A quick update for those of you who were with us on our previous trip in '07: After we arrived in Punta Gorda on November 12, I wasn't interested in going anywhere on the boat for several months and was content to entertain lots of company that winter. We had planned to go for a couple weeks last spring, but I had rotator cuff surgery the end of March and my right arm in a sling for four weeks, followed by months of physical therapy. So much for those plans.
After summer at home in Minnesota, we returned to Punta Gorda the end of September. On November 13 - a year and a day after our arrival in Punta Gorda - we left on a nine-day cruise to the Dry Tortugas, a national park about 70 miles west of Key West. By then we were so ready to go again. We also needed to initiate our new crew member, Emma - a Havanese puppy who was born Oct. 12, 2007 - in preparation for our trip to the Bahamas. 
Before heading out for a couple months, we needed to know that she would adapt to the cruising lifestyle. And we needed to figure out the potty thing for when we're away from land for days at a time, which can be a very big deal for boaters and their dogs. Our solution was to teach her to go on one of those synthetic chamois cloths, which we put in the forward shower. The first 48 hours were agony for all of us (we had no idea she could hold it so long), but Emma got the hang of it and now sits at the bathroom door when she has the urge. It works very well; we just flush what is flushable and wash out the cloths.
Before heading out for a couple months, we needed to know that she would adapt to the cruising lifestyle. And we needed to figure out the potty thing for when we're away from land for days at a time, which can be a very big deal for boaters and their dogs. Our solution was to teach her to go on one of those synthetic chamois cloths, which we put in the forward shower. The first 48 hours were agony for all of us (we had no idea she could hold it so long), but Emma got the hang of it and now sits at the bathroom door when she has the urge. It works very well; we just flush what is flushable and wash out the cloths.
By the way, our trip to Dry Tortugas National Park was great and we will return. The weather could have been better, but we managed to get in some decent snorkeling, toured Fort Jefferson - which was historical, interesting, and photogenic - and spent time with some very nice people... from Punta Gorda (hi Nancy, Steve, Laurie, and Paul). If you're not familiar with the Dry Tortugas, I'd encourage you to read more about the park online. You can check out my photos of the trip at http://gallery.me.com/mrmsharp/100045.
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