Not written by the paws of Quincy Dane.
In thinking through this post, I’m was hesitant to say we’re voyagers, thinking instead that we’re simply coastal cruisers with some offshore experience. There, that makes me feel better to say that right up front. We’ve gone offshore with Quincy the Great Dane four times since we left the US in Nov of 19….each experience better as both Quincy and crew rack up more sea time. Taking a Great Dane on a boat in the first place isn’t quite easy, taking her offshore for multiple days is something we think through before we pull the anchor. This last trip across the Sea of Cortez from La Paz to Banderas Bay seemed to be the easiest, but it was broken up by multiple stops and decent preparation. But there was a significant difference between this trip and the others…as Quincy Dog had been in doggy daycare for nearly a month while Tulum was out of the water and re-rigged (new standing rigging and chainplates) and we took off pretty quickly once she was back on board. I’m not sure this was the best approach but we did it fairly successfully. Knowing we would have some sporty weather, we did a couple of long day runs and sat in Frailes for nearly five days waiting out a norther before crossing…then opted to stop at Isla Isabel instead of going direct to Banderas Bay.
This stop didn’t knock off much mileage to Banderas Bay, but it did break the trip up so that we only had a maximum of two straight nights of movement. For Quincy Great Dane, this was probably especially frustrating because Isla Isabel is a National Park and bird sanctuary; so there’s no way we would take her to shore. With our anchorage just behind the mona’s, we could all smell, hear and see the land…very frustrating forward mat. But she dealt with it, and our next overnight runs were gentle enough to keep her calm and fairly happy without the need for seasick meds. I’m thinking that as WE’VE gained experience and confidence there’s a better chance at predicting how Quincy Dane will do on longer day runs or overnight runs. And as she’s gotten older, Quincy has started to mellow a bit…but not that much yet.
I took a break from posting for the first week of the new year so I could do boat projects without worrying about posting and this marina has crappy wifi…despite the hype we’ve heard from others. We’re gonna start moving again soon as this place has not grown on me…can’t wait to get back on the hook soon. Quincy Dog is about to turn seven but definitely remains a giant breed dog who requires attention and careful planning on our part. We take this responsibility seriously and keep others in mind as we anchor or sit in a slip. Got questions about dogs on board or giant breed dogs in general? Quincy is our third Great Dane and we’ve parented a giant breed Mastiff…so we’ve got some experience in this area. We’d love to answer any questions you have.
Check out tomorrow’s book review for a stunning twist at the end of my post!
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