Immobility continues

Blooming 'eck..we set the alarm off in the garage. Plugged into their electrics last night and then crikey suddenly all power lost and we feared we had overloaded the system. I suppose plugging both laptops, tablets, electric toothbrush, not to mention that the fridge was also running, may have meant we had been a tad overzealous. Anyway, we hastily unplugged and was only prepared to admit our misdeed if asked!

Not a great nights sleep, being P'd off, the noise of the traffic and some loud crashes which sounded like heavy containers falling from a great height didn't help matters at all. We also had to be up by 06.00 because a Whale watching trip had been booked, leaving at 07.45. Would the alarm on the phone wake us? Too much money to lose if we overslept. The centre was over a kilometre away, had to be walked as no transport so worry, worry, no wonder I didn't get much shuteye.

The excursion was brilliant. On a Cataraman the power was put on as soon as we left the safety of the bay. First, though a warning from the staff at the centre was issued to all who suffered from travel sickness. "There is quite a swell out to sea so please purchase tablets before leaving." Blimey so glad we are never sick as the price for a pack of 6 tablets was over $20!  Pity the poor sods who crabbed for the bags as soon as we got out to sea though, those tablets didn't really have time to take effect.

Early morning at the centre

All the rocks were at the bottom of the sea until the 2016 earthquake. The locals were amazed at how the shoreline had changed as the sea bed rose.

Plenty of Albertross sighted but at first no Whales. Three times one of the crew deployed the echo sounder and each time came away with a blank. Finally, a small aircraft flying overhead radioed to the captain that Whales had been sighted further out.

Where are those pesky Whales?

Sperm Whale

Krill, Sperm Whale fodder

On our return, the first thing Ian did was phone the garage. I could tell by his expression that all was not well. The auxiliary drive belt tensioner wheel bearing had collapsed causing the tensioner wheel to disappear (on the road somewhere) and it would appear that it had seized as the belt showed signs of overheating. A new belt and tensioner wheel assembly had to be ordered and we had been assured that delivery of these goods would arrive at the first post in the morning and we should have a working motorhome late morning. Graham from the rental firm offered a replacement van but that could take several days, or he would pay for a room at a motel for the night and continue with our journey tomorrow. We chose the latter and fingers crossed it all goes to plan.