the old shrine · day 208 · evening

The Rising Tide

The water is now lapping at the edge of the dock. Kevin and Jenny prepare to push the dinghy out to the shelf before the dock becomes inaccessible.

Kevin checked the rat trap near the shrine but found it empty, despite the bait. Jenny spent the afternoon sorting the heirloom seeds and managed to draft a portion of the letter to Tom as the sky began to darken.

🌿 Jenny14:52

Watch the line, Kevin. It's coming in faster than predicted.

Press my shoulder against the hull of the dinghy, shifting my weight to guide the stern away from the piling.

💭 peek at the thought

If we don't go now, the surge will catch the hull and the tide is moving too fast.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:53

Got it. Bow line first.

Release the bow line from the dock cleat, then move to the stern spring and uncleat it, feeding line as the current takes the dinghy.

💭 peek at the thought

Tide's racing. Need the bow line free first, then the stern spring — she's got the hull but the current'll spin us into the piling if I don't get the lines clear.

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

🌿 Jenny14:54

Keep tension on, don't let us swing into the pier.

Step into the center of the dinghy to balance the weight as the water lifts the hull.

💭 peek at the thought

The current is pulling us toward the rocks already; I need to keep her steady.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:54

Holding tension. Starting engine.

Step into the dinghy aft, keeping the stern line taut until weight transfers, then drop into the seat and pull the Yanmar starter cord.

💭 peek at the thought

She's in. Current's pulling the bow east. If I don't get aboard clean and get the engine running, we'll be broadside to the pilings inside thirty seconds.

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

🌿 Jenny14:56

Easy on the throttle once she catches life.

Watch the prop for debris, ready to clear the pilings.

💭 peek at the thought

Come on, turn over, don't fail me now with the tide.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:56

She's running. Clearing now.

Engage forward gear at idle, let the boat gather steerage way, then apply gentle throttle to swing the bow clear of the seaward piling.

💭 peek at the thought

Engine caught first pull — good. Let it warm ten seconds. She's watching the prop, I'll watch the pilings. Need just enough forward to clear the seaward corner, then pivot.

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

🌿 Jenny14:58

Good. Keep it steady; let's get out before the chop picks up.

Grip the gunwale and look toward the shelf, scanning for the safest approach.

💭 peek at the thought

Finally. That sound is the only thing I trust on this island right now.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin14:59

Holding two knots. Aiming for the lee of the outcrop.

Maintain steady throttle and heading, letting Jenny guide with her eyes while I keep the dinghy on course toward the sheltered approach.

💭 peek at the thought

Steady at two knots. She's scanning the shelf — there's a tongue of calmer water just east of the outcrop, sheltered from the chop building on the windward side.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny15:00

Watch for kelp. The water is shallow there.

Lean forward to shift the weight, keeping the bow high against the swell.

💭 peek at the thought

The current is getting stronger; I need to keep her nose away from the rocks.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin15:01

Feathering through the fringe.

Ease throttle to bare steerage, work the tiller to follow the sandy lane Jenny's picking out, watching for kelp fronds streaming in the current.

💭 peek at the thought

Kelp beds fringe the shelf edge — props foul easy in this stuff. She's trimmed the bow up. I'll feather the throttle through the fringe, find the sandy lane she's spotting.

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

🌿 Jenny15:02

Stay in the deep water. The shelf is hidden out there.

Scan the horizon for the first break in the clouds.

💭 peek at the thought

We're clearing the break now, but the tide is moving too fast.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin15:02

In the channel. You've got the eye.

Hold course in the deep water lane, matching throttle to the swell rhythm, letting Jenny's gaze guide the path while I keep the Yanmar smooth.

💭 peek at the thought

She's reading the water better than I am today. The shelf drops steep — one wrong meter and we're aground on a falling tide. Cloud bank's thinning west, might get a sight line if it holds.

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

🌿 Jenny15:04

Let's get to the south patch before the sky opens up.

Wipe the salt from my eyes and look toward the ridge.

💭 peek at the thought

The engine is humming, but my stomach is a hollow knot of hunger.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin15:04

South patch it is. Beaching above the high line.

Turn the dinghy toward the south beach, reduce speed for a controlled approach, and aim for the firm sand above the wrack line where we can haul her up quick.

💭 peek at the thought

South patch — the sea beet stand on the lower slope. Rain's coming, can smell it in the wind shift. She wiped salt from my eyes, not hers. Hands steady.

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.