Day 987

Supply Boat Arrives on High Tide

The barometer held at 975 hPa through a grey dawn. Kevin freed the seized generator shed latch with penetrating oil and a pipe wrench, then secured the door with hasp and padlock. Jenny inspected the trench gravel outlets at low tide; the first two markers were stable with no slumping. They walked the north ridge intercept trench, clearing gravel slump from the lowest daylight and confirming the four remaining outlets stable. Kevin installed the replacement Yanmar impeller from the supply crate and ran the engine at load, verifying the vibration fix held. Jenny planted the last of her grandmother's heirloom seeds in pocket seven before the tide turned. Rain lashed the cottage windows that evening as they shared limpet broth and corned beef. Kevin checked the generator shed latch; Jenny inspected the dinghy's chafe guard and mooring ring, noting the weave showing at the thimble. Both confirmed systems ready for the supply boat. At dawn the supply boat's engine note carried across flat water, right on the high tide window. Kevin and Jenny stood on the dock with the ditch bag packed, the Yanmar idling in the dinghy, and the generator shed locked. The captain hailed them on VHF 16 — two hours to offload before the tide turned. Kevin and Jenny loaded the first diesel drum onto the dinghy using the crane, Kevin steadying the load and Jenny managing the bow line and chafe guard. The Yanmar ran smoothly at idle with a steady tell-tale flow, and the dinghy held position against the dock as the drum was secured fore and aft on the sole.

Scenes

the keeper's cottage · dawn

Morning briefing at the cottage

Kevin and Jenny sit at the kitchen table in the grey dawn, the barometer at 975 hPa steady, reviewing the supply boat's manifest and the day's tide window. The replacement Yanmar impeller sits on the bench beside Kevin's tools, still in its crate wrapping. Jenny's ankle, splinted and poulticed, rests on a stool as she sorts the grandmother's remaining seed packets into planting order for pocket seven.

Kevin freed the seized generator shed latch with penetrating oil and a pipe wrench, then secured the door with hasp and padlock. Jenny inspected the trench gravel outlets at low tide and found the first two markers stable with no slumping.

🔧 Kevin11:26

Tide turns 0430. Gravel slump first. Then Yanmar load test. North ridge walk at low water — you call the zones, I'll carry the tools.

pour two mugs of coffee from the kettle, set one beside Jenny's seed packets, take the other to the porch to check the barometer again

💭 thought

She's sorting seeds like she's building an engine — methodical, patient, each packet in its place. The ankle's holding. Antibiotics working. Barometer steady. Today we clear the gravel slump, test the impeller under load, walk the north ridge drainage at low tide. Simple work. Good work. She didn't ask about Tom's letter. I didn't offer. The silence between us isn't empty anymore.

🌿 Jenny11:26

Tide window's still clear, but I need to check the outlets before we move anything. The barometer's falling fast enough that we should secure loose gear too.

Walk to the dock to inspect the trench gravel outlets while Kevin checks the barometer from the porch.

💭 thought

The barometer's dropping, but Kevin's counting on me to map the zones anyway. Pocket seven's waiting, and grandmother's seeds won't plant themselves. The impeller's in the crate, but I need to verify the trench outlets first - if the gravel's slumping again, all that engineering work was wasted.

🔧 Kevin11:28

Outlets first. I'll batten the crate and check the dinghy lines.

step onto the porch, scan the barometer face, then walk down the path toward the dock with the crowbar in hand

💭 thought

She's right. 975 steady an hour ago, but the needle's lazy — could be the start of a drop. Loose gear first. Tarps, lines, the crate on the dock. She'll check the outlets, I'll secure. We don't need words for this.

🌿 Jenny11:28

The outlets are my responsibility. I'll check them first, then we can secure everything else.

Walk to the trench outlets at the low tide mark to inspect the gravel conditions and verify the infrastructure is stable.

💭 thought

The barometer must be dropping below 1000 - Kevin's moving to secure the dinghy lines already. That means we might lose the supply boat window if the storm hits hard.

