Mountain dogs!

Today we hiked all the way to the top of Smith Mountain to see the fire tower and the awesome view over Lake Martin - we didn't climb the stairs up the tower as Mom said it would be safe for us BUT I know I could of made it! I am Reilly the MOUNTAIN goat dog!

The fire tower was originally built in 1939 and restored in  June 2012.  Visitors hike up the half-mile trail from the parking area to the tower where they can climb up to the top of the tower. They can also sign the guest book to show they made it - which we did.  The view from the tower, which is 80 feet above the top of Smith Mountain, is spectacular and offers panoramic views of Lake Martin.  The tower is surrounded by a native longleaf pine forest, large granite deposits and is open to the public sunrise to sunset, seven days a week.  The best thing of all though - dogs are welcome!

The great possum hunter

First we want to apologize that we can't visit
everyone - we have limited internet access thanks to one of Miss Dawns neighbors so we don't like to stay on too long.

As for Hurricane Mathew - we don't know if it caused any damage to our house as sadly we have no-one who can go and check on it for us so it will just be a "wait and see" when we get home Wednesday. We have been able to check with our power company and  as of this today - they are saying it will be Tuesday at 3.00 pm when our power will be restored - needles to say we will have lost everything in our fridge and freezer - goodbye all our frosty paws!!!!

Today though..... I became a GREAT possum hunter. We were all sitting out on the deck this morning watching the lake and I kept sniffing around to storage box Miss Dawn keeps her deck chairs in. I was back and forth sniffing at each side, pacing and trying to find a way in. Finally Dad got up to check inside and look what had made itself a nice comfy nest in there. Yeah - I made short work of chasing him off - well actually Dad did - can you believe he wouldn't let me stay outside and get that critter!

We are safe

We just wanted to let everyone know that we are safe and well away from that nasty hurricane Mathew. My wonderful girlfriend Katie's Mom (Miss Dawn) was amazingly kind to let us stay at her lake house in  Alabama for a few days - far away from the danger. I must say we are LOVING it - it is a lot cooler here and Mom says I am like some hyperactive energizer bunny - I just want to run and sniff and be outside ALL the time. She is having a hard time even getting photos of us as our heads are constantly turning at all the new sounds and sights drifting on the breeze. We can not thank Miss Dawn enough as the hurricane was heading right for where we live and being so near the beach to storm surge and winds are just such a huge threat. Of coarse we have no idea what we will be going home too but Mom says that doesn't matter because we are all safe.

Keep your paws crossed

Please keep your paws crossed for all us furbabies that live in Florida. Hurricane Mathew is heading our way and the Governor has released a State wide Hurricane warning. We checked the beach this afternoon and the storm clouds are already gathering. We hope all our Florida buddies will heed any warnings and head to safety if they can. Thankfully due my wonderful girlfriend Katie's Momma we have a safe place to go in Georgia if we need to. Stay safe and if you don't hear from a us for a few days it may be because the power has been knocked out - we will try to let Katies Momma know what is happening though.

Resting up

Being on beach patrol is hard work - some times we just need to find a spot out of the wind and have a little rest

Time out

Sometimes it is good to just have a little time out - sit back, relax, breathe and enjoy MY beach :)

Click here if you can't see the video

Watching the sunrise

We all got up super early and headed off to the beach to watch the sunrise. Dad even took some chairs and while Mom went for a long walk we stayed with Dad and sniffed around our favorite area for 2 whole hours ! Mom found 2 nice big shells and 2 sand dollars. The dark one must have been still alive when it washed up last night and had dried out and died before Mom found it. She found two others that we still alive and put them back in the water. We also had fun watching this large sand piper scurrying along the wave line. We see lots of tiny sand pipers that about 4" big but this is the first time we have seen a big guy - he was nearly a foot tall!

Cloudy evening walk

Dude - your tongue is hanging out !

Those waves are getting awfully close !

Wordless Wednesday

Sunday Ships

It has been a busy shipping week - here are some of the ships that we saw from our vantage point on the breakwater. Most of them we have seen previously but a couple were new. Mom is a member of VesselFinder.com and uploads pictures of all the ships and records the information about date and time where they were seen and their location.

