05.01.2017

Update 2

This morning at 8.30 a phone call woke us up. It was Adam telling us that the bots had arrived from Whangarei, but that he believes that they will not fit and we won't be happy. It was a try from Volvo Whangarei as they did not have the bolt on stock nor did any Volvo in New Zealand. He let us know he would come down to the harbour in about an hour to drive us around in the hope to find something.

I drove Marcus to the pier and was about to leave when he called me back. I turned around and couldn't believe my eyes: Adam was there with his next older son carrying a box full of fruits for us! This kindness of the Kiwis is incredible! His wife packed that for us to make us feel better. Corn, fruits, avocado. Just incredible. Thank god for them.

Marcus and Adam took off with a flare of hope. They first went back to the Diesel injector guy where we had been already yesterday. He had told us that he had seen a bolt like that somewhere, but he can't find it. For about an hour they took the whole workshop apart. Adam could not be held back from looking everywhere. They had to give up eventually.

While the guys were trying their best, Sibylle, Peter and I climbed up the viewpoint here, a steep hike and then climb along a chain up to Paritutu (or similar, can't really remember the name), I thin they also call it sugar loaf, because it's similar like Rio, just way smaller. As lovely hike and a gorgeous lookout.

We're up there enjoying the view and me praying for help when we receive an update through What's App: Marcus has got the bolt and is about to assemble the machine!! We would have loved to scream and celebrate, but we knew that just having the bolt does not mean the engine runs. We would have to wait and continue praying.
We decide to walk down and meet in the harbour before 4pm. While I did some grocery shopping for the unlikely event that we would leave tonight Sibylle and Peter hunted some more caches.

When I came to the port they were all already waiting for me. Marcus wasn't finished with assembling the engine, so still waiting. Bille had gone to get some cake while I went back to get some fish'n chips.
Back on Alita Marcus continued his work while I continue praying. The moment has come to start the engine. Marcus closed all doors and held the fire extinguisher in his hand just in case. It was quiet on the boat. You could just hear some wind making its way into the cockpit and the waves massaging Alita. I turned the key and: nothing. The ignition hardly turned.
Ok, let's think. Sounds like not enough power. Battery empty? Seemed like it. Emergency switch on so the starter is connected with the service batteries. Again. Nothing. Mixed emotions arise in each of us. Disappointment, destructed hope. I felt so bad for Marcus who spent the last 3 days in the engine room working his but off.
We were so disappointed we couldn't even cry. And we did not want to give up. The engine turned, but the compression obviously was missing. What can we do? Is there still air in the system although Marcus had already let the air out. He looked in to the manual again and went back to the engine. He said: one last try, then that's it. It took a while until he came up. I was sitting at the steering wheel (where the starter is), eyes closed, praying. Marcus came up and said: ok, our last try. I think I should turn the key to show Alita I love her. We did not dare to breath, staring out at the water without expression. Then it happened. The engine STARTED!!! That was at 5:45pm today, January 6. The engine has been running since. After one hour of running Marcus will do an oil change. Then the engine needs to start again and run for two hours. If it's still ok then, we'll head right out down to the South Island. I keep on praying! We're still not celebrating, but Marcus for sure has a smile on his face and had to let out a loud scream "YEAH".

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