From Maximus to Maximus Sea Dog

Regatta Pointe Marina
Palmetto, Florida
New Horizons
October 21, 2011

I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full. ~~Arthur Ashe

This is an update on our kid, Maximus!  He is doing really well, becoming quite a sea dog!  When we first moved onto the sailboat he was pretty anxious and couldn’t quite rest or sleep at night because he was on watch.  But now, he is right at home on the boat, he knows exactly what finger dock and slip his boat is on.  When we spend any time on the dock with our neighbors having dinner or watching the sunset he plays around with Madeline, our neighbor’s kid. 

Madeline is quite a rambunctious Brittany spaniel.  She loves going out sailing and loves riding in the dinghy with her parents.  When we’ve sailed out to Passage Key, she runs out and swims and LOVES sticking her head under water to retrieve shells that her parents throw for her.  When we first took Maximus out to Passage Key, he was very unsure.  He would not run into the water for nothing!  Keith or I would take him out into ankle high water and point him to shore so that he would get use to the water, but all we seemed to do was make him anxious.  So we decided to go ahead to leave him alone and see if he would eventually begin enjoying the water on his own terms. 

In no time at all he began running after Madeline.  Maddie’s parents would throw a shell for her, she would run to retrieve the shell and Maxi would run after her.  He would watch her retrieve the shell and run back to us.  Well, just last weekend we were out at Passage Key and guess who dunked under water to retrieve a shell?? MAXIMUSSSS!! LOL!!  We were so proud of him!  Tony, Christina, Keith and I all applauded!  It was so exciting to see him out there dunking his little head and retrieving that shell!  Soooo guess what we did for about an hour? LOL..throw shells and have Maxi run out into the waves and retrieve them!  He looked so adorable!  Every time he came up with a shell in his mouth he would have a curtain of hair down his face!  But, he did it!  He is really enjoying riding in the dinghy and going to shore and swimming, more so then I am at riding in the dinghy!  LOL

Since the water is of course salty, we thought of getting him some goggles.  But they are $25 at PetSmart and well, we didn’t want to buy them and then not have Maxi wear them.  So, we decided to go ahead and try on Madeline’s pair on him.  I hope you enjoy the pictures! 

Maximus is our little guy!  He keeps our spirits high and brings so much joy into our lives. 

 
We love ya Maxi!!

El

Maxi sat still after I put the goggles on, long enough for me
to take the picture!

Then he rolled around on the cockpit bench and took them off!
Surprised? LOL

Going on shore for a potty break with Tony, Keith,
Madeline and Maximus!

Wet and tired salty doggie!