Day 643

Holding. Swelling's down a fraction from last light.

finish re-wrapping the ankle with fresh sea beet poultice, secure the binding with a clean strip of gauze, and sit back on the porch step with the medical kit beside me

The poultice is drawing heat. Change it again at noon.

wipe my hands on a rag, set the medical kit on the porch floor, and pick up the binoculars to glass the horizon toward the mainland

Noted.

lower the binoculars, rest them on my knee, and watch the tide line on the beach where the crate floated in yesterday

Boat's due tomorrow. Radio check at ten.

Pour two mugs of coffee, set one beside Jenny on the porch step.

Hold the mug for a sec, I'll bring the other.

Put the other mug on the table, lean back, and watch the tide.

The tide's slow pull is good — it’ll give us a clear dock when the boat comes. Let me finish the bilge check; I’ll be ready.

Tighten the dock mooring ring with the new bolts, double‑check the bilge pump, and lash a spare rope to the porch rail. Then set the radio to 1000, check the signal, and log a ETA note for tomorrow.

On the list. Radio first, then the mast.

Key the shortwave at 1000, run the supply boat check-in, log whatever they give me. Then climb the mast and reseat the coax with the spare roll.

Three points of contact. Always.

Climb the radio mast, test each rung before weighting it, reach the insulator, uncoil the spare coax, strip ends, solder the joint, tape it with self-amalgamating, tug-test the connection, key the mic to verify transmit, then climb down slo

All right, Jenny, let’s see if that new cable’s holding up. I’ll check the water flow on the dock first.

inspect dock water line and test new coax connection.

Already got the dielectric grease in my pocket. Won't make the same mistake twice.

walk down to the dock, crouch at the waterline to check piling bases and test the coax connection at the radio mast base.

Cable runs clean through the fairlead. No pinch points. I'll check the connector seating at the mast base and be right back.

inspect the coax connector at the mast base, wiggle-test the connection, then walk back up to the cottage.

Saw it. Water's off the bottom two courses. Pilings look clean, no new worm damage. Ring's holding.

climb the porch steps, wipe salt off hands on trousers, crouch beside her to look at the ankle wrapping.

The skin's hot above the wrap. Let me re-do it fresh. Got new sea beet and mint cooling in the basin.

gently unwrap the bandage, assess the wound, clean with saline, apply fresh sea beet-mint poultice, re-wrap with clean gauze.

Water's hot if you want it. Broth too.

Walk to the stove and lift the kettle lid, checking the level.

Tin or enamel?

Pull two enamel mugs from the shelf, set them on the table. Ladle broth from the pot into one, steam rising. Fill the other from the kettle, push it across the table toward her without a word.

Five tins left. Corned beef. Two mackerel.

Sit opposite her at the table, mug in hand, blow across the surface. Watch the steam curl and break.

Open one. Save the other.

Reach into the pocket of my trousers, pull out the small tin opener. Slide it across the table toward her.

Let me.

Take the tin from the table, punch the opener through the lid clean, work the rim. Lift the top, peel it back. Oil shines on the dark flesh. Push the tin back to her.

Fork's there if you want.

Nod toward the drawer. Pick up my own mug, drink the broth slow. Taste: pepper, fat, warmth.

Already on it. Kitchen window first, then the dinghy.

Walk to the kitchen window, test both latches, throw the sliding bolt home. Then pull on boots and oilskin, grab the heavy weather line coil from the porch hook, and head down to the dock to double the dinghy's bow warp around the mooring r

Cleat and backing plate. Stern spring chafe guard too.

Reach the dock, crouch at the dinghy bow. Hammer-test the cleat bolts — both ring solid. Run hand along the stern spring where it kisses the piling fairlead; chafe guard's shredded.

Canvas from the genny shed. Be right back.

Sprint up the dock path to the generator shed, haul the canvas roll out from under the lashed tarp, knife a two-foot strip off the end, sprint back down.

On it.

Wrap the canvas strip twice around the stern spring at the fairlead, seat it in the groove. Tie a clove hitch around the standing part, snug it hard, add a half-hitch. Yank test — holds. Coil the tail, tuck it under the wraps.

Checking.

Walk the dock to the bow, grab the line where it leads to the forward eye bolt. Heave on it — the cleat groans, timber compresses. Eye bolt shifts a hair in its bed. Not good.

Getting the through-bolts. Workshop first, then the shutter stash.

Sprint up the dock path, cut across the garden toward the workshop. Yank the door, grab the bolt bin — two 10mm x 150mm stainless, four heavy washers, four nyloc nuts. Stuff them in oilskin pocket.

Working!

Sprint back down the dock, vault onto the dinghy bow. Drill the two new through-bolt holes either side of the existing eye bolt, drive the 10mm stainless through with washers both sides, thread nylocs, torque with the 19mm wrench.

I'll check the lines. You stay off it.

walk to the porch and pull on boots, grab the flashlight and heavy wrench from the shelf, head down the path to the dock

North cleat's bolted through the sister knee. It's not moving.

reach the dock, sweep the flashlight beam along the starboard mooring line to the north piling, test the cleat with a boot heel, then check the warp tension on the dinghy's stern spring