Murphy’s View: Traversing the Loop

Traversing The Loop on this trawler is pretty amazing. Mom and Dad are always changing things up for me. Lots of sites to see, lots of new smells to enjoy, and lots of new sounds to experience.

First, there were marinas… When we pulled into the first marina, I was psyched to see all that amazing green grass for running, chasing balls, and strutting my stuff for all the ladies to see. Best part was the dog park… oh, yeah, lots and lots and lots of buddies to meet. But not all marinas are the same. The second marina had seafront walkway loaded with raised planters that were great for jumping on and off to catch a whiff of the delightfully aromatic spring blossoms. That marina also had a bridge towering over of the whirring waters below for Mom and me to traverse. Charleston was our third marina, and boy was I surprised to see so little green space with only one tree! But, Charleston is Mom’s favorite city, and even though we had to walk five miles from the dock to find it, Mom totally hooked me up with an amazing dog park. Friends, fetch, and fun… oh, yeah, a four paw recreation spot!

Then, there are anchorages. When we stop there, Mom and Dad take the dinghy over to land, sometimes even with new friends from boats that are anchored next to our boat. On one trip, Dad took us to an island with hiking trails and a beach! I loved running out into the surf and back up the beach. I loved running on the beach and and retrieving sticks. I loved and running and then running some more. Oh, yeah, I loved being at anchorage and finding an island paradise. But nights at anchorage may get pretty chilly this time of year, so Dad made sure to cover me up with a blanket to keep me warm all night long. Good thing, because I was ready to head back to the island first thing in the morning again with Mom and Dad all bundled up against the cold so I could help them get some early morning exercise before we motored off again.

Yeah, being at anchorage is different from being at the marina, but I’m a young, hip, and with-it kinda guy, so staying flexible, going with the flow, and rolling with the changes is just my thing!

But there are those times when I miss being in my dirt house (that’s what Mom and her Looper friends call our house on land) where Mom and Dad and me all slept in the same comfy bed when I wanted to. I miss laying my head next to Mom’s. Last night, I wandered into Mom and Dad’s stateroom and found my mom sleeping peacefully and soundly. I was so happy to see her that my tail began wagging and slapping up against the cabinets next to the bed. I guess I startled her. I didn’t mean to wake her (or maybe I hoped she would), so I clamored up the stairs into the salon and sprung up on my couch. But Mom followed me up, grabbed a blanket, and snuggled with me. Just me and Mom, on the couch, together the rest of the night, same as we used to. 

Oh, for sure, some things are always changing on this Loop Adventure, but some things, like my mom’s snuggles, never change. And that’s a great thing.