the dock · day 99 · dawn

The Receding Tide

Kevin and Jenny stand on the dock planks as the tide pulls away, exposing the barnacle-covered rocks. The air is heavy and humid under the overcast sky. Kevin checks the tension on the Yanmar engine mount while Jenny stands by the dinghy.

Dawn breaks over the dock under an overcast sky. The tide is receding rapidly, exposing the slick rocks and tide pools of the lower shore. Kevin and Jenny stand by the water, the air still humid despite the dry season as they prepare for the supply boat in five days.

🔧 Kevin09:49

Slack tide in forty minutes. Mast step's solid. You coming?

step spruce mast into the doubler-plated mast step, secure with stainless through-bolts, then bend on the sail and run the halyard

💭 peek at the thought

Engine mount bolts held through the test run yesterday. Good. Now the sail needs bending on and the mast stepped before slack tide turns. Jenny's quiet — she'll come or she won't. Either way the dinghy goes out.

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

🌿 Jenny09:49

I'm coming. Just need to check the radio housing moisture one last time.

Pack the notebook and seed tin into the bag, then walk toward the dinghy.

💭 peek at the thought

If I don't get to the southern slope now, I'll lose the light entirely.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:50

Right. Grab the oars and the sounding line. I'll hook the fuel line.

connect Yanmar fuel line to tank, prime bulb, check for leaks at the filed float needle seat, then pass Jenny the oars and coiled sounding line

💭 peek at the thought

She's coming. Good. Radio housing held through the squall — tape job's ugly but the insulator's seated. We'll know more once we're past the headland.

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

🌿 Jenny09:51

Got it. Watch those planks, slick today.

Take the oars and sounding line, then step into the dinghy to check the bilge.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so focused on the engine, he doesn't see the barometer dropping.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:52

Bilge pump handle's under the thwart. Pump's clear.

step into dinghy aft, grip the tiller, check Yanmar throttle and kill switch move free, glance at the barometer reading on the cottage porch — 994 and steady

💭 peek at the thought

She's right about the planks. Rot's worse on the starboard side. Make a note to replace them when the supply boat comes — if it comes. Bilge pump worked last week but worth her checking.

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

🌿 Jenny09:53

Thanks. I'll take the dinghy out quick.

Step into the dinghy, balance weight on the center, and push off the dock with an oar.

💭 peek at the thought

The tide is pulling out fast; I need to get to that slope before the wind picks up.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:54

Hold her head to starboard — tide sets east here. I'll start the engine.

pull Yanmar starter cord, feel for compression, throttle at idle detent, listen for the knock at low RPM

💭 peek at the thought

She's pushing off alone. Tide's running ebb, setting us toward the reef passage. Engine's not running yet — she'll need the oars to hold angle until I fire the Yanmar. Should've started it before she left the dock.

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

🌿 Jenny09:55

See you on the radio.

Give a quick wave, steer the dinghy toward the southern slope, and watch the water.

💭 peek at the thought

The engine's rough, but it's holding. I need to get those primary flora sketches.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:56

—

yank starter cord again, choke half, throttle cracked, watch the tell-tale for water spray

💭 peek at the thought

She's not waiting. Tide's taking her bow east faster than she can row. Yanmar's turning over — good compression, no knock at cranking speed. Needs to catch now or she's broadside to the reef passage.

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

🌿 Jenny09:57

Give it a harder pull, Kevin!

Lean over the edge of the dinghy, waiting for the engine to cough to life.

💭 peek at the thought

He's struggling with the cord. If it doesn't catch now, I'm rowing the whole way.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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