Oh Dear, a seasick parrot!

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Yesterday (Sunday) was a lovely summers day... in May! We decided to make the most of it as we had failed to do this a couple of years ago, only to find that it was one of the very few good days that summer.
So we put Casper's travel cage in the back of the car and loaded in his backpack cage and set off to spend a relaxing day on our sailing boat, just relaxing on board and not moving away from the dock.
Once aboard Casper came out of his backpack and settled on my knee in the cockpit whilst I read a book. He was catching up on his preening and I was often asked to help with the pin feathers on the top of his head.
We had toasties (toasted sandwiches) for lunch and Casper had a nutriberry and a bit of banana.
Around high water a lot of motor boats came up river to their moorings above Rochester bridge. Some of the skippers are not very considerate when passing moored boats and do not slow down enough to reduce the wake from their craft. This, combined with the fact that it was high water and their wake was reflecting off the sea wall rather than being absorbed by the muddy bank below it which exposes at half tide made it quite rocky. We didn't think much about it, it was all quite gentle but Casper suddenly vomited his lunch.
He obviously felt better for it because he got very chatty after and it was only then we realised that he had been rather quiet for about half an hour.

This is not something we were expecting, after all birds are supposed to be hanging out in the windy tree tops, rocking around on flimsy branches. I suppose a lifetime of being a house parrot has had an effect on him. He has been sailing before without being sick perhaps because he had digested his food before the boat was rocking, or he had found his sea-legs.

Pictures from other sailing trips:

Searching for his sea-legs by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

Casper the navigator by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

[The Pinkertons]

Oh what a day of it you had I can just picture it, how lovely!...I know how Casper felt, Years ago , I had a bout of sea sickness returning back from "Santa Cruz island" one of the Channel Islands 36miles off The mainland of Santa Barbara California. Our trip out during the day was fun on a very small fishing boat "no bathroom facilities" Stayed on the island all day eating fresh lobster, that we collected from the lobster traps.

The island had a huge fire pit on the sandy beach. After feasting all day it was time to head back to the mainland before dark. The fisherman said we should be back before it gets too dark.

Here's where things got scary... so now we're clipping along, Sun is starting to set about half way back out at sea, this huge fog rolls in, we cant see anything more than a foot in front of us .The fishermen say we have to set anchor until fog lifts.

So here we are three women on board no toilet. No problem for the men Pitch black now...off in the distance could here Cargo Ships blowing fog horns,the boats rocking, except for the fishermen were all getting sea sick. The women have no place to pee! except hold each other over the side of the boat. Nothing to do but throw lines and fish.
The men kept catching some kind of scary looking fish, I think they were called Devil Fish they were glowing! what adventure that was. I'll never forget that adventure, one of the highlights of by youth.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

If there is no 'facility' the accepted method is 'bucket and chuck it'

[Mare]

I love your stories Jean-Pierre and Suzanne! My mom and dad loved sailing, we had many adventures leaving Newport Beach Harbor then on to Catalina Island, sometimes Santa Cruz and even Anacapa. Moving in a boat never bothered me, sitting like a cork in the water was always rough, though..I can relate to Casper

We have friends, they own the house next to ours in Baja, they live in Ventura County area. A couple of years ago, they sold their house and all their belongings, bought a sail boat that they now call home and I love reading Lori's blogs of "Life on a Boat. She says the unbelievable lightness and freedom that comes of ridding themselves of all that STUFF was life changing.

[The Pinkertons]

If there is no 'facility' the accepted method is 'bucket and chuck it'

The boat was a nasty small commercial fishing boat. Young and dumb we were, I think back now on the things I used to do... Its a wonder I'm still alive

[Mare]

Haha, Suzanne! The things you've done are called life experiences and important stuff! I'm glad you've survived

[The Pinkertons]

I love your stories Jean-Pierre and Suzanne! My mom and dad loved sailing, we had many adventures leaving Newport Beach Harbor then on to Catalina Island, sometimes Santa Cruz and even Anacapa. Moving in a boat never bothered me, sitting like a cork in the water was always rough, though..I can relate to Casper

We have friends, they own the house next to ours in Baja, they live in Ventura County area. A couple of years ago, they sold their house and all their belongings, bought a sail boat that they now call home and I love reading Lori's blogs of "Life on a Boat. She says the unbelievable lightness and freedom that comes of ridding themselves of all that STUFF was life changing.

I'm starting to realize the true meaning of "LESS IS MORE"

[The Pinkertons]

Haha, Suzanne! The things you've done are called life experiences and important stuff! I'm glad you've survived

When I have some time we can share our life experiences ! Maybe you could start a topic on it! sound like something fun to chat about...

[mdg1109]

Yesterday (Sunday) was a lovely summers day... in May! We decided to make the most of it as we had failed to do this a couple of years ago, only to find that it was one of the very few good days that summer.
So we put Casper's travel cage in the back of the car and loaded in his backpack cage and set off to spend a relaxing day on our sailing boat, just relaxing on board and not moving away from the dock.
Once aboard Casper came out of his backpack and settled on my knee in the cockpit whilst I read a book. He was catching up on his preening and I was often asked to help with the pin feathers on the top of his head.
We had toasties (toasted sandwiches) for lunch and Casper had a nutriberry and a bit of banana.
Around high water a lot of motor boats came up river to their moorings above Rochester bridge. Some of the skippers are not very considerate when passing moored boats and do not slow down enough to reduce the wake from their craft. This, combined with the fact that it was high water and their wake was reflecting off the sea wall rather than being absorbed by the muddy bank below it which exposes at half tide made it quite rocky. We didn't think much about it, it was all quite gentle but Casper suddenly vomited his lunch.
He obviously felt better for it because he got very chatty after and it was only then we realised that he had been rather quiet for about half an hour.

This is not something we were expecting, after all birds are supposed to be hanging out in the windy tree tops, rocking around on flimsy branches. I suppose a lifetime of being a house parrot has had an effect on him. He has been sailing before without being sick perhaps because he had digested his food before the boat was rocking, or he had found his sea-legs.

Pictures from other sailing trips:

Searching for his sea-legs by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

Casper the navigator by Jean-Pierre Declemy, on Flickr

Oh My, sorry that the other boats caused Casper to lose his lunch. Thank you for making me laugh though, that first picture is hilarious. I hope that Caspers next outing on the boat is uneventful!

[Lady]

Aww, poor little guy. Glad it doesn't happen often. I feel for him. When I'm a passenger in the car rather than the driver sometimes I feel like losing my lunch too!