My plaster pool has a spot on the wall where the Polaris cleaner wore off the plaster. Also, the edges of the steps show exposed gunite from the Polaris rubbing on them. Lately, the pool's water level has been dropping by about 1/2" to 3/4" per day, which far exceeds the evaporation rate determined by my bucket test. I can't find any leaks in my plumbing, so I'm wondering if the exposed gunite is allowing water to seep out into the soil.
Also, short of resurfacing the pool (which we can't afford right now), is there anything I can do to patch that area without draining the pool? The guy at the pool store told me some epoxy paste would work, but I'm skeptical of that advice. Would that work?
Here's a picture from last Summer. The spot is where the wall meets the floor in the three-foot deep end of the pool. The spot is roughly 10-12" wide at its widest point.
PS: My pool looks a lot cleaner than it appears in this old photo!
Also, short of resurfacing the pool (which we can't afford right now), is there anything I can do to patch that area without draining the pool? The guy at the pool store told me some epoxy paste would work, but I'm skeptical of that advice. Would that work?
Here's a picture from last Summer. The spot is where the wall meets the floor in the three-foot deep end of the pool. The spot is roughly 10-12" wide at its widest point.

PS: My pool looks a lot cleaner than it appears in this old photo!