It had been a long time since the sisters had seen the sea.
Even if you left the sea, it never quite left you. As soon as the salty smell filled their nostrils, old childhood memories awakened within them--breakfasts of fresh fish, their house shuddering at night from barrages of sea rain, and the sound of the waves, a constant background in every moment. And that sound awakened many things they had forgotten forgetting--their paws twisted out knots they hadn't since childhood, and "port" and "starboard" finally fell into place.
They weren't the only crew members, of course, nor was their sailing knowledge the most valuable thing they had to offer. By comparison, the two Kitrells were rather tiny and scrawny to the bronzed sailors running about. But they had strong wings that were unafraid to fly in even the roughest storms, and they had knowledge of the waves that would serve the crew well.