Roxy the dog is deckhand on 'round-the-world sailing trip

Jun. 21—When Kate Gladieux and Curtis Jazwiecki said they were planning to set sail around the world, their families thought it was a pipe dream.

"I thought it was all talk until they sold the house," Nancy Gladieux, Kate's mother, said. "When they sold the house and the cars and all their stuff that was in the house, then it became very real."

The engaged couple, formerly of Sylvania Township, recently completed a 2,300-mile trip across the Atlantic Ocean, the longest venture either had undertaken.

They are now in Horta on the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

Both grew up sailing and have participated in numerous races.

But it was Mr. Jazwiecki, 41, who harbored the dream since childhood to sail around the world.

"I have always been drawn toward the water," he said via email. "When I was in my [20s], I started racing on a family friend's boat at North Cape Yacht Club, shortly after I bought my own [24-foot] sailboat and began racing it all over the country. I think I have been preparing for this almost all my life."

Ms. Gladieux, 31, hadn't necessarily considered living on a boat, but she had always wanted to travel.

"My family instilled a love of travel and experiencing other cultures from a young age," she said, also via email. "While I grew up sailing, I mostly sailed small boats, so passage-making on a bigger boat was new to me."

Beside them every mile on their journey to circumnavigate the globe is their dog, 11-year-old Roxy. The canine has taken to life on the water with relative ease.

"Roxy has shown me how adaptable dogs really are," Ms. Gladieux said. "Sometimes I think she is stronger than me."

The couple spent their wedding budget on their vessel, the 46-foot Sweet Ruca, in January, 2019 in Rhode Island.

They spent months getting it ready for extended ocean travel by installing solar panels, a water maker, and other necessities. They took a few trips along the East Coast starting in July, 2019 and left Annapolis after Thanksgiving that year to head to the Bahamas and start their dream adventure.

"I really enjoy the challenge of sailing and navigation," Mr. Jazwiecki said. "It is very technical and everything you do has instant feedback. I also enjoy the feeling of freedom and being responsible for yourself out on the ocean."

The pandemic has delayed their travel plans, but they are still determined to complete their journey. They plan to go around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope.

Jan Jazwiecki said her son is determined.

"I know him and he will do it," she said. "I give him a lot of credit. I couldn't do that."

Special consideration had to be made for Roxy, whom the pair adopted in March, 2014 from the Toledo Humane Society. They spent a lot of time talking through the challenges of bringing her along and figuring out how to make it work.

"She had been [on] many day sails, and one overnight sail to Put-in-Bay on our small boat," Ms. Gladieux said. "She had been part of the family for so long we didn't want to leave her behind."

Roxy has her own life vest, first-aid kit, harness, tethers, and jackets for rainy or cold weather.

The couple purchased a boat with a design that works for a dog, and puts out rubber mats to help her stay on her feet. Roxy stays below deck when necessary.

The couple finds veterinarians abroad and updates Roxy's health certificates as needed.

Ms. Gladieux carefully researches each country's pet-import rules, and they avoid those places where regulations are too onerous or include breed-specific restrictions.

But the hassle is worth it to have Roxy on board, they said.

She provides companionship and entertainment, and is often an attraction for other seafarers who are missing their own pets back at home. The couple enjoys meeting new people from all over the world and forming new friendships.

"Sometimes when people drive by in their dinghy, she drops a tennis ball in the water, to get the dinghy driver to fetch it for her," Ms. Gladieux said. "When Roxy gets to go swimming, paddle boarding, or climb rocks on a hike, she is transformed into a puppy again. Seeing the joy in her eyes makes us all happy."

Mr. Jazwiecki said sailing for Roxy is similar to "an endless car ride with her nose out of the window."

"I'm glad that Roxy is with them," his mother said. "She's happiest with them. And she's protective on the boat, so if someone comes nearby in a dinghy, she barks."

Both Mr. Jazwiecki and Ms. Gladieux had built savings before setting off on their adventures.

Mr. Jazwiecki is able to work remotely as a financial technology, e-commerce, and general business consultant. Ms. Gladieux, who had been a Spanish teacher, now maintains the couple's website, blog, social media, and Patreon and video channels.

"It has become a full-time job," she said.

The pair performs nearly all of their own maintenance on the sailboat and keeps costs as low as possible by anchoring instead of docking and other methods.

The couple is spending a few weeks in Horta before pulling the Sweet Ruca out of the water and returning to the Toledo area with Roxy in July.

They'll spend about a month to visiting family and will join a friend's crew to race in the Chicago-Mackinac and Bayview-Mackinac sailing races before heading back to continue their circumnavigation.

Ms. Gladieux expects that after coronavirus lockdowns, they'll remain on the water for at least another year, if not two. Technology helps them stay connected to their families, including a tracking system that lets anyone visiting their website see where they are on a map as well as other information.

"I'm anxious to have them home, but I've kind of gotten used to the idea," Mrs. Gladieux said. "This is their dream, and they're living it. I'm glad that they're doing it."

To follow along with the couple's journey, visit sweetruca.com. They also have a Patreon account, as well as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Instagram.

First Published June 20, 2021, 1:33pm