Happy campers - till novelty wore off

Mackenzie Clearwater  and her dog Knight. Photos by Peter McIntosh.
Mackenzie Clearwater and her dog Knight. Photos by Peter McIntosh.
David McKay cooks toast on his log burner at his Cape Saunders home after strong winds knocked...
David McKay cooks toast on his log burner at his Cape Saunders home after strong winds knocked out power on Saturday.

Cape Saunders residents are relieved to have power back after spending two nights in the dark.

Teenager Mackenzie Clearwater was happy to have a day at home after schools were closed because of snow, but the novelty of camping in her lounge and being without hot water had worn off.

''We have been sleeping in the lounge just to keep warm,'' the 16-year-old said yesterday.

''I slept with, like, three duvets, a woollen blanket and a quilt.''

Her family was cooking on the fire and a breakfast of bacon had made her third morning without a shower more tolerable, she said.

Resident David McKay had taken to toasting bread for breakfast on the fire using some ''good old No8 wire''.

He was ''halfway through'' sanding his floor when the power went out and he had to ''suspend operations''.

He was in good spirits, as his woodburner kept his house warm and allowed him to cook, and on Saturday night for his dinner ''I went to the pub'', he said.

Residents Albie and Jeanine Benson were looking forward to showering after power came on about 2pm yesterday.

The lack of power had complicated the couple's water supply, as it was fed by an electric pump.

''We have had no water or sewerage,'' Mrs Benson said.

Mr Benson had made regular trips in the rain, wind and snow to retrieve water from outside taps to refill the toilet's cistern.

The couple had cooked on a portable gas stove and wore head-lamps for light at night.

''The first night's quite fun, but by the second or third day it gets very wearying,'' he said.

Their boat was also claimed by Saturday's storm.

''A 14-foot fibreglass dinghy was just gone,'' he said.

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