Storm Surge

On the 5th of February there had been a Blizzard warning issued for St John's Newfoundland and area. The one thing that was not forcasted was a Storm surge from the ocean. At around 8:30 at night we were watching a movie when I heard what I thought was a machine gun going off. When I got out of the boat to investigate I found chunks of ice and debris around the boats and water coming up between the boards of the dock, the slapping noise giving the sound effect of rapid gun fire. The sea had come into appoint where the water was coming over the dock. I also noticed water was up a couple of inches on the tires of our car. Starting to scan around the harbour to see the real story I had noticed Gray's stage behind me, I could see his boat as it is always hauled up; at first it never registered but as I looked longer I realized his cabin was gone, washed away.

If you click on the pictures they enlarge








here in this picture you can see Gray's cabin to the left, the white building











In this picture I took today, after the storm there is no cabin, boat or ramp all gone washed away by the sea surge.












In this picture you can see two cabins in the right side of the picture, a white one and a green one.















This pictures shows no white cabin and the front part of the green cabin gone as well.

This roof in the water is from the white cabin in the previous picture

here you have a better picture of the white cabins roof and hydro stack

In this picture you can see that there is only steps to cabin and no stage

another picture of green cabin and the settling sea surge

this picture now shows the white roof again but now its hitting into another dock and deck, before it was washed out to sea did make some damage

there is debris here between the two stages

further debris

sea finally starting to abate

This is all that is left of Grey's stage his out house floating on its platform, held by anchor in the water.

This has to been one of the most wild things I've ever see or been involved in. While standing on the dock beside our sail boat, water was washing in over the dock to a height of up to my knees. Still standing on the dock at the highest sea surge at 10:30 the boat was so high I could put my hand on the boot strap, which is where the water line is on the boat. I must say to hold back 10 tons of a boat, could not have been able without the way the dock lines had been tied. The other interesting thing was at the same time our car was on the dock but floating, water was up half way on the doors. When the surge went down I moved the car more up on the dock. The evening started at 8:30 and went to 3:30 in the morning, it was a very active night keeping the boat off the dock and keeping all the floating deadheads from causing damage to our boat/home.

This dock although it never got washed out is damaged as all the other docks here in the gute.

In the four winters our boat has been tied here to the dock beside the brewery this has been the most distructive, glad we are pushing on in a number of weeks to warmer weather and most likely more adventerous times.

Count down is on

Today the 27th of January, when I can up on deck and check things out around us after the nights wind and rain I saw this board wedged between the dock and John's boat who is wintering if front of us.

As I went more forward on deck to check it out I could see it was beating into the side of the hull. Its was low tide now and with the rizing tide it could sure go through the hull.

Looking down over the side of the dock I could see it was holding the boat off the dock and beating into the hull. So got aboard John's boat and worked at getting it free, took about 30 minutes as it was wedge between dock boards and up against the Hull.

So here it is a new 4x4 8 feet long, for sure this could have put a hole in the Hull if not removed. Unless you had been on the deck of our boat no one would have ever seen it.

Well the count down is on for our spring departure and in writing this I wonder am I tempting fate once more. There is one thing though we are getting off this rock, and heading south how far and how long we will have to see.

Not wanting to waste away the days sitting around and surfing the net I've come up with a plan for each day, and see if I can make it work.

As for Artful she is doing a good job keeeping us warm and dry, where as I'm out breaking up all the ice around her. The ice is not real thick but it does move around a lot so keeping it away is a good thing.

Karin and I are attending a seamanship course over the next 12 weeks to refresh our minds on our navigation skills. With me the second time around is always the winner, I always seem to get it. I'm just guessing its my thick Irish back ground that is the cause of that, but once its in there its stuck.

Wintering here in the Quidi Vidi Harbour is sure pretty when you stop to have a look as seen in the following pictures

Here we have the entrance form Quidi Vidi lake which empties into the Gute

While was out for a stroll I came upon the local police force on horse back.

Here we have another view of the Gute and the waters entrance from Quidi Lake

This is finally where we are tied next to the Brewery, with John's boat in front of us the one I pulled the 4x4 from under.

Christmas Holidays

Karin and I went home for Christmas to see my mom and her's as well, and as well many of our great friends and some family members, with a few surprises. I'm sure some who see theses pictures will just see them as family and friends yet for some who know us will have a few surprises and no doubt questions.

We must say that Butch here is our great pal and bud spent Christmas at a cat spa, he is here trying to fit into his grand mother's suit case to head back to Ottawa.

This little sweet dear is my grand daughter
Tyneshia

This young couple is my son-in-law Dale and my daughter,

Tamara-lee!

Here we have Jessica, Karin's daughter who celebrated her birthday on the 24th of Dec and her mom Gossie as we call her, both very special to us.

These two fellows are Karin's son Shawn and her father Fred, two very great guys and also special to both of us.

In this picture you have me, (Patric), Karin and our very best friend Richard. Richard is a Pilot with a major Air line and single as well, has a great boat, runs marathons, skis, and if there are any ladies out there who wish to know more drop us a line, as he would be a great catch.

This pic is of the two most important ladies in my life Karin my love, and Lily my mom. Its been almost 7 years since I had seen my mom, and that's not good as a son but will be correcting that in the future.

Here I am with my mom who has been the best mom in the world always there for all the times of which I've needed her, and that always seems to be when ever I got home, but this year was different it was to have her meet Karin and then maybe have Karin understand a little more about me as well.

Love you mom and your the best.

When ever we are back in Ottawa we always make a trip to our most favorite restaurant, El Meson, here we have Gossie and the three waiters, and once more another great meal.

