Day 457

I’m gonna run back to the cottage and check the ground stake on the radio mast. Barometer’s dropping and tide’s high—if we lose the insulator, we’re blind till the boat comes.

walk up to the cottage, grab the multimeter and a spare insulator from the shelf, then head back to the dock to test the ground stake resistance and replace the shattered aerial insulator if needed.

On it. Salt connections first, then the stake. Yell if the ankle spikes.

walk up to the cottage, pull the multimeter from the radio shelf, and test the ground stake resistance at the mast base — clean the salt off the lug and clamp if it reads high, then swap the shattered insulator for the spare porcelain one i

Ladder's sound. Three points of contact.

climb the radio mast ladder to the bracket, unbolt the shattered insulator, clean the salt crust off the mounting lugs with the wire brush, install the spare porcelain insulator with new self-amalgamating tape, torque the bolts to spec, the

Dinghy first. Engine's warm — I'll motor her to the lee of the point and anchor. You take the uphill path, slow.

walk to the dinghy, check the stern line and storm anchor warp, then crank the Yanmar

Jenny, wait. Let me rig a line from the dock ring to that oak by the spring. You can haul yourself up hand-over-hand, no weight on the ankle.

run back to the dock, grab the spare half-inch rope from the coil, tie a bowline on the mooring ring, and run the other end to the oak stake by the spring, taking up the slack with a trucker's hitch.

Hold. I'm putting a through-bolt in the starboard sister. Thirty seconds, then you're on.

drill a pilot hole through the greenheart sister plank into the dock piling, drive the 150mm stainless bolt with washer and nyloc nut, and torque to 35Nm.

Yeah. I felt it when I was out. Barometer's at 982 and still sliding. I'll batten down the garden and check the dinghy lines before I do the radio check.

walk to the spring, fill the watering can, then head to the garden to water and stake down the tarp corners where the wind's lifting it.

Stakes are oak, vertical grain. They'll hold. I'll double-line the corners to the deadmen.

walk to the garden, pick up the mallet leaning against the shed, drive each of the four oak stakes deeper at the tarp corners, then run a second length of heavy twine from each stake to the buried deadman anchors and cinch them tight.

Radio's next. Ground rod first — corroded last week. I'll drive a new stake and re-braid the earth lead.

walk back to the cottage porch, unscrew the ground rod clamp from the radio earth terminal, pull the old galvanized rod from the damp soil beside the foundation, drive a fresh copper-clad stake deep with the sledge, clean the braid with eme

Connection's clean. Copper stake, fresh braid, clamped tight. I'll solder the terminal and check SWR before the hour.

walk to the workshop shelf, retrieve the soldering iron and rosin-core solder, heat the iron on the wood stove top, solder the braid-to-terminal joint, let it cool, then key the mic briefly to check the SWR meter on the shortwave.

SWR's 1.3 to 1 on 40 meters — clean enough for voice. I'll keep the mic hot at 1600 and listen for Tom's call sign.

return the soldering iron to the workshop, hang the ground rod clamp back on the terminal, then walk to the radio shelf, set the VFO to Tom's frequency (7.185 MHz LSB), turn the RF gain up, and wait for 1600, eyes on the barometer.

(silent, murmuring to the wind) “Alright, let’s see how these hold.”

inspect each bolt of the dock ring mortise, tighten with 35 Nm torque, add a steel doubler if needed.

Kevin — drive two more oak wedges into the mortise alongside the existing four, seat them with the mallet until the ring won't shift under hand pressure.

Kevin — walk back toward the cottage, keeping pace with her limp.

How fast?

Step up onto the porch behind her, eyes on the gauge over her shoulder.

The gate'll hold. It's the dock pilings I'm watching.

Turn toward the door, pull the storm lantern off its hook, check the wick.

I'll heat water. Clean cloth. Fresh mint if there's any left.

Move to the stove, fill the kettle from the tank, set it to boil.

I'll grab the dried mint from the tin by the stove. You want the antiseptic cream too?

Turn off the kettle before it whistles, step to the counter, open the heirloom seed tin where we've been keeping the mint. Pull out a small bundle, check for damp.

Right.

Pour hot water into the tin mug, drop the dried mint in to steep. Squeeze the antiseptic tube — nearly empty. Carry both to the bench, set them down. Kneel. Peel back the old gauze slow.

Jenny, I'm going to check the radio ground stake. Want anything while I'm down there?

walk to the radio mast at the cottage, inspect the ground rod and connections, clean corrosion with wire brush if needed, re-seat the clamp, and test continuity with multimeter if available.

Got it, Jenny. I'll fetch some rain‑catchment water right now and top off the tank.

move to the roof of the cottage, open the rain‑catchment cover, position a bucket or rain barrel, let the wind help funnel rain, and carry the collected water back to the tank to top it off.