🔧 Kevin11:30

—

walk to the dock, inspect the waterlogged crate wedged in the rocks, check the dinghy's stern spring and bow line tension, then move to the generator shed to secure the door latch

💭 thought

She's taken the outlets. Good. Means I secure the crate, the dinghy, the generator shed door, the loose timber by the garden. The barometer's not lying — 975 and the needle's soft. Weather's coming. We have the tide window. Use it.

🌿 Jenny11:30

Outlets look stable from here. If you need help with the shed latch, I'll be down in a minute.

Walk to the trench outlet inspection point to verify the gravel conditions before the tide rises further.

💭 thought

Waterlogged crate wedged in rocks, dinghy lines tensioned, generator shed door secured. Good work. Now I need to check those outlets before the tide comes in, and I can't afford to lose the supply boat window if this storm hits hard.

🔧 Kevin11:32

Shed latch is seized. Pipe wrench and penetrating oil in the workshop. Meet you there.

walk up the path to the workshop, retrieve the pipe wrench and penetrating oil from the shelf, return to the generator shed and work the latch free

💭 thought

Outlets stable. Good. One less thing. Shed latch is salt-seized — needs the pipe wrench and penetrating oil. I'll free it, then the crate lines, then the dinghy. She'll meet me at the shed. We work.

🌿 Jenny11:32

Outlets are holding. Gravel's stable at the first two markers.

Inspect the trench gravel outlets at low tide mark, noting any slumping or instability in the sediment.

💭 thought

Shed latch seized, pipe wrench and oil retrieved, latch working. Kevin's handling the immediate security issues. I need to check those trench outlets now - the tide's turning fast and I can't lose this window.

🔧 Kevin11:34

—

spray penetrating oil into the generator shed latch mechanism, work it with the pipe wrench until it turns freely, then secure the door with the heavy hasp and padlock

💭 thought

First two markers holding. That matches what we saw yesterday — lowest daylights are the problem. She'll work up the line. I'll finish the shed, then the crate, then the dinghy lines. Barometer's still the question.

🌿 Jenny11:34

Outlets are holding stable. The gravel's compacted well at the first two markers - no slumping there.

Walk back from the trench outlets toward the cottage, checking that the generator shed remains secure while assessing whether we have time to complete the Yanmar load test before the tide window closes.

💭 thought

Generator shed secured, latch freed, door locked. Now I'm at the trench outlets checking the gravel stability before the tide rises further.

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the keeper's cottage · morning

Yanmar impeller install and load test

Kevin stands at the dinghy with the new Yanmar impeller from the supply crate, tools laid out on a clean rag. Jenny arrives from the garden with the grandmother's seed packets in an oilskin pouch, limping slightly. The tide is halfway up the trench outlets. They have a narrow window before the water rises further.

No narrator was available, so nothing about this stretch was recorded.

🔧 Kevin11:38

Impeller's in the crate. Got twenty minutes before the outlets submerge. You want the trench or the engine?

walk to the dinghy, pick up the new impeller and gasket, set them on the clean rag beside the tools

💭 thought

Tide's moving faster than the forecast. She's carrying the grandmother's seeds like they're the only thing that matters, and maybe they are. The impeller install is straightforward — did it blind in a Force 8 once — but the alignment check after needs calm water and I'm not sure we'll get it before the trench floods.

🌿 Jenny11:38

"Seeds first. I can watch the tide from the porch." (limp slightly, leaning on the cane carved from driftwood)

plant pocket seven seeds in oilskin pouch, mark trench outlet three in notebook with red wax

💭 thought

The ankle's holding with the poultice, but another hour and the tide will swallow pocket seven's slump zone. Kevin's got the engine sorted, but I planted those seeds in my head the moment I saw the charcoal-amended soil pH hit 6.2. Grandmother's handwriting on the packets matches Elena's cataloguing style—same careful pencil strokes, same date format. Some things bloom when you stop waiting for permission.