Just watching the ships go by :)

Cap Andreas

City of Hanoi

CMA CGM Blue Whale

Glovis Champion

Heritage Leader

Jax San Juan Bridge

Overseas Long Beach

Hoegh Dehli

Crowley Barge

The Cowspot Cats of Mayport

Personally I seen NO resemblance at all to these C.A.T.S but for some odd reason Mom always calls them Cowspot Cats. She always enjoys seeing them sunning themselves on the rocks of the breakwater. These are all feral cats but trust us - they are living the high life, they are fed fresh fish, shrimp and crabs everyday and every weekend we see one particular lady leaving big trays of dry cat food out for them. There is even bowls of water for them at the picnic pavilions. We have counted 7 cowspot cats and about 9 that are just black with white feet.  What annoys me is Mom won't let me go and chase them say hello to them - I just want to be friendly after all :)

Evening Walkies and Jackpot

Last night we went for our evening beach walkies and it was still pretty warm so while mom was shell hunting we found some shade in amongst the breakwater the rocks. Mom did actually get a really good pic of the Dweeb - most unusual - he normally closes his eyes or looks everywhere but at the camera. As we watching.......... Mom suddenly spied something in the sand and the next thing we know she is but squealing in delight - she hit the jackpot - a giant Shark Eye Moon Shell that didn't have any damage on it at all - Mom couldn't believe it - personally we don't know what all the fuss was about - it wasn't edible after all or stinky!

Maisy and The Helicopter

With all our excitement about helping to get the turtle rescued we didn't really get to tell you about Maisy. Maisy and her Mom came over and asked if it would okay to meet and of coarse we said yes. Maisy's Mom had a collie dog some years ago  - she thought we were small collies and we had to point out we are not collies at all but shelties. Maisy is 8 years old and was such a sweetie pie - we walked up and down the beach with her while the Mom's talked - (mom was so happy and hardly anyone ever stops to chat).

Maisy' Mom told our Mom what Jacksonville use to be like 20 years ago and how there use to be so many shells back then - she even remembers them building pyramids of conch shells on the beach at St Augustine and you could buy one for 50 cents!  To buy one if the store on Jacksonville beach - it will cost between $20-$30 now and they all come from the Bahamas !!! She says she doesn't know what happened to all the shells and no one has seen a conch on the beaches here for years now but she also mentioned that  there is hardly any other types of shells to be found anymore either.

While we were walking we also got the see the Navy Helicopter Pilots doing some practicing. They were dropping and picking up a guy out of the water and also on and off a boat too. Mom was amazed how they could hover the helicopter in place.

I helped save a sea turtle!

Last night we went for our usual evening beach walk and happened to meet a lovely lady and her sweet little schnauzer dog named Maisy. She asked us if we had seen the turtle wedged under the rocks and INSTANTLY Mom and I went on alert. By time we walked over to where it was there were a few more people gathered around talking about putting it back into the water.  I went straight into my Bark Ranger roll and woofed VERY LOUDLY - of coarse Mom had to interpret as not everyone talks dog (can you believe that!!)  Through Mom I told them that people are not allowed to touch or move turtles and that as it had been there since the last high tide - some 8 hours earlier - it was probably severely dehydrated. We also didn't know if the turtle was sick or injured and in need of medical treatment. The little turtle was only about 1 foot long and was a beautiful little Hawksbill. 

Silly Mom had left her phone in the car as it had looked like it was going to rain so while we kept watch another lady went to call the Base Police.  They came very quickly and checked the little turtle - it was still flapping it's flippers so we knew it alive. They in turn called the turtle rescue and as luck would have it -  one of the police officers actually volunteers with the turtle rescue and he told everyone I WAS RIGHT  - that we shouldn't touch it and that we did the right thing calling them.  Sadly we had to leave before the turtle rescue came (it was still very hot and Mom was worried about us over heating) but the police said they would stay there and wait. The little turtle will no doubt spend the next few week recovering at the turtle rescue center.

Mom was so proud of ME for doing my bark ranger duties so well that when we got home I not only got a Frosty Paw - but 2 cookies as well !!!!!  Bark Ranger Reilly at your service :)

Little turtle wedged under the rock

Baby Hawksbill Turtle

Our new friend Maisey

Leaving the turtle well protected :)