the dock · day 313 · afternoon

Preparing for the Supply Boat

Kevin and Jenny meet on the dock in the afternoon, the sun beating on the slick planks. Kevin shows the unfinished brace, and they discuss the urgent need to replace the rotten dock boards before the supply boat arrives.

Kevin and Jenny replaced the rotted planks on the southern section of the dock. Kevin struggled to pry the salt-damaged wood loose, while Jenny successfully aligned the new greenheart boards and secured them with stainless bolts and spikes.

🔧 Kevin20:37

Brace won’t hold. Hole’s not deep enough. We gotta replace the planks first—south side’s worst. I’ll rip out the rotten ones, you pass me the sound cores from the shed. We’ll sister new two-by-fours under the joists, then lay and spike. Low tide’s in two hours—enough time if we move.

Walk to the shed, grab the three salvaged dock planks and a crowbar, return to the dock, and begin prying up the two rotten planks at the south end of the jetty.

💭 peek at the thought

The auger hole’s clean but shallow, the greenheart too long to seat. Dock’s rotting underfoot—two planks gone soft, the rest slick with salt. If the supply boat’s crane loads tomorrow, this finger pier could fold. Need to sister new stringers, cut replacement planks, and lay them before slack tide. Jenny’s quiet, watching me—she knows the weight of this.

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

🌿 Jenny20:38

Watch the crowbar, Kevin, those pilings are rusted through. I'll get the sister boards ready.

Kneel on the hot wood, clearing away splinters and salt-crusted debris to expose the gap in the frame.

💭 peek at the thought

The wood is soft like wet cardboard; if we don't sister these now, the whole jetty will slide into the channel when the boat ties off.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:39

Got it. Gentle on the first one—see if the nails bite or crumble.

Wedge the crowbar under the nearest rotten plank, apply slow pressure, and lift it free in one piece if the nails hold, letting it drop onto the dinghy deck to clear the work face.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right—the pilings are pitted, the bolts weep rust. One wrong lever and the whole stringer shifts. She's already clearing the seat for the sister boards, hands sure. Good. We work fast, speak less.

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

🌿 Jenny20:39

It's clear. Give me the next one, I need the leverage.

Reach for the pile of salvaged timber and hand the straightest board to Kevin.

💭 peek at the thought

way's out, but the wood underneath is pulpy. The salt is eating this place.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:41

Next one coming up.

Pry the second rotten plank free, toss it aside, then take the straightest salvaged board from Jenny and position it against the exposed joist, aligning the bolt holes.

💭 peek at the thought

She's already thinking ahead—sister board first, then planking. Smart. The salvaged cores are sound, heartwood tight. We'll bolt them to the existing joists, then spike the new deck. Two hours is tight but doable.

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

🌿 Jenny20:41

Hold it right there. I'm gonna pilot the holes before the wood splits.

Drill through the new board into the old joist, clearing the wood dust from the pile.

💭 peek at the thought

The gap is wider than I thought. If I don't get these flush, the boat will catch the edge.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:43

Two bolts per end, staggered. I'll follow with the carriage bolts and washers.

Hold the sister board firm against the joist while Jenny drills, then feed 150mm stainless carriage bolts through each hole as she finishes, adding washers and threading nyloc nuts finger-tight.

💭 peek at the thought

Pilot holes first—she's saving us split timber and wasted time. Drill whines in the heat, dust curls. Good rhythm. I'll set the bolts as she bores, keep the line moving.

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

🌿 Jenny20:43

Tighten them down. We need the surface level before the tide comes back.

Wipe the salt from my eyes with a forearm and reach for the wrench.

💭 peek at the thought

It's holding for now, but the pilings are mush. My hands are so tired.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:45

On it.

Snug each nyloc nut with the heavy wrench, checking the sister board sits flat against the joist with no rock, then signal for the first replacement deck plank.

💭 peek at the thought

Salt stings, sweat blurs. She's right—the tide turns in ninety minutes. Torque the bolts, seat the sister boards flush, then spike the deck planks. No gaps, no movement. We finish this before the water reclaims the work face.

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

🌿 Jenny20:45

Let's get the decking down. Help me lift this one.

Lift the heavy deck plank from the pile and align it over the sister boards, matching the edges.

💭 peek at the thought

One section is solid, but the rest of this jetty is a joke. My back is screaming.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:47

Together.

Lift the opposite end of the deck plank, settle it onto the sister boards flush with the existing deck line, then hold it steady while Jenny drives the first ring-shank spike through the pre-drilled hole at the end.

💭 peek at the thought

Plank's heavy, greenheart dense. She's got one end, I take the other—align the grain, seat it flat on the fresh sisters. Spike it fast, move to the next. Tide's climbing the pilings already.

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

🌿 Jenny20:47

Hold it tight. Don't let it shift.

Hammer the spike into the sister boards, feeling the vibration through my tired arms.

💭 peek at the thought

If this doesn't hold, the whole thing is going into the surf tomorrow. I'm so hungry.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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