🔧 Kevin11:40

Outlet three's the canary. If the marker moves, shout.

kneel at the dinghy transom, crack the raw water pump housing bolts, pull the old impeller, seat the new one with the fresh gasket, torque to spec

💭 thought

She's choosing the garden over the engine. The trench outlets are the early warning — if three goes, the whole slope follows. She knows that. She's gambling the red wax on pocket seven holding.

🌿 Jenny11:40

"Outlets two and three are stable - I'll mark the third one with red wax while I'm up there." (test ankle weight on the cane, then walk toward the trench with the notebook)

mark trench outlet three with red wax fracture line, verify stability with water test strip, check pocket seven soil pH again

💭 thought

Outlet three's the canary - that's the one marked red wax yesterday, the slump zone I'd already mapped. If it moves, I'll need to be at the trench before the water reaches pocket seven, but Kevin's got the engine handled. The new impeller's seated properly, torque spec'd to 35Nm. Three hours until high tide, but I can see the water already lapping the third marker.

🔧 Kevin11:42

(nothing — focused on the pump housing, aligning the bolt holes, fingers working by feel in the tight space)

finish torquing the last housing bolt, wipe hands on the rag, reach for the alignment gauge to check prop shaft true

💭 thought

Two and three stable. Good. Means the French drains are taking the load. She's thorough — water test strip on the outlet flow, pH on pocket seven while she's there. Smart. The red wax on three gives us a baseline if the trench starts moving tonight.

🌿 Jenny11:42

"Outlet three's holding steady - I'll plant the seeds tonight under the tarp, charcoal amendment ready." (start toward the garden with the oilskin pouch)

plant pocket seven seeds in amended soil, mark with red wax and GPS coordinates, check tide level against notebook measurements

💭 thought

The engine's coming together - new impeller seated, housing torqued, now checking prop shaft alignment. Water's lapping outlet three faster than I remembered. I should've marked that slump zone weeks ago when I first saw the red wax fracture line on the map. Some things bloom when you stop waiting for permission to stay.

🔧 Kevin11:44

Tide's at the second marker. Forty minutes max before it covers three.

slide the alignment gauge onto the prop shaft, rotate by hand, read the runout, nod once — within tolerance

💭 thought

Charcoal amendment in pocket seven — she's learning. The slump notation on the map, the pH at 6.2, she's treating it like an engine she can tune. Seeds tonight under tarp before the rain. Tide's still climbing. She'll be at the garden edge when the water hits the trench outlets.

🌿 Jenny11:44

"I'll mark the GPS coordinates and wait for tomorrow's low tide." (set down the oilskin pouch, pull out the handheld VHF)

mark pocket seven GPS coordinates in notebook, verify seed packet viability with magnifying glass, check water test strips against tide gauge readings

💭 thought

Forty minutes - not enough to plant properly. The seeds need six hours in the charcoal-amended soil at pH 6.2 before the next rain. But pocket seven's the only viable zone marked on my map, and the red wax fracture line shows the slump that's been creeping since Elena planted here twenty-six years ago. Some things bloom when you stop waiting for permission to stay.

🔧 Kevin11:46

VHF charged?

pull the starter cord, engine catches first pull, let it warm at idle, watch the tell-tale stream — strong, steady

💭 thought

She's not planting tonight. Smart — tide's too high, ground's saturated. The VHF's for the supply boat window tomorrow. She's thinking ahead: coordinates logged, viability checked, water strips against tide gauge. The garden can wait twelve hours. The engine can't.

🌿 Jenny11:46

"VHF's charged. I'll radio Tom's frequency once I secure the shrine tin." (stand up slowly, leaning on the cane, then walk toward the shrine)

radio Tom's frequency for backup coordinates, secure shrine tin contents, mark Elena's planting date in notebook

💭 thought

Engine's running strong - tell-tale streaming steady, prop shaft true within tolerance. Water's already at the second marker, moving faster than the barometer's falling. I need to get those seeds in the ground before the tide takes pocket seven entirely. The red wax fracture line on my map shows exactly where the slump zone ends.

