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 when they crossed the Equator.
The Picton Castle is currently at her home base in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and will be commencing her next voyage this Spring. Our museum's founder visited the ship and crew in September 2024 and personally delivered the cats' Letters of Appointment and their ambassadorial badges. While in home port, they keep the Bosun School students company, maintain good order aboard ship, and perform 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 provides intensive sea training for future mariners. Read more about this magnificent vessel here:
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| Tea and Riki |
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Former Ambassadors
In early 2024, we shared the sad news that our first and third emissaries had crossed the bar:
"It is with heavy heart that we announce the loss of two of our Ambassadors. Mollie passed away in the Fall of 2023 after a brief but unrecoverable illness while ashore with First Mate Bertie and Captain Tim in Montenegro.
Bailey Boat Cat, our first emissary, passed away in January 2024 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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| Mollie aboard S/Y Monty B |
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| Capt. Tim, Mollie and 2nd Mate Bertie |
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Mollie
Mollie, a mixed-breed dog who lived aboard S/Y Monty B nearly her entire 15 years, was our third ambassador and sailed 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 advocated for safe boating practices and protocols.
She personally welcomed over 5000 guests during her years at sea and was able to enjoy the company of a Second Mate, Bertie Wooster. During her years aboard, Mollie sailed the equivalent of the required miles to circumnavigate the globe!
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Annabelle
Annabelle, a 2-year old Chihuahua form Italy, was our Ambassador at Sea prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. She had assumed her duties in June 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 during the pandemic. Annabelle's first duty as Ambassador at Sea was to meet and greet the other furry sailors at the marina.
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| April, Blue, and Annabelle |
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| Annabelle |
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| April on deck |
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| Bailey and April on deck |
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Bailey
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 was 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 in 2019 by crew members, April, Blue and Annabelle. These new recruits were border collies and a chilhuahua!
Bailey's blog 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!
Some of Bailey's dispatches are recapped in the following section. He was an exemplary emissary and trend-setter!
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Bailey's dispatches from the sea ranged over a wide subject matter. We have included our favorites here:
The Environment:
Bailey often commented 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, a propeller was tangled in plastic bags and rope, causing a stalled voyage and some repairs."
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| Barney (Greece) Marina Mascot |
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| Seafaring Companions:
While on anchor or in port, Bailey met many other seafaring pets from around the world, and to keep him company on the boat, he had two Russian hamsters and a new pup, soon followed by two more pups after the hamsters passed away.
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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 took his skipper duties seriously, and while he yielded the wheel to his crewmates, he maintained 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 loved course charting, too!
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Wildlife at Sea:
Bailey loved meeting new species, whether land or sea-based. Here were some of his favorites:
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| Dolphins often accompanied Nocturne |
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| Marina Turtles |
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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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Favorite reasons why I sail:
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| Bailey on deck |
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| Seagulls (A.K.A. Dingy Devils) |
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| Safe harbor |
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