Cruising the Sea of Cortez
– From the perspective of Reina (the cat)
Thur, May 22, Tucson to San Carlos

Reina the cat (that’s me!)
Oh no, My Lady is putting stuff in the blue bin! Looks like we’re headed for my boat. My Man gets up early and is walking around in a daze. Out comes the ugly pink case they stick me in and on goes the hideous pink collar. I try to explain that pink is not my color, but no matter how much I scream, fight, and raise havoc, I am forced to wear the pink collar. It’s sooo embarrassing. When we arrive at my boat, I shed the offensive attire, eat my treats, and sleep.
Fri, May 23, San Carlos
Wake up to a delightful morning. My Man is busy crawling around the engine room. My Man is starting to play around – He screeches, twists himself in all directions and twirls around. Oh, boy, I am going to join him and see what fun little places I can get into. But the spoil sport shuts me out, yelling “No, Reina, No.”
Sat, May 24, San Carlos Regatta

SV Half Cat, at the dock
My boat is invaded and leaves the comfy confines of the dock. The invaders turn out to be nice:
- Dot – nice lady who smiles a lot because I think she really loves her chin (or did she say “gin”?)
- Larry – a big happy guy. I wonder if a cat has claimed his lap yet.
- Patricia – talks funny but smiles a lot.
- Joanna – doesn’t move much because she was trying to keep her breakfast down. Not sure why. I throw up in the best of places.
- Brian – he seems important. All the girls are asking him what to do.
- Leana – she likes wandering the deck just like me.
- Katie – she lies in her lady’s lap the whole time.
Speaking of ladies – where is mine? I think she ran off when she saw so many people.
Sun, May 25, San Carlos
My Lady and Man come home late. They are celebrating Tio Len receiving a trophy. I don’t understand – they never celebrate when I bring them a trophy.
Mon, May 26, San Carlos to Chencho
Good day – eat, sleep, use litter box, chase imaginary friends… eat, sleep, use litter box, chase imaginary friends…
Tues, May 27, Chencho
I claw my way up the mast to jump on the boom. My Lady sings her special song to me – “No, Reina, No.” She likes that song for some reason.
Two strange men come by to eat – Ken and Jerry. They look a lot alike. I think they are litter mates.
Wed, May 28, Chencho to Ensenada El Carricito to Checho to Martini Cove

Heading into an anchorage
I try to sleep, but My Man and Lady are jabbering on the radio to the litter mates about how pretty are the mountains, the water, the rocks, the birds – BIRDS! WHAT BIRDS?!
Thurs, May 29, Martini Cove to Bahia Algodones
My Man and Lady go to shore in the small yellow boat with the two litter mates. Something odd must have happened, because My Man comes back wet and saying words that My Lady refuses to explain to me.
Fri, May 30, Bahia Algodones to Bahia San Pedro
I watch My Lady sit in the small yellow boat and use sticks to move over the water. I think I want to play in the yellow boat but every time I try to jump into it, My Lady starts an angry version of her “No, Reina, No” – rather annoying.
Sat, May 31, Bahia San Pedro
My Lady is getting stranger. Now she puts sheets on a long stick in the small yellow boat. One of the two litter mates does the same thing with his little white boat. They then proceed to go back and forth over the water with no real purpose. I guess they finally adopted the lifestyle of a cat – having no real purpose.
It’s getting very hot. Maybe a walk on deck will be cooler. Oh, oh – My Man jumped over the side. But … My Lady says nothing. Why no “No, Man, No“? I look over the side at him and he is smiling. Are you insane? That stuff you’re in is … WATER!
Sun, Jun 1, Bahia San Pedro to Caleta Las Cocinas to Ensendada Posomoreno

Loving this Windscoop!
New toy – My Lady put up a billowy sheet around the opening on deck near the bow. She calls it a wind scoop – how do you scoop something you can’t see? How fun it is to run and jump on it. But I can’t figure out why My Lady started her “No, Reina, No” chant. Did she not put it up for my entertainment?
The two litter mates show up to eat. Strange, My Lady and Man like to share their food. I would never let anyone near my food bowl.
It’s night and My Lady doesn’t see too well when it is dark. It’s an opportunity to run for the small yellow boat. But somehow she knows I’m headed for the side – “No, Reina, No.”
Maybe we can publish a rap tune:
… “No Reina No
Me Ow Me Ow
Reina No
Meow Ow
No Reina No
Meoooow…meow”
Quite rhythmic, no?
Mon, June 2, Ensenada Posomoreno to Ensenada Julio Villa to Caleta Las Cocinas to San Carlos
Hot, hot, hot. Gotta get my mind off the heat. I stalk, I stalk, I stalk – gotcha, you pesky little flies.
Finally, My Man starts the motor and we get moving out of the heat. My Lady keeps talking on the radio while the boat is jumping all over the place, going this way and that. Put that radio down and drive in a straight line!
Oops, have to turn around. OK, I guess I can sleep in Hades. My Man gives me an ice pack for my belly. However, I ignore the ice pack but bite his hand if he tries to take it.
On the road again, My Lady ignores the radio and we go fast. We end up back at the dock and My Man turns on the wind machine – ahhh, cool.
Tues, June 3, San Carlos

Another wonderful sunset
My Lady keeps going on deck. She invites me but I have had enough of the heat. We keep getting visitors who just sit inside my boat for long periods. I wish they would leave. I’m tired of playing the arrogant cat and want to snuggle and play with My Lady and Man.
Wed, June 4, San Carlos
Tio Len is helping My Man. They go outside for a few minutes and come in to drink beer. They go back out and then come back in to drink more beer. They do this all afternoon. I guess it is a man ritual.
Thurs, June 5, San Carlos
Eat, sleep, use litter box, chase imaginary friends… eat, sleep, use litter box, chase imaginary friends – it’s a hard life. I have started a trend with fashionable facial hair. Those litter mates have a good start. My Man is trying to grow some. But My Lady just won’t join the trend.
Fri, June 6, San Carlos to Tucson
The blue bin appears and My Lady is putting stuff in it. She turns to me – oh, no …THE PINK COLLAR!!
Reina, SV Half Cat
Ghost Writer: Loretta Peto, Photographer: Scott Sebree