(07/19/19) - If you plan to visit the Tall Ship Celebration in Bay City be on the lookout for a "purr-fect" stowaway.
"She sails with us, goes around the world. She's as much a sailor as if not more than most of the trainees that we get on our voyages," said Gabe St. Denis, a Picton Castle crew member.
Fiji is the four-legged mate's name. Picton Castle crew members found her on the exotic island.
"She's been around the world twice," St. Denis said. "Doesn't get sea sick."
And while Fiji and the other 25 crew members are docked in Bay City for the long weekend, the three-masted tall ship only does this type of work in the summer months.
When she's not in Nova Scotia, you'll find her doing what she was built to do. "The world voyaging is what she's known for, traveling to the Cook Islands, the Pacific, you know, Bali, Indonesia, those sorts of places," St. Denis explained.
He's been aboard for five years. However, St. Denis said many of the crew members in training sign on for a three-month leg or entire year voyage.
They learn as they work.
"It is literally something that was plucked out of the turn of the century and put her nowadays," St. Denis said. "That's the idea. That's how it's run, how it's operated, how we train people."
As for Fiji, she's completed her training, earned her sea legs, and does her job well.
"Her role is to hang out, be cute, be friendly, talk to locals, get her picture taken, you know promote the ship in various ways," St. Denis said.
Sadly we did not get to see Fiji in person Friday, so crew members shared pictures with us. St. Denis said many days she's aboard letting people pet her, other days she is out exploring the city she is visiting.
The Tall Ship Celebration runs through Sunday. Click on the 'Related Link' with this story to see the schedule and other information.
Read more https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Four-legged-crewmember-sails-into-Bay-City-512956601.html