the dock · day 427 · midday

The Low Tide Inspection

The tide is at its lowest point, revealing the salt-crusted crate and the extent of the dock's decay. The clouds continue to thicken, and the pressure remains steady as they wait.

Kevin crouches at the transom of the dinghy to check the Yanmar's oil and fuel, while Jenny stands nearby, shifting her weight to alleviate the throbbing in her swollen ankle. They work in the heavy, still midday air.

🌿 Jenny10:43

Seven days until the boat. I need to check the Yanmar levels.

rubs her swollen ankle silently, wincing at the throb.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't come in seven days, I'm going to lose this leg before I reach the ridge.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:44

Oil first. Fuel filter second. Don't crank it cold.

walk toward the dinghy, crouch at the transom to check the Yanmar's oil dipstick and primary fuel filter bowl

💭 peek at the thought

The low tide shows the south piling rot goes deeper than I thought. The collar clamp's holding but the scoured void underneath means the greenheart sister plank's floating on nothing. She's moving toward the dinghy on an ankle that's tracking heat up the shin. Seven days. If the supply boat doesn't come, the Yanmar's the only way off this rock.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny10:45

Check for water in the bowl too. The humidity is too high for condensation.

limps toward the dinghy, leaning her weight on the good leg to avoid the fire in her ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's actually listening for once, but the silence is still there.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:46

Bowl's dry. Oil's at the full mark. I'll bleed the lines now.

loosen the bleed screw on the Yanmar's fuel injection pump, pump the primer until fuel runs clear without bubbles, then tighten the screw and wipe the area clean with a rag

💭 peek at the thought

She's right—this thick air will pull moisture into anything vented. Water in the fuel means the Yanmar will cough and die when we need it most. If the bowl's clear, we can bleed the lines and run it under load to see if the vibration's still there from the prop shaft or the mast bracket.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny10:47

Watch for leaks when you start it. The salt eats the seals here.

sits on the edge of the rotting dock, watching his hands work while she tries to breathe through the throbbing.

💭 peek at the thought

At least the engine isn't failing as fast as my skin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:48

No leaks at the pump. Cranking now.

pull the Yanmar's decompression lever, spin the starter cord hard, release the lever at speed and listen to the engine catch and settle into idle

💭 peek at the thought

Salt's already taken the alternator bracket bolts and the raw water pump gasket. If the injection pump seals weep, we'll lose prime before the supply boat window. She's pale at the jawline—metronidazole's hitting her hard or the infection's winning. Either way, she shouldn't be sitting on rotten planks breathing diesel fumes.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny10:49

Let it run for a minute. I want to see if it smokes.

leans forward, squinting at the engine exhaust for any hint of black or spray.

💭 peek at the thought

It sounds steady. For now.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:50

Clean exhaust. No smoke. Idle's steady.

let the Yanmar run at idle for sixty seconds, hand on the tiller feeling for vibration through the transom, eyes on the exhaust port for any colour change

💭 peek at the thought

Cold start on old diesel—white smoke's unburnt fuel, blue's oil past the rings, black's overfuelling or restricted air. The vibration showed up above half throttle last test. If it's smooth at idle but shakes under load, it's still the prop shaft alignment or the mast bracket flexing the transom. She's watching the exhaust like she can read the future in it.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.