b'I met a U.S. Coast Guard Skipper named When COVID restrictions lifted, I returnedMatt Monahan at a Christmas party in 2019. tobeingaroadwarriorforwork(withmoreHe was stationed in Puerto Rico but was in dogs). Logan and I would camp, stay in hotels orTampa getting his ship refitted. Matt and I friends homes along the way. By 2021, Loganconnected immediately, so I invited him for had travelled to 31 states, never complaining anda sail on my boat the next day and to see if always reminding me to slow down and stop forhe would pass the Logan test. I brought a break. Whether it was picking blueberries inLogan on all of my first dates; if Logan Maine, running along a rail trail in Ohio, explor-didnt like the guy, I would politely end ing the plains of Oklahoma, eating beignets inthe date and go home. Logan, like most Louisiana, or visiting NASA in Alabama, LoganCattle Dogs, is suspicious of strangers hadseenmorethanhalfoftheUnitedStatesand a great judge of character. before he turned three years old. When they met, Matt didnt shower Matt and I had strengthened our relation-Logan with attention, baby-talk to him ship long-distance throughout the pandemic. Inorevenpethim.MattletLogan Spring 2021, we finally decided we would sellapproach on his own terms and sniff our possessions and sail around the world. TheLogan during sunset away. Logan immediately became smit- pandemic had opened our eyes; dont delay yourten with Matt. I would later find out dreams.Whenwespokeaboutthejourney,Ithat Matt is allergic to dogs, so he was brought up that traveling with a dog into foreignjust keeping his distance to avoid a countries can be difficult, and sometimes, impos-full-blown allergic reaction at sea! sible. But Matt assured me that this journey wasTheCOVID-19pandemic with all three of us, or none of usquarantinetook hold in Spring 2020, and the restrictions and daily allergy meds be damned!world seemed to close in, get smaller. At this point, I knew I had not only foundThesmalleritgot,themoreI the perfect companion in Logan, but I had founddreamedofsailingtheworld.I my perfect person. Someone who could also keeploved my job and community, but up with my wild aspirations and active lifestyle.after ten years, it was time to make Someonewhowouldpushmetogofurther,mydreamsareality.Iwas dreambiggerandtosailawayfromthesafegrounded for work, only meeting harbor.clients via Zoom, and training a MattandIgotmarriedonMay8,2021yellowLabradorServiceDog along the St. Petersburg waterfront with then-Katie jumped in after named Scooter for Southeastern mayor, Rick Kriseman, officiating. I had knownexperience:from the GuideDogs.Loganlearneda the Kriseman family for years as they are puppyAn earlyhis jumplot from Scooter. We had skill raiser volunteers for Southeastern Guide Dogs.puppy Logan misjudgedboat. dock to thetrainingsessionsathome Logan,ofcourse,stoletheshowastheimprovementstoresmultiple overzealous ring bearer.times a week, practiced com- Immediately following the wedding, Loganmandsinthepark,and andImovedtoPuertoRicotojoinMatt.Inshowed good manners at the September 2021, after 3 months of refitting ouroutdoorrestaurantsinSt. boat, we began our journey around the world. InPete.Afterthreemonths, thenextyear,thethreeofuswouldsailoverScooter was placed with a 10,000nm and are currently hunkered down inlocalveteranasaservice NewZealandwaitingoutcycloneseasonsodog, and Logan and I were we can continue our circumnavigation, as I amon our own again. writing this for The New Barker. Stay tuned. UFollow the journey of Katie (Young), Matt Monahan and Logan on Sailing Searcher:www.NoForeignLand.com/boat/searcher Click on Show Journey to view journal entries of their ocean crossings.Logan and Matt Instagram: @sailingsearcherLogan Instagram: @sailingcattledog 32 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'