A couple of weeks ago, we were lucky enough to go out on a boat tour with DogBoat Adventures. The following is Bella’s tale from that day which she wrote about at the conclusion of the day.
Meeting Captain Dan
Today was a completely new experience for me. Mum and Dad woke me up in the morning and told me that we were going on a big, fast boat in Stanley Bridge. I slept on the way to Stanley Bridge because I was still a bit tired from the day before. I went to a beach party with a Yellow Lab named Maya and we played all day at a beach near West Point. I was a bit sleepy and I still had salt on my nose from all of the swimming that I did. When I got out of the car and walked around the marina at Stanley Bridge I was greeted by a tall, skinny man named Captain Dan. Mum tells me that he runs DogBoat Adventures. He smelled like another dog which is always intriguing and made me wonder where this other dog was. Was this other dog going to jump out and surprise me at some point and possibly rob me of extra cookies? I was unsure but moved on in my mind.
I liked Captain Dan right away because he was letting me go out on his new boat. There are not many boat tours that will let me on the boat, so I was very happy. Captain Dan’s boat is named the Gilboat after his Golden Retriever Gilbert who is 5-years old. I thought it was very sweet that Captain Dan named his boat after Gilbert. The last I checked, Mum & Dad hadn’t named anything after me. Writing this is a perfect opportunity to let them know how disappointed I am in them. I figured that they might be able to name the RV “Bella’s Dream” or the truck “Bella’s Wagon.” Something like that would really make this Chocolate Lab feel appreciated…or just a handful of cookies.
Captain Dan is the best
I Don’t Like Loud Noises
Ok, back to the boat. I’m going to be 100% honest with you. I’m not sure I like going on fast boats. When I first went on the Gilboat and the motor wasn’t running I really liked it. It was big and comfy with lots of places for me to lay down. Plus, there were a lot of people there to give me head scratches. My feeling changed as soon as Captain Dan started the boat. I was a bit scared. I don’t like motor noises, whether it is a boat or a lawnmower. I REALLY don’t like the lawnmower. The motor made me very nervous but all of my friends on the boat were happy to see me, so I went and visited each of them to take my mind of off the motor. I really liked Stephanie and Alexa – my two little friends on the boat who gave me pets and made me feel more comfortable.
Hanging out with my new friend – Stephanie
At one point when Captain Dan had the boat going really fast, I was trying to remember if I had ever been on a big boat with a motor before. Back in my younger days, I would go on a canoe in New Brunswick, but I don’t think I had ever gone a boat like this. As I smelled the air and the wind was whipping my ears about, I started to really like the boat. Captain Dan made me feel safe. He was very good at driving the boat and told good stories. I sat with Mum and watched the birds going by. Mum was very relaxed which makes me happy. Dad was, of course, taking pictures rather than paying attention to my beautiful ears whipping in the wind.
That’s Not A Dog?
While Captain Dan was driving the boat I saw and barked at a buoy, because I thought that it was something else in the water. My vision is not the best, so I usually just rely on my nose which can make me look silly sometimes. I learned some new things on the DogBoat tour besides the fact that a buoy isn’t a swimming dog. I learned that a lot of big ships were built in Stanley Bridge a long time ago. I also learned about the New London Lighthouse and how it was the first lighthouse in Canada that had a female lighthouse keeper. I wondered if that light keeper had a Chocolate Lab. I also found out that Captain Dan’s dog Gilbert has grown up on boats and is not nervous at all on them. Gilbert goes out a lot on the boat and when they visit beaches he jumps off the front of the boat and onto the beach. I would like to do that one day once I get braver on boats.
Beach Fun
Captain Dan stopped the boat at the beach which was fun. I got to get out on the beach and swim in the ocean. I was very happy on the beach, but I am always happy when Mum, Dad and I are together and Paris Frances is at home. I ran around like a goof for 10 minutes or so and then ignored everyone when they wanted to take pictures with me.
Hanging out at the beach with Mum, Dad and Captain Dan
After the beach, we headed back to the Stanley Bridge. Mum and Dad thanked Captain Dan and we went and got ice cream. Mum gave me some of hers but Dad doesn’t like to share his. I think he is addicted to ice cream. All he’s talked about this summer is ice cream. I’m now at home where I have been sleeping really hard. My Full Time Canada adventures are fun, but sure make me sleepy, so I’m going back to sleep now. Good night and thanks, Captain Dan.
Special DogBoat Adventures Offer For YOU!
The next time you’re on the North Shore in the Stanley Bridge/Cavendish area hit up DogBoat Adventures and take a wonderful afternoon or sunset tour with Dan. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. To help twist your arm a little bit more, we’re going to help get you 10% off of your next booking with DogBoat Adventures. When booking, simply reference the promo code: FTC.
