S/V The Artful Dodger II

Getting Ready

Karin working Little Dodge

Well time is closing in for our departure. The weather has been some what cooperative for letting me to get somethings off our to do list. With living full time aboard one is able to see how somethings work with that it allows one to rework ideas which when first applied seemed the best. If I was to suggest anything to anyone encountering to live aboard and sail off for distance shores, it would be, live aboard first and see what works and what doesn't. But it must be said living aboard and working can and does create different obstacles.

Karin and I have been attending our Pilot/Seamanship course every Tuesday evening at the Coast Guard Station. Now that we are half way through it has found us with a keener interest, and that is a good thing.

Karin unfortunately is still working for a few more weeks, where with myself not so. Seems with busness slow have been laid off until it picks up. Being that; that it is, it seems that with our closing date of departure a good thing.

Yet moving forward the days are counting down very quickly. I've found myself with this time off not only nailing the to do list, and its long, but also planning departure dates on our charts, entering way points, calculating times, distances and course bearings to steer.

Some of these plans are to refit in Fermuse, sail southern shore for a bit, then on to Baddeck Nova Scotia. There will be a slight detour at that point to slip over to PEI and visit Fred Karin's dad, really great chap, who has an interesting history, good sailor, not to mention a good chess player. Rose his wife is one person who just bubbles with energy, will be great to see her as well.

It's at this time I would like to relate our story about Fred and his sail boat. It seems as the story goes Fred's sailing days were in the Florida keys. Every winter when Karin was just a young girl, her parents would take her to Florida for a break. To make a long story short, it seemed that for Fred circumstances change and going to Florida had just taken its course and it was now time to get on to other things. Making the move to close everything up in Florida and bring his boat back to Canada which he had bought in Florida, all loaded up for their last trip home, headed for the boarder he went. At this time one has to know that over the years Fred had figured out that a really late crossing was real good especially when there is a young girl a sleep in the back seat on top of a pile of things; you can make your own guesses here with this one. On this last time across the boarder at about 2 or 3 in the morning, Fred comes to a stop at the Guard shack.

The Guard peering into to the vehicle, with a young girl asleep a top a mound of things:


anything to declare Sir

Fred: no sir nothing

Guard: your sure

Fred: no nothing sir

Guard looking to the back of the vehicle where there is a sail boat on a trailer with Florida plates

: your sure

Fred: no sir nothing

Guard: well I'm wondering is that your boat sir

Fred: Oh yeah, gee forgot about that, it's so late and all, been driving non stop all night


Well lets say Fred had to pay the duty but no fine.

Now back to a few of our plans again. Once we reach Halifax, somewhere around the first part of June, Karin's mom will come out to join us for a short visit. We are hoping at the same time to find time to meet with old friends at the Dartmouth Yacht club. This timing should let us cross paths with our friends Mic/Bee/Toot of the sailing vessel Hannah, on their way up from the United States to Labrador.

Withfinding this our fourth winter here in St. John's Newfoundland coming to an end, has let us come to an understanding about Newfoundlander's values, that being that family comes first above all things. There are other as well and will share them in following posts.




Patric, Karin, and Butch









Here in these following pictures one can see the before and afters of Artful's refit