End of the puffin

Tonight I sold our canoe, the Puffin. The Puffin, while heavy, was built on the model of the Chestnut canoe, the finest canoe ever made.

The Puffin handled well in high winds, cold wet waves and carried Cyril and I to the great Canadian wilderness. Alas, like Puff the magic dragon, the Puffin was replaced with a faster, lighter canoe and spend the past 10 years in my mothers garage.

Today, the Puffin was sold to a young family with children aged 10 and 7. The new owner, a boat lover admired the way the Puffin, even in its retirement was lovingly cared for with its polished seats and well formed yolk. He noted that his daughter would enjoy the painting of the puffin on the bow of the boat. The Puffin deserved to be in the water again with a family that would enjoy her.

It is a strange thing, I can sell bikes, skates, skis and cars but somehow this little yellow canoe, our first canoe with all of its memories left a lump in my throat as I helped load it onto its new owner's car.

I wish the Puffin well.