On board Chimere, Chaffers Marina, Wellington
Sunday 16 (Evening), May 2021
Getting to sleep last night was a challenge, as all the outstanding and current tasks and issues in front of me kept my brain alive and active. Don’t forget this, make sure you pack that, chase up this person or that, hope I find enough crew for the return Tasman leg …
I suppose I must have eventually got to sleep, because four hours late I instinctively opened my eyes and glanced at the clock … 4:06am … the alarm will be going in four minutes – how does that happen?!
Overriding all the planning and preparation was of course the fact that I’d be leaving Linda alone … again …
“Not for long … I’ll be seeing you next month”, I pleaded to Linda.
They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, but 12 months of being largely confined at home together can do that too. For some the opposite is true, sadly, but Linda and I make a good team and so it’s hard to explain the separation favourably in terms of, “… but I’m only going away to give you some time to yourself… darling?!” Mmmmm.
Linda was up soon after me and after running through the final check list it was off to the airport – you get a good run at 5:00am! Which ever way you choose to go.
“How much time should you allow beforehand for an international flight?” We agreed that 3 hours was the benchmark and so with the formalities of Check In, clearing Customs and Security complete, I sat around and waited till boarding.
As expected, the place was almost dead – not just because it was 6:00am – and looking out the departure lounge window there was certainly a dominance of Qantas planes, with a couple of Air New Zealand ones thrown in for good measure. Pretty much all flights, and there weren’t many, seem to be going to New Zealand … Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and my flight to Wellington.
After half an hour sitting in a lonely departure lounge, I walked back to the only open café, so as to get a cappuccino and a muffin. After 20 minutes or so there was an announcement over the loudspeaker for those travelling to Auckland to make their way to the departure lounge. It was apparently time for them to board their plane, but passengers were reminded that, “… different states in Australia had different Covid regulations and restrictions, based on changing circumstances, and that they should check the latest rulings because passengers might be required to enter mandatory quarantining on arrival at their own expense.”
The cafe became a little quieter at this point, and you could tell people were taking more notice of this particular announcement, no doubt thinking “Victoria’s safe? Right, yeah, we’ve got no problems, surely?!”
Fortunately, Victoria is currently open for business, or at least quarantine-free travel to New Zealand, so I’m sure none of them – or me going to Wellington – had anything to worry about. It was no doubt a general announcement used in all Australian airports
In the end my call for “Wellington flight QF171 boarding at Gate 9A” was announced and I retraced my steps to the departure lounge. It can’t have been more that 5 minutes later and a further announcement echoed out … “Would passenger Latimer, Robert Latimer, on QF171 to Wellington, make your way to Departure Gate 9A, your plane is ready for departure”
Cool. Nothing like the personal touch!!?? … I thought as I rounded the last corner … “Is that you?” a nice Qantas lady inquired as I sprung into view. “Yep, that’s me” I replied
“There’s not many onboard, so it boarded pretty quickly … just go down the escalator and show your passport and boarding pass at the desk”
And she was right. The plane was maybe 10% full … or if you’re the Qantas Finance Director, you might say 90% empty.
Once seated and airborne I started to feel rather sleepy for some reason and pretty soon we were touching down in Wellington; the airstrip that resembles an aircraft carrier deck in many ways with Cook Strait at one end and Evans Bay at the other.
NZ Customs and Immigration procedures were pretty simple and efficient – despite the current COVID restrictions – with my immediate task being to acquire a local SIM card and data “Plan” for my phone. Something that would cover me for the next 3 months. As it turned out, the Optus SIM card I got from the airport newsagent and book store didn’t work, despite the efforts of the helpful guy on duty.
In the end I used the free airport WiFi to download the NZ COVID Tracing App and catch up on a few calls and messages, before catching a taxi to town – and Chaffers Marina.
Having landed at 2:00pm it was after 4:00pm by the time I made my way out to the end of D Row – the wind absolutely howling the whole way, with the threat of rain in the grey clouds.
So, here she lies – reunited once more. Adam had certainly done a great job of securing the lines as Chimere bobbed and jerked to the movement of the waves and sudden gusts. Yes, this is a marina, but it’s open to the bay, quite deep, and with a small breakwater, so there is definitely movement when the wind is up like this.
Once on board, the familiarity of the surroundings came rushing back. The engine and generator started instantly, the batteries were fully charged, the fridge and freezer were humming in the background – everything was just as I’d left it. Even the oil heater was clicking on and off from time to time, keeping the place toasty warm.
“Shall I make a coffee and have a snack?” A snack on what? I’d better go to the nearby New World supermarket first … maybe they also sell SIM cards and “Plans” … that I could understand. Certainly, a tall order to be sure.
There were a few other souls living aboard their boats out here at the end of D Row and I paid them a polite “g’day” as I passed them on the walkway. But first things first … I had to string the Aussie and Kiwi flags on the stern davits … just to show that someone was in residence. It was now nearly 5:00pm and off to the shops I walked, empty bags in hand and the evenings darkness fast descending
The supermarket visit turned out to be a success on several fronts. First, there was food for tonight, breakfast and a few days to come, but mostly it was because I took the risk and bought a $2, 2-Degrees SIM Card – plus $55 worth of credit. “Just bring it back to the counter here if you have any questions”, the friendly young woman said. Little did she know!?
I tried to get it all working, I really did. And I think I did a pretty good job … swapped over the SIM, clicked the welcoming text to download the credit I’d bought … but this was taking me to a new website … to buy credit. But I’d already bought credit, $55 worth.
Back to the counter I went, as I opened with … “I spoke with you earlier, I’ve just got a few questions about the SIM card?” … Maybe it was the sad look on my face, but in any case, she said, “I’ll get Chan, he’s good at this”
And that goes down as the understatement of the day, as Chan, of little more than 16 years, gently assumed control on my shiny new iPhone 12 Pro, tapping the keys with such dexterity – both thumps!! and with such speed … the device nestled in his palms, as he moved in and out of Apps, through the Settings, back to the front screen, then to the 2 Degrees website, texting commands and instructions which mostly returned green ticks and “Thank Yous” … and when they didn’t, he just glanced at the negative response, then dived into another App or to a different website. “What you need is a Plan. You can see here, they have a $19 a month, or the $30 a Month one. I think that one would be good” he said.
“How do I pay for that, do you need a credit card?” I asked. “Oh no” he said, almost in shock. “You only pay if you REALLY have to”
“So how do I pay the $30?” I meekly inquired again. “I’ve taken it from the $55 you’ve already paid. This way you have the $30 plan for the next month, with $25 in reserve and at the end of the month you can choose which Plan you want next … sweet as … that $55 credit you bought would have been used up in days”
It occurred to me that I was truly in the presence of “The Master”, observing his last action being to disconnect my device from the New World internal Wi-Fi, then turn my phone OFF, then ON again – I know how to do that last bit!
“Thank you sooo much!”, I said with all the appreciation I could muster. “Yeah, they can be a bit tricky sometimes” he replied. I think he was just trying to lessen the impact of my obvious incompetence in this area.
Back on the boat, the wind was still howling, and rocking things about and with dinner complete I started to feel a bit tired again. Funny that?!
A proper check around the deck and across all systems on board will have to wait till tomorrow. As for me, it’s time for bed – my ol’ Captains Cabin Bunk once more.
Smooth seas, fair breeze and reunited once more
Rob Latimer
NZ2020 