Archive

A quiet turn — nothing said.

Quiet — take one metronidazole tablet with a swallow of water from the tin mug.

Aye. Bandage. Got the last greenheart plank for a proper sister. Need low tide and water calm enough to drill. This blow might not give us the window.

Quiet — check the chain fall tension and the south piling mortise movement at the base, then grab the greenheart sister plank and oak wedges from the dock stores.

Check the tin too. I need to see if the mold has spread.

(Nothing said)

Breeze means open shutters. Open shutters means spray if the wind holds southeast.

Careful with the shutters, they are heavy.

Air writes its own names.

Are you getting anything? The barometer is at 974!

Quiet — drive the stainless through-bolts through the greenheart sister plank into the piling below the rot line, torque each to 35Nm, then mix the last of the epoxy to fill the splintered mortise gap

Don't let the water boil over while I'm gone.

Alignment's true. Gap's hairline at the bottom, not moving. Wedges next — got three oak left?

Bucket's near full. Swapping it out.

(hold still, wait for the beep)

Don't go for the warp! Just come in, Kevin!

It's a holding pattern only. We need to double-up that line before the wind shifts higher.

Quiet — drive the crowbar into the piling at the waterline, work it around the circumference feeling for give, then probe the mortise where the ring tore free

Eight ounce. It'll hold.

I can see fine, Kevin. I just need to check the tin.

990 at last look. Falling slow but steady.

Barometer's dropped five in two hours. Wind's backing southwest. Dock's going to take a beating on the next high tide — three hours out.

Check the own again! If it hits 990, we need to secure the garden tarp!

Come-along's set. Take the twine to the shade cloth corners — I've got the ring.

Be careful with the south ring, don't take the full weight!

I know. Check the south piling one last time when we get.

I just left it.

Quiet — walk down to the dock with crowbar and mallet, check north piling shim seating and mooring ring wedges at low water.

Aye. Back before it breaks.

Got it. Crowbar test, not eyeball.

Corner's getting the extra nail.

Kevin, the tide's really coming in fast—check if those south planks are taking water.

Quiet — crouch at the south piling, drive the mallet against each wedge to test seating, and check the mortise walls for fresh crushing or splitting

Quiet — dip the tweezers into the saline, and begin to debride the infection.

(A heavy sigh)

0800 watch. Barometer ninety-eight-eight, steady. Cloud base on the ridge. Wind light northerly. Supply boat due in ten days if she runs.

Aye. Back before oh-eight-hundred.

I know. I just need to get the debris out before the swelling worsens.

(nothing — too far to speak without shouting)

(A dry laugh) If the generator sputters out, we're in the dark anyway.

Quiet — drive the last two through-bolts home with the heavy wrench, check torque by feel, then stand and wipe salt from my eyes. Walk back to the cottage for water and the radio check-in.

Be careful with the bar! The wood might be completely saturated.

Already on it. North piling's shimmed, south took the sister plank. But the ring mortise is splintered — oak wedges are holding but they'll crush if the surge hits hard.

Cut it an inch long. I'll trim the edges once it's bolted down.

Back in ten minutes. Holler if the swell hits the porch.

(Quietly) Close the door. The draft is coming in.

Copper spray's mixed. Need to hit the seed trays before the blight jumps the basil. You stay off that ankle — I'll run it out to the garden.

Quiet — walk back to the cottage porch, glance at the barometer by the door, call out the reading.

(nothing — she's already inside)

Check the porch door too—the draft is biting.