You can view movies of the sailings at the Interislander site. Click here.
My cellphone alarm rang and we got moving. We dressed quickly and dashed to the lobby to check out. We didn't have time to look at television or listen to the radio.
When we arrived, we saw a sign stating that the seas were calm today. Good news.
We got our ferry ticket and joined the line in lane 1. In a short time we were driving onto the Interislander ferry Kaitaki. Once our car was boxed-in by other cars, we got out and walked to the passenger stairs and started exploring the ship. Ten decks, two cinemas, two dining areas, multiple rooms with reclining seats, one bar. This was the biggest ship that we've ever been on.
Once the ship pulled back from the dock, the captain spoke over the intercom. "For those who do not know, there was an 8.3 magnitude earthquake off Samoa one hour ago. We are under a tsunami warning with the potential tsunami arriving just as we are scheduled to enter the Marlborough Sound. We are safer away from land, so we are going forward." His Swedish accent was comforting at least.
We bought breakfast in the dining hall. We wanted to finish eating before we left the calm waters in the bay and hit any rough water in the open sea.
Star Trek was showing in one cinema; we sent Benjamin to see it while Lucy and Terry found three chairs together in a reclining lounge room. Emily went to the dining hall and drew. Lucy and Terry watched the reports coming from Samoa and the rest of New Zealand as government agencies and companies prepared for the tsunami. We saw live reports with the usual folks who don't think things through taking their kids to the beach to 'watch' the tsunami. A police officer on the screen stopped a woman headed to the beach with some children. "Madame, do you know there is a tsunami warning?" After she replied "yes," he said "and you're still taking children to the beach?" Oh dear.
Part way through the voyage, the captain told us that the authorities didn't want us entering the narrow Marlborough Sound. They wanted us to enter through the northern route. That had two advantages: the entrance is wider and can accommodate more water, and it would add 45 minutes to our sailing time. The second advantage was probably the real reason for the change. Instead of approaching the docks at the expected tsunami time, we would arrive at least 30 minutes later.
By now you know that the tsunami had minimal effects on New Zealand. We couldn't tell that anything was amiss at Picton. We got in the car, drove off the ferry, and made our way to Nelson.
The effects on Samoa were tragic, devastating. We wondered how many Kiwis went there during their children's school holiday.
Click here for 4 photos.
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