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Schooner Cats and Heros

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Good Morning Everyone. Many of you who have sailed with us know we have a cat aboard. The schooner Mary Day has a long history of cats. The Hawkins family had at least one cat we have seen a picture of, Stump. And we have had 2 cats. The first, Chakra, came to town on a catamaran (it really did) and lived with us for many years aboard several boats. Chakra chased ducks into the harbor, literally in to the harbor. She swam like a dog and often came home soaking wet.

Our current cat, Gus Hodgkins, is Chakra’s alter ego. She is not a big fan of water though her namesake was a rescuer at the Hunnewell’s Beach Lifesaving Station, built in 1883, at the west end of the Kennebec River. Legend has it that Mr. Hodgkins, after finishing saving a group from a schooner stranded on the ledges at the end of the river, rowed back out to the vessel because he thought he heard the ship’s cat yowling over the howling. This compassionate man rowed back out through the tempest and chased that cat from stem to stern until he reportedly cornered it. With the cat stuffed in his coat he rowed back to the beach and the cat, soon to be known as Hunney, took up residence there for the rest its days. Because we are intrigued by the history of lighthouses and lifesaving stations we thought it was only fitting that we name our cat in honor of this hero. Gussie does share one thing in common with all the other cats that have been aboard the schooner, and this is no tale…none of them have had tails.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.
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Anonymous said…
Ah.. those memories really are flooding back now... Chakra.. wow, I remember her well.. I actually have photos of her jumping onto whatever rowboat was going ashore. I also remember crawling under the rowboat (overturned on deck) to grab her as a storm came through. What a great addition she was to our week's sail.
Annie
March 8, 2007 at 12:37 PM
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