Another Story - When We Sailed To Alaska

We set sail on April 22, 2004 for Juneau, Alaska. At that time my Mom & Dad had a 33' Truant Motorsailor. We sailed with another couple (who had dreaded cats onboard) who had a 45' Island Packet. I spent most of my time outside laying either on top of the wheelhouse or snuggled real comfy in a down sleeping bag of Dad's. On the way up we saw whales, geese, porpoise, eagles, seals, sea lions, and all kinds of neat stuff....even stuff I could roll in although Mom got really mad when I did that.

When we got as far as Wrangell, I met another ME on the docks. There's a picture below of Charlie, another Basset Hound who lived on a boat. And here I thought I was the only floating Basset there was! He and I played and played up and down the docks. It was nice to see another me for a change.

We landed in Juneau in 47 days and only about 4 or 5 of those days there was rain. They told me that this was very unusual but it was also very very nice. Just before Juneau, we stopped in a place called Taku Harbor. Here is where the big gray whales came into the bay and made lots and lots of funny sounds. There was also a lot of Grizzley bears here so my Mom made lots of noise whenever we went up into the woods.

When we were in Juneau we got to visit the Mendenhall Glacier and here's a picture of that too. It was beautiful and there was tons of stuff to smell. There were even more people there to give me treats, belly rubs & scratches! Mom said I was a spoiled boy but I don't think she meant anything bad by that. Afterall, you can never be too spoiled, can you?

We visited places and explored a lot! It was so much fun and I got to see things most Basset Hounds would never get to see. But we only stayed a week and then we started to head on south again. It took us a couple of days but we pulled into Petersburg, Alaska and moored up at the docks. Mom went up to pay the moorage man and met this couple who said they really liked out boat. They ended up coming down to see the boat and then said they wanted to buy it!! And you know what? Mom & Dad sold our boat!! Right then and there!! I couldn't believe it! How were we to get home? The next thing I knew Mom and Dad had me in a box and on an airplane going back to Juneau. I didn't like that much but it didn't take long to get there and Mom was right there to get me when we landed.

We went looking for another boat and found a real beautiful one but she was pretty beat up. I didn't even think it would float but they did so they bought her! Her name was Cosmos but they changed her name to Ecco Domani which they told me means "here's tomorrow" in Italian. Us Bassets don't much Italian but if they say so it must be.

In the next post, I'll tell you about our trip back home. It was kinda scary and kinda fun tho too. So come on back to hear how this adventure ended!










http://theadventuresofhuckleberry.blogspot.com/

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time, when I (Huckleberry speaking) came to live with my fur-ever Mom & Dad, they had another Basset named Rosebud.

I loved her the first minute I saw her but for some reason, she didn't really like me as much as I liked her. I would try to play with her and show her my affections by "riding her backside" (if you know what I mean). But all she would do is yell at me for it! But we went on a long sailboat ride together and had a lot of fun. The pictures are of Rosebud and one of her & I sleeping together. Mommy used to take us ashore in the dinghy so we could run and play. But one day we had too much fun and found a bear trail in the woods. Boy, did we ever run and run and run. Afterall, isn't that what we're supposed to do? We didn't come back for a couple of hours. Dad was really really mad and he wouldn't give us our treats that we normally get when we come back to the boat. A couple of days later, Mommy climbed in a float plane and we went with her. Then we had to take a car and drive all the way from Northern Vancouver Island to home. We had to stay with our Auntie Andy for another whole month before Mommy and Dad came home. Boy were we ever glad to see them too!!

So that's it for tonight. I love telling of our adventures and travels. Next time I'll tell you about sailing up to SE Alaska - boy was that a long trip! I made a lot of friends though and really liked being spoiled by everyone we met.

Huckleberry's Gotcha Day

This picture was taken the day after Huckleberry came to us as a foster. Our total intention was to foster him until he could find a forever home. But as soon as he came through the door I had the feeling that he would never leave.

Huckleberry was named Bowser when he arrived. Now I suppose Bowser is an alright name for a Basset but it just didn't seem right for this guy. The rescue organization, Cascadia Basset Rescue here in Washington, thought he was about 9 months to a year old. He had already been given up twice by then and was afraid of his own shadow. We didn't know when he was first given up but they felt it was with the rest of his litter - poor babies! But the second time was a known entity. He had been adopted by a couple who lived in an apartment and both worked. He was walked only twice a day, morning and night, and the couple couldn't figure out why he wasn't housebroken and was rather unruly. The husband insisted that they get rid of him. The wife, we think anyway, didn't want to. So they took him to the pound. While there, the wife was crying like crazy and the husband was yelling at her for it. Poor "Bowser" was scared spitless and, I'm sure, didn't have a clue what was happening around him. When the pound worker tried to blow the kennel cough vaccine up his nose, he freaked out and bit them. They immediately labeled him "unadoptable" and he was to be put down. Somehow Cascadia was notified and they were able to save him and that is how he came to us. When I look at that face, I cannot imagine how anyone could have thought to end his life. He still has trouble with strangers, especially anyone in a white lab coat and will snap at them. But he has gotten soooo much better and is quite the man around the house. He is definitely the alpha dog here but also has a somewhat shy and timid around new dogs.

He is my buddy and wherever I am, he is. He loves to go for rides and walks and always has his tail up and just awaggin'! He can be a clown and make everyone laugh at the drop of a hat. He loves his "sister" Grace and they are both lost without each other. I am so glad to be called a foster failure and just don't know why I was the lucky one to be given this wonderful opportunity to love him.

Do I sound crazy for being so much in love with this dog? Probably but when we cuddle up at night and I feel his contented heart beating, I know I've done a good thing. He has given me much more than I can ever give him.