Our Ambassador at Sea
In February of 2024 the museum welcomed our new Ambassadors!
Tea and Riki, feline crew aboard the Barque Picton Castle, were adoped in Rikitea on Mangareva Island in French Polynesia in the summer of 2023. They joined during the training ship's 8th circumnavigation, becoming Shellbacks in the summer of 2024.
The Picton Castle is currently at her home base in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and will be commencing her next voyage in the Spring. Our museum's founder visited the ship and crew in September 2024 and personally delivered the cats' Letter of Appointment and their ambassadorial badges. Until Spring, they will keep the Bosun School students company and do occasional dock patrols. Capt. Dan Moreland and the kitties blog frequently, so be sure to catch up with them!
Barque Picton Castle has a long and honorable history, and now provides intensive sea training for future mariners. Read more about this magnificent vessel here:
www.barque picton-castle.com
Earlier this year, we shared the sad news that our first and last emissaries had crossed the bar:
It is with heavy heart that we announce the loss of two of our Ambassadors. Mollie passed away this past Fall after a brief but unrecoverable illness while ashore with First Mate Bertie and Captain Tim in Montenegro.
Bailey Boat Cat, our first emissary, just passed away in January after a valiant fight with kidney disease.
Both of these pets captured the hearts and minds of thousands of visitors, sailors, bloggers and admirers. Their gentle dispositions were coupled with keen observation and communications skills, and we shall sorely miss them!
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We are proud to welcome our third emissary since starting our Ambassador program in 2014. Mollie, a mixed-breed dog who has lived aboard S/Y Monty B nearly her entire life, sails Lake Kotor in Montenegro and the nearby Adriatic. Tim, her Skipper, hails from the UK and offers history-themed charter sails. In addition to her keen interest in naval history and navigation issues, Mollie also advocates for safe boating practices and protocols.
She has personally welcomed over 5000 guests during her years at sea and now enjoys the company of a Second Mate, Bertie Wooster. Mollie has sailed the equivalent miles to circumnavigate the globe!
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Eight Bells
Annabelle, a 2-year old Chihuahua from Italy, was our last Ambassador at Sea prior to the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. She had assumed her duties in June of 2019 after Bailey's retirement ceremony. Sadly, Annabelle passed away while ashore in 2020.
Annabelle and her two crewmates, Border Collies April and Blue, lived with their humans on S/V Titanium near Barcelona, Spain. They sailed the western Mediterranean until recreational sailing came to a stand-still last year. Annabelle's first duty as Ambassador was to meet and greet the other furry sailors at the marina.
Bailey Boat Cat, a seal-point Siamese living aboard S/V Nocturne just outside of Rome, served as our first Ambassador at Sea for several years. Bailey is an author, explorer and philosopher whose musings can be found in his best-selling book, Bailey Boat Cat: Adventures of a Feline Afloat. Bailey cruised the Mediterranean with co-skippers Louise and James and was joined three years ago by new crew members, April, Blue and Annabelle. These new recruits were border collies and a chihuahua!
Bailey's blogs about his sailing adventures and friends, including many nautical challenges that he and his humans faced, became the source for his book. He was a spokescat for ocean conservancy, safe boating practices and tips for sailing with your pet.
His model performance as a maritime pet led us to appoint him as our Ambassador at Sea, with the blessings of his humans, of course!
Bailey's dispatches are recapped in a following section. He was an exemplary emissary and trend-setter!
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| April on deck |
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Bailey's dispatches from the sea range over a wide subject matter. We have included our favorites here:
The Environment:
Bailey often comments on the refuse encountered while underway. Pollution and safety are issues that not all boaters take as seriously as S/V Nocturne's crew do! In one case, their propeller was tangled in plastic bags and rope, causing a stalled voyage and some repairs.
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| Propeller hazard |
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| Container dumped in the Mediterranean |
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| Barney (Greece) Marina Mascot |
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| Seafaring Companions:
While on anchor or in port, Bailey has met many other seafaring pets from around the world, and to keep him company on the boat, he has new pup April, and two Russian hamsters.
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| Zoe (USA) meets Bailey |
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| Delphi (Norway) and Bailey |
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Piloting and Standing Watch:
Bailey takes his skipper duties seriously, and while he yields the wheel to his crewmates, he maintains constant vigilance from all angles.
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| Bailey on Watch |
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| Musing about the next trip |
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Navigation:
Bailey loves course charting, too!
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Wildlife at Sea:
Bailey loves meeting new species, whether land or sea-based. Here are some of his favorites.
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| Bailey fishing |
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| Watching the Ducks |
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| Dolphins often accompany Nocturne |
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| Marina Turtles |
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Safety:
Bailey and his co-skippers often encounter dangerous or risky behaviors and conditions on shore or at sea. He is a strong advocate of safe boating practices and proper boat and dock upkeep!
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| Huge yacht grounded while trying to negotiate a narrow marina passage |
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| Cracked pontoons |
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| Keeping your distance is crucial to safety! |
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| Watching the weather |
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| Impawtant documents! |
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Sea Travel Necessities:
A valid passport and current veterinary records are required at new ports of call. Practical philosophy also helps make voyages pleasant, safe and memorable!
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| Words to live by while afloat! |
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| Sea Gull/aka "dinghy devil" |
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Favorite reasons why I sail:
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| Finally underway! |
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| Peaceful anchorage |
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To learn more about Bailey Boat Cat, visit his website baileyboatcat.com, or reach him on Facebook or Twitter @BaileyBoatCat
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