Meet The Something Wagging Crew
“Let’s learn to sail. We could buy a sailboat and travel full time.”
When I said that to my husband, I was 45 years old. And I knew nothing about sailing or boats.
A few short years later, we moved onto our sailboat and began cruising.
Today, we sail (and motor) along the U.S. east coast checking out dog-friendly attractions along the way. We’re especially fond of charming, pet-friendly towns while Honey loves any sandy beach where she can roll on dead fish.
I’m an adventure dog training nerd who wants to help you have as much fun with your dog as we have with Honey—especially if you dream of traveling with your dog on a boat.
Follow us if you want to
- Learn what it takes to live and cruise on a boat with a big dog
- Discover training techniques to help your dog become more adventurous (Honey went from being afraid of a ramp lying flat on the ground to actually flying through the air in her mountaineering harness) or more careful
- Enjoy visiting beautiful places with us, either by seeing them yourself or being armchair crew.
About the dog:
Honey the golden retriever has lived with us since she was eight weeks old. She has matured into a delightful crewmate who loves every person she meets and most dogs and cats.
Honey’s favorite part of being a dog on board is always being with her people and finding beaches where she can roll in the sand.
About the humans:
Pamela has been blogging about Honey, her love of dogs, and fostering since 2010. A few years ago, she became intrigued with the idea of living on a sailboat. Lucky for Pam, her “honey” and Honey were willing to follow her whim.
Pam’s “honey,” Mike, has been a photographer and chief bottle washer for Something Wagging since the beginning. He is also Honey’s favorite playmate.
About the boat:
Our boat, Meander, is a 1990 Pacific Seacraft 34. It is a bluewater boat, capable of crossing oceans even if we aren’t. It is a cozy fit for two humans and a dog, only 10 feet wide at its widest point. No one on board can get farther than 20 feet away from anyone else—unless they climb the mast.
Our dinghy, Mini Mea, is a folding Porta-Bote. With a six horsepower outboard engine, it serves as our “car” when we need to get to shore from anchor.
About the blog:
The look of Something Wagging was designed by Julie Melfi of Leg Up Creative with photos by Alice G Patterson Photography.
Ask Me Anything
Is there anything else you want to know about sailing and cruising with a dog? Send a quick email or ask on Facebook.
And check out my other website, Emotional Nomad. It shares about the emotional challenges and joys of the nomad life.