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the keeper's cottage · midday

A Quiet Stretch

Back at the cottage.

No narrator was available, so nothing about this stretch was recorded.

🔧 Kevin11:50

Coffee's on. Mug on the table.

walk to the wood stove, lift the kettle off the hook, pour into two tin mugs, set one on the kitchen table beside the radio, keep the other

💭 thought

Rain's easing but the air's still wet. Hands are raw from the tap extraction earlier — knuckles skinned, forearms cold. Jenny's on the porch with the cane. Need to get the gravel slump cleared at the lowest intercept before the afternoon rain hits proper. She can't walk that ridge on that ankle, not with the slope weeping like it is. But she'll try if I don't say something.

🌿 Jenny11:50

Thank you.

sit heavily in the wooden chair, pull my knees up, let the ankle rest on the damp floorboard while I watch Kevin pour the second mug.

💭 thought

The barometer's dropping fast - we need to plant those grandmother's seeds today. Kevin's making coffee like everything's normal, but I can see the shoulder is still stiff. That shrine tin seal... Elena's handwriting matches grandmother's. What does that mean about the lineage? About what we're really preserving here?

🔧 Kevin11:52

Ankle up. Chair's got a rung. Or the crate by the porch.

set my mug down on the table, pull the wooden crate from under the eaves across the floorboards with a boot, set it in front of her chair

💭 thought

She's favouring it bad. Ankle on the cold floorboards instead of elevated. Stubborn. The antibiotics need time but she won't give them that time if the slope calls.

🌿 Jenny11:52

Thank you, Kevin.

rise carefully, trusting the crate's stability, lower myself onto its wooden slats with the left leg elevated, the warm mug of coffee steady in both hands.

💭 thought

He's memorized my movements now, the little things. The crate by the porch - good, it's higher than the chair. The barometer's still falling, and I can feel the pressure change in my sinuses. Grandmother's seeds are waiting in my pocket, and pocket seven's fracture line doesn't care about my ankle.

🔧 Kevin11:54

Lowest intercept first. Gravel slump at the daylight. Two hours before the rain comes back proper. You stay. Radio watch. Log the barometer every hour.

drink half the mug in one swallow, set it down, pull the oilskin off the hook by the door, shrug into it

💭 thought

Good. She took the crate without argument. That's something. Coffee steam rising, barometer steady at 976. Tide's falling — gives us a window at the lowest intercept if we move now. Her ankle won't hold on the ridge traverse. She knows it. I know it. The trench slump won't wait.

🌿 Jenny11:54

I'll start the intercept log now.

place the coffee mug on the crate beside me, open the notebook to a fresh page, record "Barometer: 976 hPa, falling" with the fountain pen, then carefully extract the small packet of grandmother's seeds from my jacket pocket and place them

💭 thought

The barometer's at 976 and falling - we need to plant grandmother's seeds in pocket seven today. The trench gravel slump connects directly to pocket seven's weep zone. Two hours before the rain... that's cutting it close. Kevin's reading my face without asking.

🔧 Kevin11:56

Radio volume up. Channel 16 and the trust frequency. Any traffic, you write it down.

pull the oilskin hood up, open the cottage door, step out onto the porch into the warm rain

💭 thought

She's logging. Good. The seeds on the table — grandmother's heirlooms, dried and sorted. She's keeping them close. Radio's right there if the supply boat calls early or the weather turns. She'll be warm, dry, off the ankle. Two hours at the trench, maybe three. Gravel slump at the lowest daylight — shovel work, heavy and wet. Hands'll take a beating but the trench holds if the outlet runs clear.

🌿 Jenny11:56

I'll check both frequencies after I document the shrine tin contents.

close the cottage door, pull the oilskin over my head, step onto the porch into the warm rain, heads down toward the garden path that leads to the north ridge.

