New Years 2011 Weekend in St Augustine

BILLY CHRONICLES

Something big is happening.  Forever Mom and Dad are piling things in the middle of the living room and loading up the car and promising me that they were coming back to get me.  Get me where???  Where are we going??

Finally with the last carload of stuff, including all my toys, snacks, food, dishes, blankies and me we headed down to the floatie thing called THE BOAT.

It wasn’t a bad thing.  I was happy to see all my stuff sitting on the big bed called THE PIT and my dishes were where I like them on the boat.  In fact…..I was so good, I didn’t even cry or bark when my Forever parents left me down below while they went off to eat dinner.  We were staying on the boat the night before we left so that we could get an early start.

Somewhere around 2AM I had to go out; Forever Mom lifted me out of the down below and I had some new places to sniff and mark.  When we got back on the boat … which by the way I’m a pro at it … I didn’t see any reason to continue to sleep in the pit because when I go do my business in the morning at home, I get into my Forever Parents bed and sleep the rest of the morning.  

To me this was no different … what’s 2AM anyway … so Forever Mom lifted me up to into the V berth and I snuggled up on top of her legs.  She kept squirming until finally I landed at the very “V” part of the berth….hence the name V berth!

Thursday we headed out of the slip and that was scarey.  The good news is that I’m always within six inches of Forever Mom and she doesn’t mind if I sleep up against her or in her lap while she’s reading a back in the cockpit.  

Once I got used to the engine sound and the fact that the boat moves from side to side when other boats pass us, and the rigging makes noises so I had to keep an eye on the mast …. Once I got used to the fact that I really wasn’t going to get any real sleep because I had to stay on alert in case I needed to help ….. I enjoyed the trip. 

Helping Forever Mom at the Helm!  What a Boat Dog I AM!

As we were making our way north approaching the inlet, this funny-looking boat came up right behind us and drafted our boat.  It was fun to watch them paddling away keeping right up on our stern.  We took the channel north and they kept going to the inlet and thanked us for the ride! 

Most  of the trip was uneventful.  The day was beautiful and sea gulls were following us on the stern.  We went by a big boat moored alongside the shore that was someone’s home.  They had interesting looking laundry hanging on the side.  Looks like the boat had been there a while.

LAUNDRY DAY!

Finally we arrived in Palm Coast for our first night.  I was really happy when the boat tied up to the dock because I had to go pee pee really, really bad.  But I was a good boy and never asked to go ashore all day long during our trip.

Again, I had many new places to sniff and mark.  Forever Mom took me to a big field where I could run my legs off.  Boy was that fun.   Forever Mom and Dad went to dinner with an old high school buddy of Forever Dad’s who has moved to Palm Coast.  They were gone a long time but I just slept on my big PIT.

This isn’t a bad life.  My people are always nearby and I can stretch out to catch up on my sleep!  Of course, now the V-berth is my new bed but we make it work.  I claim my area in the middle, making sure my legs are stretched out as far as they can go and Forever Mom and Dad just find space around me.   Yes, life is good!

Friday we had a lazy morning,  I got to run again in the field and we left mid-morning to go to St Augustine.  This is where we are going to spend New Year’s weekend.  Got to St Augustine around 4:00 and I just hopped off the boat, marched down the long, long docks up to the dog walking area.  Wow, lots of smells to sniff here!  Lots of people on boats travel with their dogs too so I met lots of new dogs, some friends, some not so much.  

Apparently there were lots of boats on the dock that my Forever parents knew because they tethered me into the cockpit and took off to party.  I didn’t mind though, I just laid up on the bench and watched everyone going by.  Eventually I took naps.

New Years Eve day my Forever parents took me into the historic St Augustine for my socialization lesson.  They said I needed to learn how to walk among crowds and people with dogs without expecting everyone to come up and greet me.  They were very pleased with my behavior.  I’m quite the gentleman.  We walked down the streets passing folks and I didn’t even pull on the leash.

  For lunch they picked an outdoor restaurant.  Along with my Forever parents lunch order was a bowl for me to drink from.  They don’t know that I know how to drink water, directly from the faucet.

  I don’t need no stinkin’ bowl!   I laid down in the shade while my Forever parents ate lunch, never once trying to visit other people eating or getting something from my parents.  I’m quite the dog!

After lunch we continued to walk through the historic district and then crossed the street to this BIG FORT.  It had lots of green to run on so I had a great time walking around the Fort.  We were down by the water when the cannons went off …. That wasn’t fun!  It was loud!

LOTS OF RUNNING.....TONGUE HANGING OUT....FUN FUN FUN!

  This town is so doggie friendly!  As we were leaving the FORT, A Ranger came running over to give me a treat and pointed to a large bowl behind the ticket office with nice cold water for me to drink.  It tasted great!

