January 9, 2019 - Exmouth, WA
We had a leisurely breakfast while the tender operation commenced. Afterward we actually got to take advantage of the preferred boarding status afforded us by being 5 star mariners. We just walked to the line without having to go through the process of picking up a tender ticket and waiting for our number to be called. This is nice perk that we have not been able to use before. On Grand Voyages there are so mane 4 and 5 star mariners that preferred boarding is not provided.
As we were boarding the captain announced that due to high winds the thrusters were being used to keep the ship in position to provide a wind block and to smooth the sea for the tenders. The wind was expected to build in the afternoon which would make for a rough ride back to the ship. He suggested that we do not stay ashore too long. That turned out not to be a challenge for us.
The tender ride was 10 minutes of smooth cruising in a tender that had only 75 seats. This is much smaller than any of the other tenders we have ridden over our 500 days of cruising. Maasdam was launched in 1993. These tenders seem to be original equipment. We wonder how much longer she will be in the fleet.
The dock was a 10 minute ride from Town Center on the provided shuttle. These transports were very large coaches and the process was going smoothly, but some waiting was required. There was minimal shade and it was HOT! We boarded a shuttle after waiting for 10 minutes. I asked the driver how hot it was. 41 degrees he told me. That converts to 106 degrees.
We skipped the stop at Town Center. This consisted of several small shops. Our goal was the visitor center at the second stop. Here we could get an hour of free internet. I would work on the blog while Alice visited with the crafters set up in the center. She enjoyed chatting with them. Everyone is very friendly.
The internet was slow due to the large number of people taking advantage of the free time. I discovered that Google’s Blogger software would not allow me to edit prior posts on my iPhone, so I was unable to make the corrections needed in my post for Geraldton. The Mazda 6 price was $54,000 Australian dollars not $34,000. There are a few other minor changes as well. After too many minutes of frustration I joined Alice and we toured the building. It is very new and features a lot of community space and facilities. This includes a very nice library. We visited the spotless restrooms and rebounded the shuttle.
The terrain is very similar to Arizona. The soil has a reddish tinge. There is a lot of sand and no grass. Cactus, succulents and a tumbleweed-like plant dominant the landscaping. It is all very flat. There is some new housing constructed along a network of canals that lead back to the Indian Ocean. We saw several fishing boats and cruisers at the private docks of the homes. There are some older neighborhoods as well.
There was a third shuttle stop at Manta Ray Resort. We did not know why it stopped here, and we did not get off. We returned to the tender stop, and made our way back to the ship. The wind did not build. In fact it slowed. The ride back was even smoother than the ride in. The thrusters were not working as hard to hold Maasdam in position. It was good to be backs and showers refreshed us. Lunch was in the Lido. The dining room closes for lunch on port days.
It was a relaxing afternoon. After 5:00 Mass as we headed to the dining room the captain explained that we had not departed on schedule because the port side anchor winch was not working. The engineers had identified the problem as a faulty relay and were replacing it. He would advise when it was repaired. That really was not necessary as the increased sound of the engines as we accelerated made departure obvious. He made another announcement nonetheless. Communication is good.
We watched from our table in the dining room as Exmouth disappeared behind us. It was a nice day, but not one that will grace the top of our find memories list. We still wonder why we stopped here.
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