Every good thing starts with a spark. This is the story of Puffincove, the crew, and the ideas taking shape around them.
It is an ongoing project. I will add memories, photographs, and new branches as the journey continues.
Follow a branch: Why Puffincove? · The Crew · Franky · The Cove · The Server · Kite’s Emporium · Where we are going
About Me — The Road That Brought Me to Puffincove
1989 — The First Step
After chasing my girlfriend to St. John’s, where she was at university, I started my first home repair company. I had little education and no official training, but I didn’t look back.
Why Puffincove?
Puffincove grew from an idea I wanted to bring to life: a quiet harbour when the world gets noisy. A place for Newfoundland stories, familiar characters, a bit of laughter, and the feeling that the kettle is always on.
I did not have every piece figured out at the beginning. The idea grew as I worked on it, one character, one story, and one honest step at a time. The promise is simple: spark, not fire.
Read more about why Puffincove exists.
Meet the Crew
The crew grew around Puffin George and Kite, a seagull who has a way of finding trouble and usually something to eat. Each one brings a different bit of life to Puffincove.
George · Kite · Wils · Syl · Ralph · Selma · Miss Light Keeper
Visit each crew member: George · Kite · Wils · Syl · Ralph · Selma · Miss Light Keeper.
George
Puffin George helps keep the light on and the place running. When Kite gets carried away, George’s wing often finds its way over his eyes.
Kite
Kite is our seagull, data collector, and comic heart. He follows his curiosity, his appetite, and the occasional thump-thunk into whatever happens next.
Wils
Owl Wils keeps the logbook, watches the books, and tries to keep the crew in order.
Syl
Fox Syl keeps watch at night and takes security seriously, even when the rest of the crew makes that difficult.
Ralph
Raven Ralph is the scout. He drops in with news and finds from the roads and places around the Cove.
Selma
Squirrel Selma looks after supplies and logistics, and has a place in the Harbour Gift Shop.
Miss Light Keeper
Miss Light Keeper stays mostly unseen, but her stories help guide the crew.
Franky
Franky is the CNC machine being rebuilt for Puffincove. We’re keeping the good parts and fitting a smaller 3-by-5-foot working area, with a new Z-axis and gantry. The current target is to cut the parts and Z-axis by Tuesday, then assemble him in the Cove. After that we’ll wire, test, and tune everything before his first cuts.
Follow Franky’s rebuild and workshop updates.
The Cove
The Cove is Franky’s workshop in progress. The roof is on; flashing will cap the peak and protect the edges, a steel exterior door needs cutting down, and plywood will close the open end. The table saw and chop saw are ready; a drill press and router table will be made from parts already on hand. The target is to close in the Cove and cut Franky’s parts by Tuesday, then build him.
The Server
The Server is Puffincove’s digital workshop. The website lives online, while this local setup supports the creative work behind it. Betty, my local AI helper, helps me shape ideas and keep projects moving. ComfyUI is part of the next stage for Kite as we begin exploring animation and movement.
Visit The Server — Puffincove’s Digital Workshop.
Where we are going
The crew are back at Puffincove getting ready for the winter months. Selma is asking what Puffincove needs before the last supply boat heads out for winter and won’t return until spring. The bottle stand stays first, then the dory: its parts are being prepared for Franky to cut before assembly and paint. The sculling oar, killick, and hand-line spool are later builds. Kite’s animation can move along at its own pace as the Cove and Franky progress.
As of October 3, 2026, the Cove is getting ready for winter, Franky’s parts are being prepared, and the crew are finding their way into the stories. We’ll keep adding the real steps as they happen.
Kite’s Video Scenes & Storyboards
Puffincove: Stories, Recipes & More
Finding the crew’s look
We tried many versions of the crew before they felt like the ones we know now. Each picture helped us see more clearly who belonged in Puffincove. The early Selma has a place in that story too; as the characters changed, their personalities and their little harbour began to come into focus.
Getting ready for winter
The crew are back at Puffincove to get things ready for the winter months. Selma wants to hear what the Cove will need before the last supply boat heads out for winter and won’t return until spring. Here’s her question for everyone: what should go on the list?