ARE THEY REALLY GOING TO SHOOT THOSE CANNONS?

We walked back to the boat where I hopped on and took an afternoon nap.  It was a busy afternoon. 

At night all the lights come on.  I can see the Bridge of Lions from Spindrift and it’s really pretty at night.  

SPINDRIFT - SECOND FOREVER HOME

BILLY'S VIEW 

JOLLY ROGER SITTING OFF OUR BOAT.  LOTS FOR BILLY TO WATCH.

Since we were on the fuel dock where the dockmaster’s office is, there were lots of boats coming in for fuel , or to register for a mooring ball or a slip.  So I had lots and lots of people to watch all weekend.  There were fireworks around 8:30 on the beach but we could see them from our boat.   They kind of scared me and I barked at them, but that didn't make them stop!

DOG WALK AREA AT NIGHT

BRIDGE OF LIONS

ST AUGUSTINE HARBOR AT NIGHT

We decided (my Forever parents … I just go where they go) to leave New Year’s Day rather than staying an extra day because it’s supposed to the COLD on Tuesday and it takes us two days to get back to New Smyrna. 

 We woke up to fog.  Really, really dense fog.  Could hardly see the bridge.

A couple of the power boats left as the fog was lifting.  The rest of us stayed until the fog cleared off which wasn't very long.

 Eventually New Year’s Day cleared and it was nice, sunny and cool.  

 BRIDGE OF LIONS

St Augustine Light 

All Seems Well ... Getting ready for my nap!

We went all the way to Daytona Beach getting into a slip at the Halifax Yacht Club around 7PM.  It was really, really hard to get off the boat here.  The dock was way up high and I couldn’t jump it.  Forever Dad had to lift me up there and that wasn’t easy.  I’m getting heavier – probably over 35 lbs now. 

Monday morning Forever Mom got me up onto the dock and we took a long walk through a park along the ICW.  I met a lot of people who were “camping” in the park, everyone was getting up to start their days.  We left Daytona and before I could finish a long nap, were back in our slip in New Smyrna.

It was a great weekend.  I think I’m going to like this lifestyle.  Getting up on the docks are a challenge but Forever Mom and Dad will have to figure that out.  I’m sure there is more they want me to learn, but so far it’s going to be OK.

Signing off:

Boat Dog Billy

Billy Chronicles

Billy's First Boat Weekend on Spindrift

BILLY GOT A NEW TAG - AND IT SEEMED SO APPROPRIATE THAT IT WOULD BE:

WHO RESCUED WHOM??

Hope you enjoy the Billy Chronicles.  He's a very smart dog .... and such a good writer!

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Bringing "Hill" Billy down to the boat was a momentous occasion .... for us.  Not so sure for Billy.  As soon as we returned from WNC and stored our motorhome, we got Billy down to Spindrift, our 36' Catalina, to introduce him to his "other" forever home.  He was already getting used to the house where he could run from room to room chasing his toys and barking at the wildlife in the estuary.  He was just getting his "house legs" together - taking corners on his feet rather than his hip!  So, the trip to Spindrift was going to be a totally different experience.....smaller than the motorhome, smaller than the house, it moves under your feet.

The first visit Billy didn't want to go down the dock.....didn't want to jump to the boat....didn't like the feel of the deck under his paws....had to be led to the bow (where he laid down in the sun content never to move again).....led back to the cockpit where he refused to jump down onto the bench.....and handed down into the salon where there was no hope of his getting down on his own.  Lifting him up the ladder out of the salon, his legs were stiff and splayed, he refused to his paws on the rung of  the ladder and pretty much was a frozen solid dog being lifted out from a hole.

Billy is now 17" high and 17" long (shoulder to tail) having grown 3 inches in one month.  He weighs in approximately 35 lbs and is still a baby at six months old.  We have high hopes!

First weekend in November the Yacht Club held a "Staycation" and members with RV's brought them in and boat owners stayed on their boats and everyone enjoyed a vacation at the Club.  We opted for the boat ... as if there was a choice!  This was going to be Billy's first test weekend.

GETTING READY FOR THE NIGHT

Billy does not travel light.  He sleeps in a crate, which by the way, had to be replaced by a MUCH LARGER crate that friends of ours had.  He could hardly lay down in the original crate we bought - but of course - he was only going to be a 10 lb dog!

SETTING UP A CRATE TO GIVE HIM "AT HOME" SECURITY.  

Billy has three blankets, one towel and one dog bed that makes up his "sleeping area".  He takes these items very seriously.  As he winds down for the night, he starts to drag the pieces out of the crate to the living room and scrunches them up to lay on them until we are all ready for bed.

