Well we’ve been on the boat over three months now and I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later.

But it scared the bejeezus out of me!

My puppy has jumped on and off docks, climbed 3-foot ladders to dinghy docks, swam to the dinghy from shore and jumped on and off the dinghy from the boat.

She’s developed her sea legs when we are anchored or docked. But when we travel I always tie her for fear a wave or wake might knock her off balance, and she usually lies quietly the whole way. She has a life preserver but hates to wear it.

In a word, she’s pretty confident these days.

But late yesterday afternoon at Staniel Cay, a big black cloud approached and the wind picked up considerably.

We left the gazebo where we were enjoying a drink with fellow travelers and headed back to the boat to shut the hatches.

Yikes, the boat was pulling 4 feet away from the dock, and, since it was low tide, it was probably 4 feet below the fixed dock. The wind was picking up big-time, which happens here we’ve found.

Ed started pulling the spring line to get the boat closer and I jumped on the bow.

Ed was still pulling the line when I saw Ziggy sizing up her potential leap to the stern, which was a bigger drop and farther away.

We both yelled “No Ziggy,” but she ignored us and made the leap.

Her front paws made it but not the back, and she went in.

I called her frantically to swim to the stern where the steps are, which she’s used many times getting on and off the dinghy.

But she headed toward the bow, apparently due to the current pushing her in that direction.

I was trapped on the boat, the wind was increasing and both Ed and I were yelling at her. Probably confused her more.

She was swimming the wrong direction toward a big yacht.

Now I know she’s been wanting to be a yacht puppy but why go to this extreme?

Thankfully neighbor down the dock in the right direction got involved. He started calling her toward his boat which was closer to the marina. He was a big trawler with a nice swim platform on the stern.

She turned and went swimming toward him, where Ed had joined him to coax her there.

Finally they grabbed her there and pulled her onto the platform.

Oh my God what a relief.

Ed returned to the boat hanging onto our wet and shivering pup, ready to try to get on the boat again.

NO NO! I said take her to the marina and wait for the cloud to pass. I was adamant.

He agreed. They waited it out in the restaurant and after the cloud passed they eventually got back to the boat.

Our little swimmer went right for her food and water. Seemingly nonplussed over her watery excursion.

Her mom however not so.

Had a good cry, then I bucked up and made pork chops for us. A nice bone for the baby.

Then Ed mentioned he had been worried about the nurse sharks lurking around the docks.

Oh my God I hadn’t thought of that!

This morning the marina owner, Dave, assured me that the sharks wouldn’t have bothered her. He says they’re more afraid of dogs than vice versa.

I’m not testing that hypothesis, though. Sharks are sharks.

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