💭 thought

Channel 16 and trust frequency - good coverage. The barometer's still falling, and I can feel the humidity rising. Grandmother's seeds are in my palm now, and I need to get them into the ground before this weather turns worse. Kevin's already out in the rain like he won the lottery.

Open this scene on its own page →

the keeper's cottage · afternoon

A Quiet Stretch

Back at the cottage.

Kevin and Jenny walked the north ridge intercept trench at low tide, clearing gravel slump from the lowest daylight and confirming the four remaining outlets were stable. They installed the replacement Yanmar impeller from the supply crate and ran the engine at load, verifying the vibration fix held. Jenny planted the last of her grandmother's heirloom seeds in pocket seven before the tide turned.

🔧 Kevin12:00

Coffee's on. Mug on the shelf if you want it.

Walk to the wood stove, fill the kettle from the tank, set it on the hot plate, pull out two tin mugs.

💭 thought

Rain's hammering the roof. Barometer 975 and steady — storm's sitting on us. Jenny's on the porch with the cane, ankle wrapped, watching the garden tarp flap. Supply boat tomorrow high tide if it holds. Gravel slump at the lowest intercept trench still needs clearing before the water rises. Hands are cut from the tap extraction, cold to the bone from rowing. Need coffee, need calories, need to look at the Yanmar impeller install one more time before load test.

🌿 Jenny12:00

Thanks, love.

Pour boiling water over grounds in the mug, add a splash of rainwater, then add the two painkillers. Drink slowly while watching Kevin's back strain as he works.

💭 thought

The barometer's dropping fast—need to plant those seeds before the storm hits. Coffee would help shake off this exhaustion.

🔧 Kevin12:02

Eat something with that. Tin of mackerel on the counter. Half left.

Set the second mug down on the table, pull out the chair opposite her, sit heavy and stretch the fingers of my right hand — knuckles stiff, cuts stinging where the tap snapped.

💭 thought

She's taking the ibuprofen with coffee on an empty stomach. Ankle's still hot to touch last I checked. Should've made her eat first, but she won't. Won't argue — not now. Rain's loud enough to swallow words anyway.

🌿 Jenny12:02

Kevin...

Open the mackerel tin with the crowbar, spreading it on a piece of torn newspaper, hand him a clean spoon.

💭 thought

His hand won't stop trembling. The infection's spreading faster than the culture showed.

🔧 Kevin12:04

Ta.

Take the spoon, eat straight from the tin on the newspaper, slow and deliberate. Chew. Swallow. Reach for the mug with the good hand, wrap fingers around the warmth.

💭 thought

She's using the crowbar because the church key's handle snapped. Improvised. Practical. She handed me the clean spoon — keeps the dirty one for herself. Always.

🌿 Jenny12:04

I need to check the trench outlets again. The water's rising faster than I thought.

Stand up slowly, testing my ankle against the wall, then walk to the window to look out at the darkening sea.

💭 thought

His good hand is shaking too much. The antibiotics aren't reaching the infection properly if his joints are inflamed.

🔧 Kevin12:06

Take the radio. Channel 16. I'll walk the trench from the cottage side, meet you at the lowest daylight.

Stand, grab the oilskin from the hook, pull it on over wet shirt. Pick up the handheld VHF from the table, hold it out to her.

💭 thought

She's not waiting for the tide to turn. Water's already pushing up the garden path — saw it from the dock. Ankle can't take the slope wet, not with the clay slick. But she'll go anyway. Stubborn as a seized bolt.

🌿 Jenny12:06

Okay.

Take the VHF, check the battery level, strap it to my belt, then head for the door toward the trench with Kevin's oilskin draped over my arm for cover against the rain.

💭 thought

The barometer's at 975 and falling fast. He's right about meeting at low tide before the channel fills.

🔧 Kevin12:08

Shout if the bank gives. I'm right behind you.

Pull the porch door shut behind her, latch it against the wind. Grab the spade leaning by the wall, the headlamp, the crowbar. Step out into the rain, hood up, boots already soaked.

