more Boat Cats - Cruising Life
Hello again, cat lovers and sailors alike! Our journey through the world of famous boat cats continues. In our previous posts, we’ve shared captivating stories of these seafaring felines who’ve left a lasting impression on our hearts. Now, let’s dig into their adventures, exploring more tales of courage and companionship that have made them legendary companions on the high seas
Mico
(pronunced Micho, means junior deckhand in Turkish)
And of course Oda and Sadun Boro‘s companion… Kismet’s Mico. The first and most famous Turkish boat cat Mico was added to the Kismet crew in the Canary Islands by Oda and Sadun Boro *.
Miço’s participation in the journey by own words of Sadun Boro;
“A significant change happened in Kismet’s crew roster in the Canary Islands. We’re both getting old now. Just in case to helps us on the way, we took a young sailor with us before we set sail for our Atlantic voyage.
Let us introduce herself to you: Her mother, Lucy, is a dark black beauty with green eyes from the wild New Hebride islands of the Pacific.
Like every young lady, she had a secret love affair when she arrived in the Mediterranean ports. Our sailor was born on the island of Malta on 3 August 1965, where his mother gave birth to him in the v berth of an American cutter. He was the only son of his family as he opened his eyes to the sea… His big eyes were as green as his mother’s… His back is tabby, and underbelly is white…
We’ve met with him for the first time in the Port of Cartegana, on the awnings of the American yacht John Hanna moored next to us. As an elusive kitten with a clever looks, playing with his mother…
In the ports we went to later, we were together with this cutter and with its owners. So we became very close friends. We never thought that one day he would join us on board at the Kismet. Yet we always enjoyed watching his various mischiefs.
When we arived Las Palmas, we found him grown little more. They were preparing to give him for adoption to someone else. But first, they asked us, “Would you take him?” Until that day, we never thought about take a cat onboard. Our desire was to adopt a small puppy to act as a watchman.
With Oda’s insistence, we thought that it would be fun for us on the long crossing ahead.
We said “ok”. Thus, in Las Palmas, Kismet’s crew increased from two to two and a half.
Because he was younger and a novice sailor, his paperwork issued as “Mico” (junior deckhand)… Until then, Oda was the deckhand. with his arrival, she was also promoted to the rank of mate…”
Sadun Boro – Pupa Yelken (Turkish for “Full Sail”), Kismet’s World Travel
I was ten years old when I first read Pupa Yelken. Among the magical stories of the sea world told by the Sadun Boro, the adventures of Mico also became the precious treasures of my childhood imagination. His fondness for flying fish that landing on the deck, falling off the boat and climbing back alone, his way to cuddle to Oda and Sadun Boro….. Mico is perhaps my first non-human childhood hero. And very first of magical boat cats I know.
Naturally, Miço remained part of the Boro family after the circumnavigation was completed. Miço, who opened his eyes to the world on a boat, lived almost all of his 13-year life on the boat and passed away at sea.
Princess
Although she is not famous, I would like you to meet our comrade Princess on our one-year journey from Toronto, Canada to the Bahamas.
The princess first entered our lives in 2006. Our meeting story is about the sea, albeit indirectly… While we were taking our first boat Badem’s defective starter motor to the shop, I saw him on the left lane of the E5 highway for the first time. Since then, the “Most Beattiful Tabby in the World” Princess has become a member of our family, a part of our lives. (I pet Princess as calling her Miss World of Tabbies 🙂
When the princess was 2 years old, she moved with us from Istanbul to Toronto. We never tried to take the Princess to the boat until she moved to the boat full-time, as she has a very combative temperament, she continued to live as a house cat.
When we rented our house and became full time live-aboards, the Princess took her place on the boat and became one of the boat cats to roam around the oceans Our preparations for the journey, which took a few months, gave him the opportunity to adapt to the boat.
She traveled with us about 1800 miles from Toronto to the Bahamas. In addition to many enjoyable moments on this journey, after experiencing inclement weather, fire, grounding, rudder failure, air rescue, and Hurricane Dorian, she returned safely with us.
The princess is now 18 years old and continues to live happily ever after at our lap.
Continue Reading … Boat Cats V – Living aboard with cats >>>