house was just around the corner from Da club and we entered in Carey’s mom’s house where many women were sitting around sharing in talk. We had just missed Sue and Earl, so we decided to be off on our way. It was a holiday and it was midafternoon and there was still a lot of bar hopping to be had, little to our knowledge. Carey, Jack, and Carey’s brother took us to the next bar a few blocks down in the little brother’s car. Another concrete building that was more of a house with a second story on top. Just like the bartender at “Da Club”, RJ was another friend of Carey’s and as Carey explained, he tries to split his time equally between the two bars. 

As you walked into RJ’s Sports bar, there were two high top circular tables directly in front of you with a small bar directly behind them. A few TV’s hung above the bar and played basketball and other sports. To our right was a worn pool table with two large paper posters on the wall behind it. One of Lebron James and the other of Steph Curry. Carey quickly brought us over more Khaliks and Curt and I gave each other a look of trying to slow down. We are both lightweights and the night was young. It was still daytime! Carey offered to play Curt in a game of pool and warned Curt that he and RJ played in tournaments together. What Carey didn’t know, was that Curt’s parents’ had a pool table in their basement. Without too many details Curt won a close game and went on to play RJ. The table was fun like any other table in a small-town bar where there is not quite enough space on one side of the table and thus a short stick is needed at times to hit from that side. Even so, Curt went on to win the second game and then retired to yet another beer. I claimed Curt’s wins were beginner’s luck and RJ and Carey played a round as Jack made conversation with a man at the bar. After billiards was done and about three rounds of beer and another round of shots, Carey took us to another friend’s house. 

This time, it was not a bar, but a house. We drove miles and miles and Curt and I knew that if we weren’t getting a ride back, it was going to be a long walk back to the boat. A homemade barbeque had been slow-roasting some meat and vegetables all day as Carey introduced us to his old chums that were having a bit of a party. We got to meet one of the Bahama’s best softball players and a few others that told us about how they know Carey. Everyone assured us we were going to get to partake in the barbeque and we could not be more excited. More beers were brought to us and we stood alongside the house along the edge of the woods (which would later end up being some of the worst mosquito bites we’ve ever had to date). It was time to eat and the first dishes were given to Curtis and I. We were strangers showing up randomly to this party! We could not accept being given the first bits of food, but alas our cries were unheard and we were given chicken and pork and corn and a shrimp alfredo pasta from inside. It was one of the best meals we’d had and the smiles on everyone’s faces added to the enjoyment of the meal. We all finished eating and Carey loaded the five us up and headed to the house of his next friend. We had passed it on the way there and were technically on our way back now. 

This house was connected to a convenience store and auto shop. It was actually very well-to-do as we could tell this was one of the wealthier families on the island. The woman of the family, whose husband had passed, had a banner made with the family’s surname in the middle surrounded by the first names of everyone in the family. When introducing herself, she pointed to her name on the banner and asked if we could read what it said. She had chosen a strong cursive font and clearly and been given some criticisms earlier. Fortunately, as a teacher with skills in reading all sorts of handwriting, I could make out that her name was Sylvia. We were offered more beer to which I successfully declined, however, Curt was not so lucky. 

As it was night now and dinner was done, we were offered leftovers and desserts. We turned down the main meal, but Carey insisted we try the guava duff. Essentially, Curt and I had no idea what we were eating but knew it was to be sweet. A piece of cake was covered in a creamy colored sauce so much so we couldn’t make out what it was. We both gobbled it right up and later I googled that it’s made of pound cake with a guava swirl topped with a rum cream sauce. I can’t wait to try and make this myself someday. Curt and I listened to Sylvia and Carey catch up on gossip and reminisce in days of yore. Behind our round table was another round table in which children and young adults of all ages playing a rather heated game of Monopoly. You could tell that a few were more into it than others. Curt and I enjoyed watching the young banker excitedly take and hand out money. We learned that Carey lived in Ft. Lauderdale now with his wife, who was back there with her family for the holidays. A few family members of Sylvia also did not live in Eleuthera. Sylvia herself lived in Florida now and her daughter lived in Nassau. Her son ran the auto parts and convenience store here in Eleuthera, where they were all from. It was a family reunion of sorts. We hugged everyone we met and said our goodbyes before getting back in the car with Carey, Jack, and the little brother. They asked if we wanted a ride back which we surely accepted. We explained the best we could which dock we were anchored near, not knowing any street names. 

Of course, connected to the convenience store at the end of that dock was another little bar. Although Curt and I were already at the end of our energy ropes, we offered to buy them some final drinks for the night as a thank you. So after a couple of beers and a last round of shots we exchanged some info, took a group photo, and parted ways. Carey would be returning to Ft. Lauderdale and Jack would return to work. After they left, the bartender, son of the bar owner, seemed a bit lonely and engaged us in conversation. We sat with him for a while, although I could barely keep my eyes open at this point. Somehow Curt managed to pull through and we chatted for an extra five minutes before stumbling back to our dinghy and to Sweet Ruca. Roxy was happy with our return and I chugged a bottle of water before falling into bed on that calm starry night. 

Hatchet Bay

Part 1b

Earl and Sue

The calmness of the bay did attract us to do a little boat work and one night planned turned into three. Two days after our day with Carey, we motored our dinghy over to the handmade boat My Bonnie where Earl and Sue accepted our somewhat surprise visit. Sue did most of the talking, which was fine as she had plenty of stories to tell of their different adventures. They shared stories about the building of the boat and people they’ve met and places they’ve gone. Curt and I discussed interviewing them for a video, but time fell short and I only managed to see them off in the morning before they went to church. Sue explained to me that they were basically honorary members at this particular church as they made it a point to go whenever they were in Hatchet Bay, and they often stayed for weeks at a time. A snagged a quick picture with the couple before heading back to the boat with Curt to leave Hatchet Bay, and all it’s little clubs and houses.

The post Tales of Sweet Ruca and the People We Meet-Eleuthera Bahamas and Mr. Carey appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

This video shows only limited clips of our first days in the water. There is so much more to show but only so long of a video to keep you engaged! When we first went in the water, we did not have our mainsail cars so we could not hoist our mainsail! The first day in was a bit foggy anyway (as tends to happen in the northeast) and we decided to just motor around Narragansett Bay, RI and get a feel for her. We are used to open-cockpit boats with tillers so a large wheel took a little getting used to.

Once we got the correct main cars we set sail up the bay towards East Greenwich, a beautiful little state park with weeknight dinghy races. We had fun practicing with the anchor since, as racers, we rarely used the hunk of metal that usually sits on the bottom of a boat. It took us a while to get used to leaving the boat at anchor without us on it, so we would get to shore and keep an eye on her as our first baby steps. Eventually, we practiced with different anchor alarm apps and would extend our time away little by little.

We were thirsty for more, especially Curtis, and decided to head to Third Beach, just outside of the bay facing the Atlantic Ocean. We got a little taste of ocean swell and solid breeze for the very first time. The boat was so smooth and enjoyable to sail. For me, it was difficult to get used to large boat maneuvers, but this first sail was a good test. After a night in Third Beach, we decide to head north to Maine.

For our Patrons on patreon.com, we plan to post extra footage of our time in Narragansett Bay, exclusively.

Our next public video should be the start of our experience in Maine, passing through the Cape Cod Canal- a very cool experience.

Please enjoy our “second leg” below!

Until next time!

The post Sailing Sweet Ruca Vlog – Leg 2 – First Sail | Narragansett Bay to the Atlantic Ocean off the Coast of Newport RI appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.