Even I can't remember the leather being so brutally tough to push the awl through. Perhaps I'm getting soft, or else the cold weather has had a major effect  on the leather. Over the last few weeks, I've been happily in reverse adding lengths of spun rawhide through each and every loop previously sewn through the ridges, creating a rope that works to lift any remaining slack in the thread after being oiled and left for a time. Thankfully there aren't too many weeks of real tonging to do before the boat is turned over (but lots afterwards)! Meanwhile, the elephant in the room continues to push his trunk out from within the boat, whispering in my ear as I work; "WILL IT FLOAT?".  The cross seams are short enough to be buffered by the strong ridges and the concoction made of natures stickiest  would impress even the students of Hogwarts, sealing the seams with a tough 'gue'. "BUT HOW LONG WILL THE SEAMS LAST FLOATING IN THAT SMELLY OOZE?" whispered the elephant! 'The Atlantic is cold, salty water Elephant, perhaps the only ooze to be seen will be the one from behind the boat, as we leak of fish oil, mixed with cow fat and butter. The smell I suspect is the urine, or tree resin and oak tannin blended with bees wax, now even I'm becoming confused! Wasn't it susposed to be cows that were brought from Europe to Ireland in skin boats, not elephants! I've always fancied making a currach out of elephant...... The sun has appeared time again for work.