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08/19/2008: "Burial at Sea: Vale Matilda"

Nearly 20 years ago my co-skipper asked if we should get a cat.
"I'm not really a cat person," I replied. Catherine did not say anything. The next day she went out and got two of the cutest kittens - A female tortiseshell who we named Matilda and a black and white male who we named Tusca. I became a cat person and I loved them.
20 years on we have the same two cats. When we left Cairns three years ago we debated the merits of taking our fit but old cats with us. They love company and after a trial run aboard we decided to bring them. They eventually overcame seasickness and have enjoyed the close contact in their senior years.
A month ago Matilda was ailing. We knew this time would come and eventually she drifted off and died quietly as we were sailing south down the east coast of Santo. We had just had dolphins playing off the bow and it was off Isle du dolphin that we decided to bury at sea our much loved and well travelled Matilda.
Gently nested in her favourite blanket, tucked in a cotton shawl sewn tightly with sail thread and weighted with a clam shell; amidst tears and love, we set Matilda on her next adventure.