We spent a bit of the day today swimming and playing on the beach with the Eyran crew. Roq had not been in the water since Hideko dunked him at No Name harbor, so I was thinking it was about time to get him back in the swing. It would also cool him down a lot. So Roq and I took our first long swim together.

Rather than taking him to the beach in the dink, I lifted him into the water at the big boat, with his PFD on of course. At first it was me towing him but then he started to get the idea and began paddling. It was a lot of fun. It cooled him off nicely and gave him some good low impact exercise for his recovering leg.

Being a good swimmer is not just a fun thing on a boat, it is a safety issue. It was nice to know that if Roq fell into the water at the big boat, he now will have some idea of how to exit the water. He's a decent swimmer but I think his PFD is an important addition at his age. The flotation it provides is ok but I wish more of it was lower in the vest. His body ends up underwater but his head is up high enough to keep his airway and eyes and ears clear. Practical Sailor just reviewed Dog PFDs this last issue (ours wasn't in the test) so perhaps I'll have to keep an eye out for an upgrade.

Roq wrapped up the day with a shampoo and shower on the transom. No matter how much hair you get off of him the quantity he sheds in the boat never declines. It is amazing.