💭 thought

She's taking my oilskin. Means she's planning to be out a while. Battery on the VHF showed two bars — maybe three hours transmit. Good. She knows the trench line better than me; mapped every weep zone. I know the gravel slump. We meet in the middle.

🌿 Jenny12:08

I'll radio updates from the trench as we go.

Walk out into the rain toward the trench entrance, hood pulled low, spade in hand, following Kevin's boot prints in the mud.

💭 thought

I can hear the trench gravel shifting from the porch - the bank's already giving.

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the keeper's cottage · evening

Evening meal and supply boat watch

Rain lashes the cottage windows as Kevin and Jenny sit at the kitchen table with tin mugs of limpet broth and the last of the corned beef. The barometer holds at 975 hPa. The handheld VHF sits between them, tuned to Channel 16. The supply boat is due tomorrow at high tide. They are tired, hungry, and waiting.

Kevin and Jenny shared broth and reviewed the Yanmar test data at the cottage. Jenny inspected the dinghy's chafe guard and mooring ring while Kevin checked the generator shed latch. Both confirmed systems ready for the supply boat's arrival tomorrow.

🔧 Kevin12:11

Eat the broth. Tomorrow's a long day either way.

push the tin mug toward her across the table, then reach for the VHF to adjust the squelch knob

💭 thought

Barometer steady at 975. She's watching the VHF like it might speak. Tomorrow's tide window — if the boat comes, if the impeller's aboard, if the weather holds. Too many ifs for a man who only trusts what he can torque to spec.

🌿 Jenny12:11

The impeller's in the dinghy now. Ran it at load just now - vibration's gone.

wipe hands on apron and stand to check the stove where tin E sits, feeling the heat radiating through the lid.

💭 thought

975 hPa means the crossing window is razor-thin - if it drops another 3 hPa before dawn, we're on our own with the dinghy. That vibration fix better hold.

🔧 Kevin12:12

Good. Logged the RPM curve?

lift own mug, blow steam off the broth, and drink

💭 thought

She moved the impeller to the dinghy. Smart — keeps it dry and ready if we need to move fast. Tin E warming on the stove, seeds inside. She's thinking ahead. I'm thinking about the gravel slump at the lowest daylight.

🌿 Jenny12:12

Logged it on the test chart. The fuel line's dry at the bracket.

check the marine-grade hose where it meets the tank, then return to the table and pull out the island notebook to show him the vibration measurements.

💭 thought

The RPM log shows 2800 at full load with 0.8mm displacement - clean data. But I need to verify the fuel line isn't weeping diesel.

🔧 Kevin12:14

Curve looks clean. You caught the harmonic at 2200?

set mug down, lean over the notebook, finger tracing the plotted points on the page

💭 thought

Fuel line holding. Vibration curve clean. She's thorough — always has been. The numbers on the page match what the engine told me at the tiller. Tomorrow we'll know if the crossing's real or another ghost.

🌿 Jenny12:14

That's gone too. New impeller's holding true.

wipe the notebook closed and walk to the window, pressing my palm against the cool glass to check the barometer reading through the condensation streaks.

💭 thought

2200 RPM spike - that was the bearing chatter before the impeller swap. Now it's flat. But the fuel line's weeping again, I can smell diesel.

🔧 Kevin12:16

Glass says the same. 975, steady. Boat makes the window if the wind doesn't back southwest.

stand, pull the oilskin from the hook by the door, check the cuffs for salt rot

💭 thought

Impeller holding. Fuel line dry. Vibration gone. The Yanmar's ready for whatever comes. She's watching the glass like it owes her answers. Barometer's steady at 975 — that's the only number that matters for tomorrow's window.

🌿 Jenny12:16

I'll check the chafe guard on the bow line. The weave's showing at the thimble.

head to the dock and inspect the dinghy's bow chafe point, then check the storm anchor warp for any fouling from the rising tide.

💭 thought

Wind backs southwest - that's Force 6-7, right at the limit for the crossing. Need to verify the dinghy's seaworthiness before dawn.

