Sea Dog

Sea dog 4/11/08 Laura Muller

It is early morning and the boat is ready to leave the Kaiteriteri shore for the Abel Tasman National Park.

Tourists on the boat are excited waiting for the adventure, while the crew moves from one place to other sorting details.

A few times a week the crew is joined by a special member, a furry one. Archie is a 12 year-old Jack Russell dog. Her white fur with black spots, brown ears and tale that moves at the speed of light makes her the star on board.

Craig Wilson, 40, Manager of the Wilsons Abel Tasman lodge, is the owner of this special dog. Wilson said that Archie is a “Sea dog” and loves being on the boat as part of the crew.

Archie walks between the passengers welcoming them and letting them know that she is the captain on board. She moves with the confidence of a model on the catwalk.

Been an old dog is just a matter of numbers for her. She looks extremely healthy, and has the energy and charm of a puppy.

Every time Archie feels like getting a cuddle or having a sneak through the window, she steps over two legs close to a crew member who happily picks her up and spoils her. People from all over the world have cuddled her since she was a puppy.

Archie has being riding the boat since she was four months old and soon learned the danger of falling into salty water. She fell out of the boat, “She was trying to swim, but was drowning instead.” Archie was rescued on time by Wilson, “I did rescue her, I am the diver!” Ever since, Archie has learned not to get too close to the edge.

Archie has become part of the attraction of the boat ride at Abel Tasman National Park, Wilson said tourists miss their pets left at home and love seeing a friendly dog.
Guide, Rod Barker, said “Archie makes the tourists happy; you can see a smile in their faces when they see her.”

This curious girl has her favourite spots at the ride. Close to Tonga Island, where a seal colony lives, she usually jumps over Wilson’s lap and sticks her nose up to the window, Wilson said, “She loves dolphins and seals. When she smells them, she wants to get out of the boat.”

Archie is like a shadow to Wilson, she follows him everywhere on the boat and walks hours with him going from one lodge to the other, what keeps her fit.

Archie and Wilson are best mates, Wilson could not stand having another pet because Archie is “one man’s girl” and would not want another girl at home.

End.

COCHLEAR IMPLANT

Gilbert Hadfield 65, anxiously waited for his son to pick him up at the airport. After 14 years he would be able to talk to him again.

Hadfield of Wainuiomata became totally deaf at the age of 51. Doctors could not identify the reason but thanks to a cochlear implant he can hear again. The cochlear was implanted in Christchurch seven months ago.

The Southern Cochlear Implant Programme describes the device as a type of surgically-implanted hearing aid. Instead of amplifying sounds like a traditional hearing aid, it provides a sensation of hearing by directly stimulating the auditory nerve using electrical signals.

“When I got out of the hospital after the surgery, I could hear huge sounds as if a monster was going to grabbing me up, so I was quiet frightened and nervy;” reacalls Hadfield. “whoom whoom, it was a car going pass. I was jumping.”

The device is most appropriate where the cochlear does not have enough surviving hair cells for a conventional hearing aid to be effective.

“This kind of surgery is given a people who is completely deaf. You need to have some language already. People who born deaf and get the implant might be able to hear sounds but not necessarily develop speech.” Said Hadfield.


“I could not follow a conversation a first stage. The second day it was difficult but I made it, but at the third day I was able to follow a conversation. That day my son picked me up at the airport and it was our first conversation since he was a teenager and now he is 28. It has make a huge difference to my life”

The device is basically for speech but scientists are working on improving the implant to make people able to hear music.

ENDS

COCHLEAR IMPLANT

Gilbert Hadfield 65, anxiously waited for his son to pick him up at the airport. After 14 years he would be able to talk to him again.

Hadfield of Wainuiomata became totally deaf at the age of 51. Doctors could not identify the reason but thanks to a cochlear implant he can hear again. The cochlear was implanted in Christchurch seven months ago.

The Southern Cochlear Implant Programme describes the device as a type of surgically-implanted hearing aid. Instead of amplifying sounds like a traditional hearing aid, it provides a sensation of hearing by directly stimulating the auditory nerve using electrical signals.

“When I got out of the hospital after the surgery, I could hear huge sounds as if a monster was going to grabbing me up, so I was quiet frightened and nervy;” reacalls Hadfield. “whoom whoom, it was a car going pass. I was jumping.”

The device is most appropriate where the cochlear does not have enough surviving hair cells for a conventional hearing aid to be effective.

“This kind of surgery is given a people who is completely deaf. You need to have some language already. People who born deaf and get the implant might be able to hear sounds but not necessarily develop speech.” Said Hadfield.


“I could not follow a conversation a first stage. The second day it was difficult but I made it, but at the third day I was able to follow a conversation. That day my son picked me up at the airport and it was our first conversation since he was a teenager and now he is 28. It has make a huge difference to my life”

The device is basically for speech but scientists are working on improving the implant to make people able to hear music.

ENDS