The Keel and the Yard

The terms spoken over the laid keel held. Mara halted framing on the unfinished vessel, cradling the hull securely and sealing it beneath pitched thatch so autumn damp cannot reach the bare timbers. With the larger project safely paused, Mara and the yard woodworkers turned to the existing fishing boat, overhauling its seams and caulking it thoroughly with seasoned offcuts. The craft is back in steady rotation within the creek, sound for seasonal runs and keeping fish moving into camp. Arel and the fishing households accepted the delayed completion of the new vessel in exchange for immediate repairs to their living quarters, the overhauled craft, and the promised share of winter stores.

Shelter, Lashings, and the Shed

Pell conducted instruction from a seated bench, taking on apprentices and teaching them knotting and split-root lashings despite his strained wrist. This newly trained labor resolved the yard's tying bottleneck: working alongside Tor’s crews, the apprentices lashed new thatch across all four leaking houses, leaving every sleeping bench and household water-tight before the heavier rains set in.

At the boat shed, Mara and Ivo opened up the suspect brace. Rot was discovered concentrated at the foot of the post, though the adjacent framing proved solid. Sturdy timber props were erected to shore both the corner and the cross-beam, successfully stabilizing the structure against the rising autumn winds. The rotted base remains in place beneath the props, but the building no longer shifts when gusts come off the water.

Stores and Timber Preparations

Carpenters shaped two heavy wooden drag-sleds from durable offcuts, outfitting them for hauling timber down the stony track without wearing through precious cordage.

Venn completed the harvest ahead of the worsening weather, lifting the garden roots and beans into dry, straw-lined pits where they are safe from rot. Creek fish caught during clear runs were cleaned, salted, and smoked for winter reserves.

Scouting the Southeast Trail

Ivo scouted southeast along the pack trail toward the grazing country. Reaching the first ridgeline, he observed pack animal tracks cutting through the dirt and reported spotting distant upland grazing herds moving across the basin beyond. Following instructions, he executed a midday turnaround and returned to Keelstrand before nightfall. No contact was initiated, and the western path to the marker beach was not examined this month.

Immediate Pressures and Open Decisions

• Worsening Weather: Wetter mid-autumn days and increasing coastal winds will soon arrive, followed by late-autumn gales. Outdoor work and drying days will grow shorter and more intermittent.
• Structural Shoring: The boat shed is braced against the wind, but the rotted post foot has only been shored with temporary props rather than repaired or sistered.
• Timber on the Hill: The two drag-sleds are ready, but the straight timber needed for future yard work still stands uphill along the stony track.
• The Grazing Basin: Ivo has confirmed that pack animals and grazing herds are present beyond the first ridge, but their identity, numbers, and intentions remain unknown.
• The Spring Keel: The large hull is preserved under thatch, but the pledge to finish Arel's vessel stands as a major demand on yard labor as soon as winter breaks.