Day 252

We've got maybe an hour before this tide turns and the wind really bites. Help me pull those bad planks and sister in the new stock—long bolts, through-bolts, the works. No half-measures.

walk to the dock end, pry up the first rotten plank with the crowbar, and start clearing debris from the mortise.

Keep digging. I'll pass you the chisel and mallet—let's get to sound timber before we cut the sisters.

hand Jenny the cold chisel and workshop mallet, then shine the headlamp into the exposed joint to check the piling's condition.

Solid at the core. Cut the sisters to span three pilings each—two full-length, one half. I'll drill the bolt pattern while you clean the mortise.

set up the drill with the 10mm bit, measure and mark the bolt holes through the new dock planks for the three-piling span.

I'll fetch the lime and put it down on the leeward side of the bed so it doesn't blow away. Should we wait until after lunch when the wind might ease?

walk to the shed, grab the lime sack, return to the garden, and spread lime along the sheltered edge of the heirloom bed, using the trowel to work it into the topsoil.

Grab the other trowel—I'll work the far end. Let's get this row conditioned before the wind lifts the lime.

kneel beside Jenny, take the second trowel, and begin mixing lime into the soil at the opposite end of the tomato row, working toward the center.

I'm keeping it low—no dust flying. Just a few more scoops and we'll have this row balanced.

continue mixing lime into the soil with the trowel, staying focused on the tomato row and avoiding the adjacent sea beet bed, working in short, deliberate strokes to minimize airborne particles.

Let it settle ten minutes. I'll pull a fresh strip and test the center of the row while you finish the far end.

wait a moment, then walk to the seed tin shelf, retrieve the water test kit, return to the garden, and prepare a fresh pH strip for the tomato row center.

Got the strip. I'll test the center now—keep the lime off the beet bed, yeah?

kneel at the center of the tomato row, cup one hand around the pH strip to block the wind, dip it into the moist soil, wait ten seconds, then compare the color to the chart on the kit.

Kevin — clamp dial indicator to Yanmar prop hub, start engine, let warm at idle, record reading, advance to half-throttle, record reading, shut down

Kevin — shut down engine, disconnect fuel line, remove prop nut and prop, slide off bronze sleeve, inspect shaft and sleeve bore for high spots, clean both with honing stone and solvent, reapply thin epoxy mix to shaft, press sleeve on straight, to

Kevin — mark contact line on sister knee and dock timber; drill pilot holes for bronze bolts through sister knee into dock mortise

Kevin — fit sister knee into mortise against mooring ring; insert bronze bolts through knee and ring; tighten bolts alternately with wrench to draw ring tight against dock timber

I’ll get the fire started. Meet me at the pit in ten?

walk to the driftwood pile near the spring, grab two armfuls of salt-bleached branches, split them with the hatchet, carry kindling and a few larger sticks to the fire pit behind the cottage, strike a match under the tinder, blow gently unt

Fire’s up. I’ll add the bigger logs in a minute—let it build coals.

place the split kindling in the fire pit, blow on the embers until they glow, then lay the larger driftwood logs on top, step back to let it catch, wipe sweat from my brow with my sleeve, watch the flames take hold.

Coals are ready. Skillet?

walk to the cottage porch, grab the cast iron skillet from the hook, carry it to the fire pit, set it on the grill grate over the white-hot coals, let it heat until a drop of water dances, scoop a spoonful of rendered corned beef fat from t

They’re cooking fast. Thirty seconds, flip once.

step back from the fire pit, pull two enamel plates from the shelf by the door, set them on the outdoor table, check the skillet—limpets curled and golden at the edges—nod once, reach for the wooden spatula to flip the ones she missed.

Done. I’ll plate.

use the spatula to transfer the limpets from the skillet to one plate, tilt the pan to drizzle the hot corned beef fat over them, scoop the sea beet from the bowl with the serving spoon, pile it beside the limpets on the same plate, repeat

Eat while it’s hot.

carry my plate to the table, sit opposite her, pick up a limpet with my fingers, bite—tender, salty, rich with beef fat—chew slowly, swallow, reach for the sea beet, eat three forkfuls before speaking again.

Thanks. I’m glad you like it.

finish the last of the limpets on my plate, wipe my fingers on my trousers, set the plate down, push back slightly from the table, stand, say nothing more, walk to the porch rail, lean on it, look out at the darkening ridge where the sky me

I’m going to inspect the dock mooring ring for play and start prepping the sister knee reinforcement. You want to hand me the crowbar and the oak wedges?

walk to the dock, inspect the mooring ring for play, then begin preparing sister knee reinforcement by clearing debris and fitting oak wedges into the mortise.

Thanks. I’ll see what I can do with what’s left. If the wedges hold, we’ll buy time for the beam.

insert the oak wedges into the mooring ring mortise, tapping them in gently with the mallet to take up the play, then test for movement by pulling on the ring with hand weight.

Wedges are splitting. Mortise is pulp. I’ll bolt the sister beam through the sound wood below the rot — two 150mm stainless through-bolts, washers and nylocs. That’ll hold.

remove the split oak wedges, clear the mortise of debris, then lay out and drill pilot holes for the two 150mm stainless through-bolts through the sound timber below the rot, preparing for the sister knee reinforcement.

Nylocs are in. Torque to 35. Beam’s pre-drilled and ready to bolt through the knee and into the piling below the rot.

position the sister beam against the dock piling, align it with the mooring ring mortise, insert the two 150mm stainless through-bolts with washers and nyloc nuts, and tighten each to 35Nm using the torque wrench.