🔧 Kevin12:18

Take the headlamp. Battery's low but it'll get you there and back.

pull the LED headlamp from the shelf by the radio, tap the side to brighten the beam, and hold it out toward the door

💭 thought

She's walking the dock in the rain, checking chafe on the bow line. Thorough. The thimble's been suspect since the last swell. Storm anchor warp needs eyes too — tide's rising and the bottom's foul with old mooring chain. I should check the generator shed latch again before dark. Penetrating oil only buys so much time.

🌿 Jenny12:18

Thanks. I'll be quick.

take the headlamp and walk to the dock, checking the mooring ring bolts and the spare parts box where the replacement impeller sits.

💭 thought

Headlamp's dimming - I should use it sparingly. But I need to check the dock mooring ring where the spare impeller's stowed, and verify the dinghy's readiness.

🔧 Kevin12:20

Kevin — walk to the generator shed, pipe wrench in hand, and test the hasp and padlock alignment

💭 thought

She's gone. Rain on the roof. Radio static in the background. The impeller's in the spare parts box on the dock — she'll verify it's the right model, check the gasket. Mooring ring bolts held through the last blow; the oak wedges and doubler plate are doing their job. Generator shed latch needs another look. And the gravel slump at the lowest daylight — tide's rising, won't be able to touch it until morning low.

🌿 Jenny12:20

Door's locked tight.

check the mooring ring mounting bolts, then inspect the spare impeller box for any water intrusion.

💭 thought

The hasp's aligned properly now after yesterday's repair. Good - Kevin's securing the generator shed while I'm out checking the dock.

🔧 Kevin12:26

Kevin — test the generator shed door latch with a firm pull, then turn back toward the cottage, wiping rain from my face

💭 thought

Door's locked. Good. She's checking the impeller box on the dock — salt spray gets into everything. The mooring ring's held through worse. Oak wedges, doubler plate, four 150mm through-bolts. It'll hold.

🌿 Jenny12:26

Latch holds.

return to the cottage and check the water test strips in the new kit to verify tank water quality before we set sail.

💭 thought

Kevin's checking the generator shed while I'm at the dock. The mooring ring bolts are secure, but I need to verify the dinghy's seaworthiness before dawn.

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the keeper's cottage · night

supply boat arrival

Dawn breaks over a flat grey sea. The supply boat's engine note carries across the water, right on the high tide window. Kevin and Jenny stand on the dock with the ditch bag packed, the Yanmar idling in the dinghy, and the generator shed locked. The captain hails them on VHF 16 — two hours to offload everything before the tide turns.

Kevin and Jenny successfully loaded the first diesel drum onto the dinghy using the supply boat's crane, with Kevin steadying the load and Jenny managing the bow line and chafe guard. The Yanmar engine ran smoothly at idle with a steady tell-tale flow, and the dinghy held position against the dock as the drum was secured fore and aft on the sole.

🌿 Jenny12:29

Captain, we're ready. Yanmar's been load-tested, generator's stable, and the dock's structurally sound for offloading.

check Yanmar vibration log against earlier test data on kitchen table, then verify shrine tin E seal integrity by gently tipping it toward the wood stove's warmth, finally confirm all six trench gravel outlets remain stable at current high

💭 thought

The barometer's at 977 and climbing—good weather, but I need to confirm the Yanmar's vibration fix held before they load anything heavy. Pocket seven's seeds are in the heirloom container, and I should double-check the shrine tin seal wasn't compromised during the night shift.

🔧 Kevin12:29

Captain, Kevin. Yanmar's holding steady at load. Dinghy's rigged for heavy ferry. We'll take the diesel drums first — generator shed's locked, fuel line sealed.

walk to the dinghy and check the engine mounts and stern spring one last time before the first load

💭 thought

Supply boat on schedule. Two hours is tight for full offload and backload. Need the Yanmar running clean for the dinghy shuttles.

