Watch out, seagulls, I’m on your case! An update from Bailey

You can see by the mess on the wharves that my job here is not yet done. Image: Andrew Frolows / ANMM.

Hi there!

After six weeks here, I’m settling into the job nicely but still learning and discovering new things.

My enemies, the seagulls, have started to notice that I’m here to stay, and there aren’t as many as there used to be. When I started we had seagulls everywhere on the wharves, but now we have maybe five at a time. Those birds who’ve decided to stay have learnt to sit up on the vessels, out of my reach. Sooo frustrating!

You can fly, but you can’t hide… Image: Andrew Frolows / ANMM.

Watch out, seagulls, I’m on your case! Image: Andrew Frolows / ANMM.

You can see by the mess on the wharves that my job here is not yet done. Image: Andrew Frolows / ANMM.

I’ve also been exploring the local area. Recently I was invited aboard James Craig, which is owned by our friends the Sydney Heritage Fleet. I explored all over the deck and also went below, in and out of all the nooks and crannies and cabins. I was hoping there might be a rat to chase, but there were no vermin to be found aboard this beautifully kept ship.

I am the first dog to come board the ship since it was restored, which was quite an honour. I was invited to sign the volunteers’ register, and now I can start working up my hours on board the vessel. Hopefully next time there might be a rat or two to amuse me. Or at least a seagull.

Checking carefully to make sure my details were entered correctly on James Craig’s roll. Image: Janine Flew / ANMM.

A new idea that I’ve been introduced to is ‘work/life balance’. I have no complaints in this area.

Every afternoon one of my new friends takes me for a walk…

Keep up, would you? There are seagulls out there and I need to find them! Image: Janine Flew / ANMM.

Nice view! (Me, I mean, not all that stuff in the background…). Image: Janine Flew / ANMM.

I’ve made myself at home, and when I’m off duty I love to run around and be silly. I really enjoy playing with scrunched up paper – it’s like being a puppy again.

Sometimes I get into mischief. I found something deliciously smelly in the garden and proceeded to roll in it, which my human friends weren’t happy about. Three baths later, they said I still stank – it took more than a week for it to wear off. People didn’t pat me so much when I was smelly. Is that a coincidence, do you think?