I don’t know if it was bravery or pure chaos, but Tilly once tried to race a ferry.
I live in Sydney, and Tilly — my fluffy, caramel-coloured Cavoodle — has been part of my life for the past three years. I got her just before I turned 30, after realising that my work-from-home routine had turned into more “talking to myself” than “thriving solo.”
I wasn’t expecting to fall for her so fast. She’s got this teddy bear face that convinces strangers to stop in the street, and a personality that’s part diva, part comedian, part cuddle machine. Within a week of adopting her, my phone gallery was 90% Tilly. Within a month, I was referring to her as my flatmate.
The moment that still cracks me up happened last summer, on a warm Saturday when I took her out for her first ferry ride across Circular Quay.
We got on at Rose Bay, and she was doing great — tail wagging, sniffing everything, head poking out from under my arm like a periscope. Then we hit the open stretch of water. A big gust came in, and I made the mistake of loosening my grip on her harness for one second.
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🐶 View Portrait Styles →She saw something. Maybe it was the waves. Maybe it was the wake. Maybe it was the freakin’ ferry next to us.
All I know is, she launched herself forward, barked once, and tried to run through the metal railing like she was planning to jump in and paddle across to Barangaroo. I had to scoop her mid-air while apologising to a tourist couple who now had Cavoodle fluff on their mojitos.
And the best part? She wasn’t scared. She was thrilled. Tilly thought she’d just conquered Sydney Harbour. She spent the rest of the ride with her paws on the edge, tongue flapping in the wind, barking at every seagull like they were her personal entourage.
Back on land, we walked through The Rocks like we’d just survived an epic voyage. People waved at her like she was the captain. She strutted like one too.
That day reminded me how fun it is to be ridiculous. How good it feels to laugh until your stomach hurts over something completely unplanned. How much joy one little dog can pack into a thirty-minute ferry ride.
Tilly’s not just my pet. She’s my tiny, four-legged reminder to chase the moment — even if it’s moving faster than a ferry.