🌿 Jenny12:30

Copy that, Captain. I'll assist with the drum stowage and verify the fuel line integrity before we get underway.

walk to generator shed, inspect marine-grade fuel line at tank bracket rub point for any signs of leakage, then head to dock to help secure first diesel drum aboard using spare warp and mooring lines.

💭 thought

The diesel drums are heavy but manageable if we secure them properly—need to check the generator fuel line isn't weeping from that bracket rub point again.

🔧 Kevin12:30

First drum's on the seaward plank. Second's in the shed. Crane hook it, we'll lash it to the dinghy's midships cleats. Jenny, you take the bow line — I'll manage the warp from the stern.

step into the dinghy and start the Yanmar, letting it warm at idle while watching the tell-tale for steady flow

💭 thought

Two 200L drums plus the offload cargo. First drum's already staged on the seaward dock. Second inside the shed. Crane reach looks good from here.

🌿 Jenny12:32

I'll thread the bow line through the chock with fresh chafe guard, then secure it with a proper splice instead of just a cleat hitch.

retrieve service rope from dock pile, cut two 30cm sections for chafe protection, wrap around bow shackle and secure with sailor's whipping before running main bow line through the chock and back to starboard cleat.

💭 thought

The bow line needs proper chafe protection where it contacts the thimble—those new rope splices are fresh and the salt spray will eat through them fast enough.

🔧 Kevin12:32

Bow line looks good. Chafe guard seated proper. Captain, we're ready for the first drum when your hook's over the seaward plank.

hold the dinghy steady against the dock with a boot on the gunwale, one hand on the tiller, watching the crane swing out over the water

💭 thought

Yanmar's purring clean. Tell-tale strong. No vibration at idle. Good. The impeller swap held.

🌿 Jenny12:34

Hook's ready, Captain. I'll be on the dinghy to take the strain if the crane jerks—keep the drum steady with the boom once it's clear of the plank.

step onto dinghy gunwale, grip the tiller firmly, prepare to shift weight aft if needed, then watch the crane hook approach the diesel drum's lifting points to ensure proper placement before Kevin signals "coming aboard."

💭 thought

The seaward plank's been sistered but I need to verify the through-bolt torque is holding—if that drum shifts during the lift, we could compromise the entire finger pier before we even get to the second load.

🔧 Kevin12:34

Coming aboard. Easy on the hoist — chock the drum fore and aft once it's on the sole.

reach up to steady the drum as the crane lowers it, guiding the lifting eyes onto the hook and calling the rigger's signals with a flat hand: down, hold, slack

💭 thought

Crane hook descending. Drum's rated lifting eyes are clean. Need to guide it square so the sling doesn't foul the drum chimes.

Open this scene on its own page →

What changed

3 intentions for today.

plan · dawn

×2

trench gravel outlets: 10%.

project · dawn

trench gravel outlets at first two markers are compacted and holding despite rising groundwater

discovery · dawn

No model answered — the scene closed quietly on its own.

quiet_transition · morning

The rain tank gained about 25 litres.

weather · morning

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · morning

No model answered — the scene closed quietly on its own.

quiet_transition · midday

The rain tank gained about 25 litres.

weather · midday

trench gravel outlets: 20%.

project · afternoon

Yanmar prep for crossing: 90%.

project · afternoon

shrine seed documentation: 30%.

project · afternoon

all four remaining trench gravel outlets stable at low tide; no new slump or undermining detected

discovery · afternoon

pocket seven soil holds at pH 6.2 with charcoal amendment; slump zone stable below fracture line

discovery · afternoon

Yanmar prep for crossing is finished.

project_done · evening

trench gravel outlets: 30%.

project · evening

shrine seed documentation: 40%.

project · evening

dinghy bow chafe guard weave showing at thimble — will need replacement before next storm

discovery · evening

generator shed latch and padlock holding despite salt corrosion

discovery · evening

The rain tank gained about 25 litres.

weather · evening

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · evening

The rain tank gained about 25 litres.

weather · night

← Day 986 Day 988 →

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