He also has many chewies, pull toys and plush toys to choose from in addition to the bedroom slipper of mine that he snatched out of the closet as soon as we got home and proceeded to destroy it ....so it's his.

What to bring to the boat for the weekend!  Well, two plush, two chewies, all bedding, denta-sticks, treats, bedtime treats (special from every day treats), food & bowls.  Retractable leash and a training leash to use as a tether in the cockpit.  His life jacket was already on the boat.   No, he does not travel lightly!

He ended up sleeping on the settee :pit" leaving the little crate to just sit there.  The second night we just put the crate away and he slept on all his bedding.

BILLY'S STORY

I don't know what's going on.  One minute I'm doing figure eights in a long, narrow tube called a Motorhome, then I'm running my butt off around a big house where I can't keep my feet under my body and slide into everything.  Now my Forever Parents have taken me to a narrow, floating thing with pointy-front called "The Bow".  This thing either sits high up on the dock or low on the dock and moves under my feet.  Besides I don't know if I like the feel of the deck on my paws and when I look over the side there is something shinny down there that looks wet and it's a long ways down.

However, there are BIG fish behind the "thing" that spouts air and then disappears under water.  I heard it called "Dolphin" whatever that is.  You can hear it snort then just disappear into the silvery stuff.   Also the same white birds that drive me crazy at home are flying over the "floaty thing" and smaller "floaty things" come buy.  I get to practice my barking - after all .... this is another Forever Home and I need to protect my Forever People.

So, there is no relaxing when I have to be on alert as to what may be coming towards us.  

I need to figure out what these other "floaty things" are and make sure they are OK too.  After all, they are my new neighbors.  

A good dog is always on watch.  You never know when the spitting thing is going to come by.  Did you know they jump out of the water.  Like to scare you to death!   Will I ever survive this new place!

My Forever Mom  is down that hole.  They actually expect me to go down there!  Hah!  They have to catch me first.  I can see perfectly what's going on everywhere in this "floaty thing" from just sitting here.

The first night I stayed on the FLOATIE THING my Forever Parents carried me down a ladder to the place they call "down below".  Boy was that scarey.  Forever Mom let me explore all over the boat but that only took 5 seconds.  The bed my Forever Parents sleep in is way too high for me to jump so I guess I won't be sleeping with them.  


Forever Mom lifted me up on cushions and I saw all my nighty nights there for me.  That made me happy.  All my favorite chewies were there too and a new chewy called Angry Birds.  Boy is that fun to grab in the middle and shake my head back and forth - those Angry Birds fly!   There definitely is no running room down here so I guess I'll just stretch out and enjoy my extra large bed.

BUT......they left me down here and left the boat!  Oh no!  I barked, cried and whimpered but no one came.  Couldn't begin to think about going up the ladder so figuring no one was coming back soon, I jumped off the cushions and laid on the floor.  You can actually get under the cushions and it's a cozy place to lay.   Pretty soon I fell asleep.  Such a big day!

Forever Mom came back and lifted me up the ladder to the cockpit.  This time I put my back paws on the ladder rung and Forever Mom boosted me up the ladder.  Once in the cockpit I jumped up to the bench and we jumped off the boat.  Now that wasn't so bad!

One of the good things about sleeping on the big pit, when Forever Mom comes down and reads, she sits on the pit with me ..... so I get to snuggle all I want.  Yes, that's a good thing!

Still takes some getting used to, jumping off these cushions to the cockpit floor.  I slept all night on my cushions and woke Forever Dad up in the morning to go for my morning walk.  It was all OK.....for now!

I keep hearing the word "Boat" so I guess this Floaty Thing is a "Boat".  So much to learn.  Anyway, laying around the Boat in the sun isn't such a bad thing after all.    Forever Mom and Dad put me on a long leash tethered to the wheel (they said so I wouldn't jump off the boat and fall in!).  I laid around the cockpit snoozing all afternoon.  Forever Mom was so pleased with me, said I was a wonderful Boat Dog and I was happy.  This isn't so bad, after all.

I can keep my eye on everything going on without moving a muscle.

"WHAT A HANDSOME BOAT DOG!" - so everyone says when they pass the boat.  I guess I'm pretty cute!

Getting Ready to jump down the three feet takes some preparation.  I'm not a jumping dog!

I'll just sit here and see what's going on.  Never know what's going to happen next in my life!

Yeah it's me ... I haven't gone anywhere .....just waiting for you to come back!  Can we go for a walk now?

All in all, it was an OK weekend.  Forever Mom and Dad have since taken me to the boat during the days so I can get used to sleeping in the cockpit.  The good news is I have a new places to sniff and walk when they take me off the boat.  

I see a trip coming up in my future!