Those of you who have sailed with us all know Capt Ron. Well, today is Ronnie’s seventh birthday, and we are celebrating in fine fashion. Ronnie is excited, although we are not sure if its his new mousie toy or just his full food bowl.
This like so many other Key West stories, Capt. Ron’s tale started with a google search in January of 2004. Trish decided it was time for a new soul aboard the Namaste’ so she searched Google and 0n Trish’s birthday we made the 50 mile journey to the Acme Pet Adoption Agency along the St Johns River in central Florida.
There we found Capt. Ron looking very scared in a cage next to an albino raccoon. Immediately he picked Trish as his new mama and gave her a big hug, and that was it. We paid the “adoption” fee, loaded him into our VW camper, and away we went with young Captain Ron perched on my shoulder as we made our way back to Green Cove Springs.
Ronnie quickly adapted to boat life but insisted on sleeping on Trish’s head at night, which in January added a little welcome warmth to our yet to be heated boat. Within in a few weeks, he took his first steps up the companionway ladder and ,probably for the first time realized he was surrounded by water.
Over the next few months Ronnie got his sea legs, and we all sailed the 1700 miles around Florida and to Ronnie’s new home in Pensacola Beach. Ronnie’s constant companion during the time was Louie, our pint size love bird, who did an excellent job training Capt. As the years progressed we eventually made it back to Key West and Capt. Ron made many new friends and earned is place in the annals of Key West stories.
Last year we were docked next to Sunset Water sports’ “Party Cat”. Every night as the Party Cat boarded guests Capt. Ron would rush out to greet each and everyone of the tourist. The crew of the Party Cat swore that Ronnie helped out with the tips for the night and as a result was given the official title as the “real party cat”. So there you go where talent leads, fame follows.
All in all, I would guess that Capt. Ron has had a balanced upbringing, and we look forward to many more birthdays for the ship’s one and only cat.
Leave a Reply