the dock · day 159 · morning

Low tide exploration

Kevin and Jenny meet at the dock as the water reaches its lowest point, exposing the rocks beneath the pier.

Kevin kneels at the dock during low tide to inspect the structural integrity of the planks using the crowbar. Jenny heads toward the north cliffs to continue her Carex transect while the weather holds and the supply boat approaches.

🌿 Jenny18:13

Those planks are thinner than they were last week. We need to reinforce before the boat comes.

Kneels at the edge of the jetty, running a finger over the soft, grey wood of the main support.

💭 peek at the thought

The tide is so low I can see the rot in the pilings; he's looking at the engine again while I'm looking at the decay.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:13

Aye. Two planks minimum. Maybe three if the rot's tracked along the stringer. Got the crowbar?

kneel beside her and tap the plank with the handle of my knife, listening for the hollow sound

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. The rot's eaten deeper than I thought. Another gale like the last one and the whole transom goes.

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

🌿 Jenny18:15

It's inside. I'll get it, but we need to check the brackets first.

Stands up, wiping salt grit from her palms, and heads toward the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

The crowbar is in the kitchen, near the seed tin; he's always asking for the heavy tools.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:15

Check the aft pair too. The ones under the cleat. Water sits there.

stay at the dock edge, prying up a corner of the worst plank with the knife tip to see how far the rot runs underneath

💭 peek at the thought

Brackets first. Smart. If the galvanizing's gone on the lag bolts, the new planks won't hold a week.

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

🌿 Jenny18:17

I'll bring the bar. Don't pry it any further up until I'm back.

Steps back toward the cottage, the floorboards creaking under her weight, and enters the kitchen.

💭 peek at the thought

If the cleat is loose, the whole jetty won't hold when the boat hits hard.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:17

Not moving it.

crouch by the exposed end, running a fingertip along the stringer where the plank meets it, feeling for softness

💭 peek at the thought

Good call. The stringer might be holding the plank down — pry it now and I'll snap the only sound timber left.

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

🌿 Jenny18:19

Right.

Reaches under the counter, grips the heavy iron crowbar near the seed tin, and heads back out to the dock.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so focused on the mechanics he doesn't see the whole structure is failing.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:19

Brackets first. Then we see what the stringer's telling us.

step back from the plank, wiping my knife blade on my trousers, and wait for her to reach the jetty

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving slower than last week. Ankle still stiff from the infection, even if she won't say 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.