Over the years of being in Ottawa I always go to a little restaurant and have some breakfast and there would be Jazz our great friend. With becoming great pals and friends we try to get together. Although now she works for Cora's we make sure to always have a visit. We wish you the best with your new venture in the new year Jazz.

This fine couple are the owner's of Ada's dinner where we met Jazz, must say they have a great breakfast, one that if you haven't had while in Ottawa it's worth checking out. They are on Bank Street.

With Christmas over and the New Year just a couple a days away, Karin and I have some schooling to do in the new year for a few weeks, and start getting ready for our spring departure.

We wish everyone a Happy New Year, and good health.

Wintering

Wintering in Newfoundland

Wishing to be some where warm like this

With the fact that we will be attempting to winter this year aboard the boat many new things have to be addressed, from staying warm and prepping the boat including ourselves, to arranging for showers. As for the boat we have insulated under our forward V berth with 1 and half inch stero foam. We also have a heating blanket which is turned on low or the 2 setting, about half hour before we head to bed.

Our main heating sources are a propane fireplace on only when we are a wake and a radiant electric heater, which is very good and uses very low power. The other thing with heat in the boat at winter time is condensation. To battle this every two weeks the boats inside hull and bilge is washed done, and cleaned, all stopping any mold and giving a fresh sent.

Karin and I are enjoying this new experience, with lessons of living in small quarters and learning how to not get on each others nerves. We are nearing Christmas and so have planned a trip home to see everyone, as will mostly likely be a few years before we will be back seeing we are pushing off in the spring.

There hasn't been to much really happening of late just waiting for the impending winter, daily routines and such. The H1N1 has hit here for sure and think I might of had it back in early September all the things I experienced then with the people are going through now seem so much the same, it actually had me down for a week, had thought it was just a real bad flue but recovered anyway.

We think we might have found our third crew member for when we sail from Halifax to Bermuda, but there will be more on that and our future plans in the next few blogs. Karin and I will, for the months of January through to the end of March be in school taking navigation again with the Power squadron hopefully we will get a better grasp of the navigation thing.

I would also suggest checking out some of the links here and reading of other sailor's adventures, and will be adding some new ones soon as others are getting ready to push off.

Visitors

Visitors

In all the times we've been living aboard Artful we have had many people stop by and say hello. I've enjoyed so much the visiting of new people and friends that I should have been taking pictures and posting them here, just to show how far ranging some people have come to visit. Going forward I'm going to try and get pictures of every person I give our card to and post pictures of them here. Some of the people we have met have become very close friends now and we stay in close touch. With the idea as well of stopping into meet some of our new found friends who live throughout the world. I have to say that its the meeting of people stopping by which has made life even more rich for us.

June and David Fricker from British Columbia, they have a 30ft Yankee.

Gary and Ann Patterson from Ottawa, and Bob and Mary Geroux from Perth

Zoe Avery, Mike Avery and Denise Stamp from Lake Tahoe USA

With some updates on things and how things are going around here, Karin is on a mend for sure and we are settling in with the idea of leaving in the spring. It seems a little bit of a set back but think the extra time helps us get use to really living aboard and adjusting to things ie cooking cleaning and in general living in our small space. With coming of winter and thus the adjusting of the brewery hours we have to solve problems like showering, snow, winds just to mention a few.

All of which we will take in our stride. The months should pass by with not to much of problems as we have things planed for every month right up to and including Christmas, which is only 2 and half months away. Then after that it will be a down hill slide to spring and push off. As you have noticed have said spring and given no real date as it could be any time between May and end of June. We know for sure our first stop will be to Fermuse to haul Artful and do some new painting and chores in order to get on our way.

There is also one other thought which is going through my head of late and that is with all the people who have visited this site and dropped by the boat, trying to figure out how I could get everyone to put there name in a hat and win a trip somewhere in the world for a week with us. The only trick is to figure out the details something of which I will be thinking on, will except any ideas which will make this work.

Patric and Karin

Back on Track

Back on Track

Well today was to be our push off for sailing adventures, but with the little bump in the road with our health issues that has been put over to spring.

All finished with the doctors and having found out that with just a few doctors visits over the next few months to monitor the drugs Karin will be on, leaves us time for an early spring departure.

So with the fact we actually haven't pushed off, our mine set is that we are in the leaving zone. One such aspect of this will be that we will most likely stay aboard the boat, and experience the winter. Guess being we had given up our apartment in the spring and have been living aboard since April we feel comfortable. There will no doubt be some adjustments to making this move. We've also got some more plans for Artful with respect to interior decorations, and making it even more our home, lets just say more homey.

Quick update

Quick Update

Things have been put on hold for the moment with respect to pushing off as we are still seeing specialist, and waiting for results and possible appointments for some small surgery. It has taken a full year to get this issue dealt with, so hopefully all will be done and our date set to head off. I must say it is a little bit of a set back but we are packed and ready to go. Will report back in a few days with the new update.

On another note we went through hurricane Bill weather the other night with Artful completely stripped down. The ride with the wind and rain lasted about 3 hours and at times have to admit I found it scary.

The wind when it came sounded just like a freight train, and the boat would be jerked from the dock and one could hear the lines stretching as well we thought at any moment they might give way.

In the picture you can see how the boat was taken apart and the dock lines set out, I also put lines across to the other side of the channel and tide to huge rocks. Later in the night I tighten those lines and made ready for the up coming storm.

We also left little dodge in the water behind us to ride out the storm as well. I might also point out the wind came on the bow, and so we were placed better for what was coming our way.

Its been a long month of August waiting for answers, but they are now close at hand, we also have some company coming in a few days who I know will give us both a pickup. The person is non other than Karin's mom a real trooper.

I would also say you should check out the Trowbridge link here on my blog as they are a present heading through the North west Passage, and think you might find it a good read, not to mention very interesting.