Hi all,

You might think that dogs and sailing or boats don't really mix.

It seems that owners go to great lengths to take their ' best friend' with them to sea.

I've never wanted a dog but I can appreciate the companionship and fun.

In Malta winter 2010, the crew of a gentlemans super motor yacht told us that the strangest request they had form a guest was for a square metre of real turf to be put on the deck each day for their dog to 'posh poo'. It seems there is no limit to what money can buy..

In St Lucia, Caribbean we once saw a gorgeous black Labrador who was totally immersed in the fun of swimming. The sailing yacht sat at anchor in Rodney bay, the owners on board were down below relaxing etc but not on deck.

The gorgeous black Labrador walked to the bow of the 40 ish ft yacht and literally threw itself into the sea. No doggy lifejacket in sight !!!!

I watched apprehensive that it had no way of getting back on board as the swimming boarding ladder on the transom was vertical. Getting ready to start shouting or to quickly get the outboard on the dinghy started to head over to save the poor dog.....the next moment it reached the transom steps.

Incredibly it got its legs onto something under the water, hooked its forelegs around the vertical ladder and with a bound upwards reached the deck.

I was amazed and relieved....panic over.

The Labrador shook itself phew.......but then promptly ran quickly along the side decks and in an instant threw itself overboard again. This time 4 legs at stretch, like a child throwing itself into the sea with confident fun. I watched again thinking it got away with it the first time.....oh dear still no people on deck !!

The dog swam around playfully then headed back to the transom. Sure enough it reached the steps and incredibly ended up on deck again.....a quick shake....yes made it....surely that was it.

NO..... a quick sprint along the side deck, straddled legs again, big splash off the bow and lots of fun doggy paddling.

By this point I was enjoying watching this beautiful dog, confidently and independently playing like a child. I still couldn't work out how the dog managed a vertical ladder.

On the third exit from the sea it seemed to me the dog pushed against something horizontal with its hind legs. I think the owners must have put a short flat platform on the end of the ladder, under water for the dog to push against. The ladder stayed down until we left so we never got to confirm this or maybe the dog thought it was human and able to climb the ladder.....jury out.

The Labrador simply played like a child not needing any company....it seems we might not be the most intelligent species on the planet. Hmmmmm.

So in Portoferraio we watched an anchored motoryacht. The owners watched their large dog jump off the transom into the sea to enjoy a swim. The dog with a lifejacket knew it was safe and swam around cooling off. The owners had to keep calling it back in case of passsing boats or jet skis as the dog was happily swimming away.....yeehay.

Finally the dog clearly didn't want to get out...again just like a defiant child, so the owner resorted to getting out a long boat hook to hook the dogs jacket and pull it back to the transom. Playtime over.

Photos of the dog swimming in Portoferraio, Elba. If only I'd videoed the Labrador in the Caribbean.

Love to all

T and T xx