LOST AT SEA

There is little to say but good bye:
For all those traveling with pets - this is the cruel reality.
We cannot protect them all the time.
Their survival is their responsibility.

Mee Mah really wanted to be on deck that particular morning, and was still upset after being kept indoors the night before.

A captains worst fear is to loose a crew member at sea. The most desperate feeling any living being can have is watching the boat disappear over the waves, knowing no one saw you go overboard.

On Thursday July 27, 2000 we faced this particular spectre.

Shortly after departing Prinyers cove, on course for Indian Point I noticed Mee Mah on the port side aft deck, beside the aft cabin. She was so happy I did not have the heart to chase her inside as the day was clear and only a small ripple broke the surface of Aldolphos Reach.

I clearly remember commenting to Edgar upon finishing stowing the fenders that she could not have chosen a worse place to lie, since we could not see her.

Almost no time elapsed at 10:30 hrs she was there and by 10:40 we noticed her missing. Our location was 44 degrees 07.50 minutes. West, 76 degrees 50.82 minutes North when we turned on a recipacoal man overboard course. We ran this course to the entrance of the cove scanning the water for a glimpse of our beloved feline, but to no avail.

For the following 45 minutes we ran a grid search pattern over the area with no success and finally abandoned the search at 11:30 hrs.

Mee Mah was a bright light in our household from the day we found her firmly occupying the road to the dump (we live in the deep country with no garbage pick up) .

She was dutyfull in her litter training and always wanted to please. She did her mousing job with perfection, and loved to come and help me work on the boat during our hard rebuild days.

True she was a little headstrong and a strong willed feline. But her desire to stay next to you was so overwhelming that this loss is almost like loosing a limb.

Admittedly she would become a touch heavy as she curled around Edgars shoulders in the car, or blocking my tan as she would climb up on my stomach when we were underway and I was relaxing on the foredeck.

But - the love this little feline possessed for life and us will be greatly missed.

We will always miss you Mee Mah

For more Mee Mah life celebration pictures click here.