Barking Orders for 3 Days, Coco the Solo Sailor Saved

CLEARWATER, Fla. —  Coco the seafaring canine was reunited Thursday with her owner, who, along with the boat’s only other occupant, fell overboard, leaving the dog adrift for three days.

A commercial sponge diver found Andrew Block’s 29-foot boat, Gigi, drifting in the Gulf of Mexico late Wednesday. Its only passenger was the dehydrated, 3-year-old chow mix.

“I was very relieved,” Block said as he hugged Coco, who responded by giving him a lick. “I’m going to take her home and give her lots of attention.”

The boat was moving slowly Sunday when it hit a wave as Block, 31, and Julie Parsons, 27, were rinsing off on the craft’s rear deck after a swim. They tumbled overboard, watching helplessly as the vessel motored slowly off with Coco still on board.

“She was looking back at us like we were crazy,” Block said.

Parsons and Block treaded water for 21 hours before being rescued Monday by the Coast Guard.

“We just didn’t want to die,” Parsons said. “We got each other through it by making deals all night long. It was like, if we live through this, we’ll quit smoking; we’re going to be kinder to people; we’ll go to church; be advocates for safe boating, things like that.”

The local chapter of the Humane Society had organized air searches for the castaway canine. But the boat wasn’t located until Wednesday, when Capt. Mike Pearson came across it 30 miles from land. On the back platform was the barking Coco.

“God must have sent me this way,” Pearson said. “She was right on my course line.”