A little over a year ago, Capt. Kelly Gordon, an expert Master 500 Ton GT yacht captain and contributor to Boating, took in a rescue dog from Miami, Florida, named Clark. Soon she started bringing him aboard her charter trips, where he earned the nickname “Capt. Clark.” We caught up with Capt. Clark to learn what it’s like to be a full-time boat dog.
How long have you been going on trips with Capt. Gordon?
It has been one year, one month, and five days in human time, but who’s counting? Me, I’m counting, because it’s much better than the dumpster in Miami where I started. Rags to riches, that’s me. And now I have multiple boats to ride on and know them all very well— especially where the galley is!
What’s the best part about being adopted by a charter captain?
The food! The captain can’t cook, but she sure does hire good chefs. All the crew were busy the other day and freshly cooked fish was left on the stove. I’m really smart. I waited until they were all gone helping the boat next door and I counter surfed. It doesn’t take much—I’m tall. I ate all the fish. It was so good! And the stews, they change my bedding twice a week. Sure, it’s really the captain’s bed—so she thinks. I just let her share it with me. The deck crew play and play with me. The engineers, well the chief engineer is my dad, so he fixes anything I break and is always improvising things to make the boat safer for me! It really is all about the food, but having my own personal care-taking team is really nice too!
Does she ever let you take the helm?
Last night was the first time in my whole life that she finally let me! Something about the anchor dragging and needing to move. She mentioned better holding in the sandy bottom and I thought that meant going to the beach to dig in the sand. Spoiler alert—it didn’t. But what was really cool about my first maneuver was that I stretched out across all three captain’s chairs and watched her do all the work. I hope I get to supervise her more at the helm.
What’s your favorite part about being out at sea?
I get to see the world. I make new friends everywhere I go and I get to try all kinds of new treats. At the marina, it takes 30 minutes to get to the end of the dock because we have to stop at all the boats who have treats for me. One bought me my own box of Milk Bones, the other bakes fresh bread for me because bread is my weakness, and the other makes bacon for me!
Do you get to go onshore and explore at port?
All the time, and I go everywhere my mom goes. If they say I can’t go, well we don’t go. And the marina says ‘no dogs on premises,’ but then they met me! Mom made me show them how well behaved I am and now they’re fourth in line on the treat stop. This morning I just got back from going to a really nice, private beach club in Barbuda. I really do get to go everywhere.
Do you have a favorite boating destination?
Nope, just as long as I’m with the crew. I do prefer calm seas though. I don’t really like it when the seas are rough. And to be honest, I’m not the best swimmer. I’m just not built like a Labrador. I’m lean and muscular and don’t float the best, so I wear a life jacket and mom makes me take swimming lessons. I’m getting pretty good!
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Do you get to meet other boating dogs?
I do, but not too often. I usually keep to myself. It’s not that I’m not friendly. Actually, I’m very kind. I’m just laid back and prefer the crew on my own boat.
Any advice for people who want to take their dogs on board?
Yes! You need to make sure we’re well trained. I can’t be a bad dog when we have the owner and guests on board. And actually, it was the Confident Canine in West Palm Beach where I went to school. I learned so much there and even how to be a service dog. Probably my coolest trick is knowing when a crew member is having a tough time. The girls at
Confident Canine taught me to provide deep pressure therapy. So, if you find me laying my head on someone you know they probably are feeling a little blue and I’m doing my job. That’s another reason I don’t always socialize with other boats dogs—I have a job to do. So really, I live the best life a dog could ever dream of!
