As I said, the adjustment period was tough.  My previous life was pretty challenging, and when my crew picked me up at the pound in S.F. I had visions of going to a mansion in the woods with mice and trees and rides in the car to visit relatives.  But they put me on a BOAT, of all things, so there was a lot to learn.  I spent the first few days in the head (the "bathroom", for us earthlings), which was a little bit like the metal cage I had at the animal shelter.  But I finally ventured out and discovered life on a boat can be good if your crew is trainable.

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Marina Life

Puerto Vallarta in the winter is purrfect.

They say the fishing's great, so hope springs eternal.

Actually, I hear a lot of talk over this noise box they have on board, where I hear lots of people talking about catching lots of fish.  My folks do a lot of yelling and tugging.  Sometimes they even bring a fish on board, but do I get any?  Not much!  Usually it gets cleaned, goes into the fridge, then cut into morsels that look just right for me, but they put this hot green paste on it and it disappears before I even get to steal a piece.

Charts Galore--Where Are We Going, Anyway?

They have charts of Mexico, guides to the South Pacific, British Admiralty charts of the Panama Canal, Cruising Books on Chile, CD's with who-knows-what-else...and probably a lot of other useless stuff they like to dream about.  But we don't seem to be moving too fast. The main advantage as far as I can see, is that they're nice & soft to lay on.

Pineapple Sails--Strongly Recommended

We have lots of rags on board with the names "Kame Richards" & "Pineapple Sails" on them.  Sometimes my crew drags them out and hangs them from that tall pole outside in the middle of the boat...I guess to air them out, cuz sometimes they sure smell funny.  Anyway, my particular favorite is this one cuz it's really lightweight and instead of being folded, it's kind of smashed into this bag.  It's colorful, too, with blue & white stripes but it makes the boat go too fast for me, so I like it in the configuration shown here.

The Companionway Stairs -- Just My Size

When things are really calm, I love to sleep on the top step.  There is just enough sun to make it warm, and they made the wood curved perfectly for my delicate body.  Sometimes my crew tries to use the stairs to go in or out, but I have them pretty well trained to skip the top step now.  When the boat is moving, tho, I don't like it here cuz it's kind of scary, so I sleep on the floor or the couch.

Project Days - - Not My Favorite Time

It seems whenever the big guy gets an inspiration to start a job, the first thing he does is ask the skinny lady "Where is the _____?"  Then she starts going thru all the cabinets and piles stuff on top of my navigation table.  I have no idea why somebody might need electrical tape, an air horn, a 3-hole punch, CD-s, towels, a head-lamp, staples & a box of Altoids all at the same time, but then I'm just the admiral...it's not my job to worry about the details.

Grocery Day

Not my favorite day, cuz they make me move while they load groceries on board.  Sometimes they find the kind of food I like (NOTE:  SEND SCIENCE DIET, PLEASE!)  But at least they remembered to buy Kitty Litter this time.

Cleaning Day

Once in a while the short girl throws me and the big guy outside and runs this loud machine that sucks up all the cat hair and smells I've so carefully placed around the boat.  And she closes the hatches and won't let us in until she's finished.  Then, my worst fear, she hands the big guy a brush and he grabs me and pulls off all my fur.  But, the good news is, after he's done, she'll let us back inside with treats for me and a shower for the big guy.

Cleaning Day -- Later That Same Day

When I finally get below after all my cat hair's been picked clean, they always make me lay in this little bed they call "Cami's Bed".  But it's really hard to get comfortable in.

The Day After Cleaning Day

Now, that's more like it!

The Travel Bag

This picture was taken before I knew better, just when this contraption was brought aboard.  I went to the doctor in it the next day and he poked me with a needle!  (He said it would be good for me on my trip to Mexico.)  Needless to say, they'll never get me into that thing again.  Now they use it for storage.  I think that works good.

Cami's Big Adventure

The guy with the hat is pretty fun, but when he took me for a ride on the little white boat, I wanted to get off.  But there was a lot of water around, so I had to wait until he brought me home.  Another one time experience, you betcha.

Who Needs a Cat Scratcher?

This is my idea of a good adventure:  lying on a warm teak deck, sharpening my claws on all these ropes they have laying around.  I only do this when the crew is too lazy to put up my cat scratcher, which Frank of Paradise II sewed just for me. 

UV Rays are Bad

I've heard a lot of these boat people talking about how the sun can damage your skin, so I try to find shady spots during the day.  These cubbyholes under the winches are purrfect. 

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Click here to continue with Cami's Big Adventure

   . . . AND I've made some new friends in Mexico!

Click here to see their photos.