Night sailing.

Joined some other sailors for a midnight sail the other night. Sailing in the Bay Area is always beautiful. Nestled in the middle of the bay you can see all the cities perched on the hills, with elegant bridges stretching across the waves. 

At night it's a different beauty. The inky blackness of the waves are at once beautiful and terrifying. The tales of

Krakens and sea monsters don't seem far fetched at all. Anything could be waiting in that deep deep dark. 

And the signs of civilization take on a different look at night. Cities glisten in the darkness like jeweled tiaras dotting the hills. The new span of the Bay Bridge pierces the sky like a mast and spreaders. 

Getting Alfie on the Boat

So let me tell you about my adorable goofball of a dog. He's a 65lb pit bull mutt and he's a wimp, wuss, scaredy cat. He's scared of water, towels, and doors that move too suddenly. And it took him weeks to realize that the doggie door wasn't out to hurt him. 

Hello! My name is Alfie!

I'm a goofball!

I knew getting him on the boat was going to be a challenge. I thought he'd first be freaked out by the docks. He took to the docks like a champ, and then of course was more interested in going swimming than getting on the boat. 

But after he almost dove in to smell assorted sticks, ripples and the odd duck, I got him to my very own part of the dock. I climb my plastic steps onto the boat and my pup all excited goes to follow. But he puts his two front legs on the top step, tipping the steps and now the steps are suddenly like the MOST TERRIFYING THING EVER. Meanwhile my mom's fluffy terrier pup, Kiki is hopping on and off the boat like it ain't no thang. Sure she was motivated by chasing her squeaky ball, but she wasn't scared at all. And while Kiki is jumping back and forth, Alfie is pointedly looking anywhere but at her. Clearly he was saying "nope, nope, nope, still the scariest thing ever. Can we go chase squirrels and ducks now?"

So that was attempt #1

Attempt #2

We met another super friendly liveaboard with a dog. Alfie hit if off immediately with the dog (omgomgomgtheresanotherdoghere) and the other liveaboard (she had treats). Her adorable mutt was an old hand at the boat life. So we all went over to my boat and this new dog showed Alfie just how to navigate those tricksy steps. And the other liveaboard offered liberal treats. And oh my pup, he sure wanted to go on the boat. But still those steps....

Attempt #3

Treats, bribery, treats and more treats. A walk round the docks. And more treats. No go. Plus I ran out of dog treats. 

Attempts #4-7

Treats, praise, patience and still nothing. 

Attempt #8

Big strong boyfriend lifted Alfie into the cockpit.

Well this is kinda nice

And here he is on the starboard side thinking that perhaps the cockpit ain't that bad. 

He moved over to the portside of the cockpit. 

This is nice too.

Hung out for a bit and then got stuck. 

Wait what happened to the floor?

No seriously what's wrong with the floor?

I can't step down there. Nope, nope, nope.

Did you turn the floor to lava?

He forgot how to get down. It's like suddenly the cockpit floor turned to lava. 

He eventually figured out that the floor of the cockpit (that he had walked on just 5 minutes ago) was in fact just fine. And he had absolutely no problems figuring out how to get off the boat all by himself. Boarding on the other hand is still not something he'll do. 

Boat dog in the making (hopefully!)

Oh look a seagull!