Fading cheers for Ozpost

'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Fri 5 Jul 2013 05:54
Seishia

27/06/13

 

There is a corner of a foreign anchorage forever England, or at least it’s beginning to feel like that. The other boats in the anchorage decided to leave yesterday, Wed 26th. For a brief moment it was looking as though I would be able to leave with them instead of today, Thu 27th. Pull up a chair and I’ll explain…

 

The replacement fanbelt(s) was supposed to be arriving by Wed lunchtime. In the morning I decided to loosen the alternator and make ready to it. Uh oh, a chewed nut (no, not one of mine but more on chewing in a moment). I called ‘Cape Engineering and Technical Services’ for advice. Paul came over in the dingy and the problem was solved. As a bonus I had a spare nut which fitted, complete with washer. Paul ran me ashore for a combined water and fanbelt run. He had a shower at the campsite and I went over to ‘Top-End Engineering’. The belts had been dispatched and should be here at 1100. Paul volunteered to fit the new fanbelt as it wouldn’t delay their departure. Back at 1100, nada but there were two priority packages for Top-End Engineering just arrived on the second plane of the day. We went and had a cold drink and returned at 1200. Still nada, come back about 1300. As there was no cast-iron guarantee that the fanbelts were actually on the plane I suggested to Paul that Calypso leave as planned. He would have preferred to wait and would have done if we were sure that the belts would be arriving.

 

I rowed ashore and was at Top-End Engineering 1310. A Wed departure was just still possible, which to be honest would have been a bonus as I had reckoned on being 24 hours behind the fleet. Still nada. Phone calls and Internet tracking followed. Yes the belts had been dispatched priority post. Yes the tracking number disclosed that Ozpost had the belts but failed to show their actual location. Then came the blow to crew morale. The next plane from Cairns to Seishia arrived on Thu evening. The post office opens at 0930 so the earliest I could get the belt was 1000 Fri morning, always assuming that it shows up of course. This should mean an afternoon departure with the tide, a mere 24 hours later than originally envisaged but as the only yacht in the harbour, engineless, I’m feeling a little lonely.

 

To add to the excitement there is a 3 metre croc hanging around the anchorage. This makes slowly rowing ashore in a rubber boat a really attractive proposition and having to judge the tide/wind strength to avoid embarrassment just adds to the over-all sense of fun.

 

If you come to Seishia don’t feed the ducks. Maureen Calypso likes to but on Weds morning one of the regulars turned up for breakfast. Whilst below she heard a tremendous splash, came up on deck and there was no duck, just ripples in the water. So much for philanthropy.



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