Episode 441

Extended Summary

Alf supervises as Adam and Matt put up the signs to close the beach. Adam is annoyed that Alf didn’t close it earlier, saying someone else could have been killed if Lance hadn’t seen the shark. Alf reminds him that Summer Bay’s a tourist town and most of the local businesses will go under if they can’t reopen soon. He says there’s a meeting at the surf club later to discuss what to do. Matt asks Alf to go easy on Adam because Rory was his friend but Alf thinks Adam needs to change his attitude. At the caravan park house, Pippa gets a phone call from the hospital saying Tom’s ready to come home. Carly and Steven are pleased and Carly insists on organising one of the traditional welcome home parties, saying Sally will be sorry she missed it.

Alf, Celia, Adam, Matt, Andrew, Gordon and various local business people gather at the surf club for the meeting. Alf is annoyed that Donohue is present, fearing he’ll misquote them again. Gordon says the shark needs to be caught and Adam agrees, saying plenty of them are willing to have a go. Alf counters they’re unlikely to catch a shark by hanging lines off the pier and even if they get a bite they won’t be able to reel it in. Gordon says they need to hire a professional shark hunter. Andrew says if they find out what attracted the shark to the shore and get rid of it the shark will leave but one of the businessmen, makes sarcastic comments about “Save the Whale” and Adam says if they do that the shark will kill someone somewhere else. Most of those present agree with the shark hunter idea.

Next morning, Pippa visits Alf and Ailsa at the Diner to invite them to Tom’s party. Alf asks Pippa if she’d be willing to have the shark hunter stay at the caravan park. Pippa is keen for the shark to be caught since they’ve had two more cancellations. Back at the house, Bobby, Steven and Carly are getting the food ready for the party. Bobby suggests buying Tom an exercise bike as a present, since she’s found one for $132. Carly worries Tom won’t be up for using an exercise bike, saying her grandpa had a stroke and the side of his face was paralysed as a result, but Steven and Bobby assure her Tom won’t be like that.

Adam and Matt are on guard at the beach when a truck with a motor boat strapped to the back pulls up and a rough-looking man gets out. They tell him the beach is closed and he says he’s going to reopen it. He heads to the store to find Alf and meets him and Celia, saying he’s Zac Burgess, a shark hunter. Alf is surprised since they haven’t advertised for anyone yet but Zac says he came because he saw the newspaper reports. He has letters of recommendation and photos of the sharks he’s caught. He says he needs $5,000 upfront and the same on delivery, plus expenses. Alf says he can’t authorise that sort of payment without calling a meeting so Zac gives him two hours. He heads to the Diner where Carly thinks he’s cute but Bobby finds him sick, saying he not only kills things for money but he does it after people have been killed. Andrew approaches Zac for advice on his theory that the shark can scent a food source but Zac tells him a consultation with him costs $100 an hour.

Adam takes an order from Lance and Martin’s hot dog stand for the meeting at the surf club. Donohue asks them what the closed meeting is about but no-one will tell him. At the club, Sealey gives the opinion that Zac’s fee is too steep and Celia says she didn’t like him. Zac interrupts the meeting and tells those assembled that they’ll have difficulty finding another shark hunter and their businesses will suffer as long as they delay. Gordon offers to put up $2,000 of both fees. Alf, Celia and the others agree to hire Zac.

At the caravan park house, Bobby, Steven, Carly and Ailsa hide and surprise Tom when he and Pippa arrive home. Tom doesn’t seem entirely happy about the party but puts a smile on. Alf arrives with Zac, telling Pippa he’ll show him to his caravan. Zac asks Alf about Carly but Alf tells him to stay away from her. Lance sees them from the mobile home and realises Zac is the shark hunter but Martin is too busy getting ready for the party to pay any attention.

At the house, Alf tells Tom about Zac and Celia’s objections to him and mentions they’ve been losing business. Carly brings Tom some cake but when Tom stands up, he looks rather pale and dizzy and says he needs to lie down upstairs. Lance and Martin arrive with typical timing, wondering what’s happened to the party. Pippa goes upstairs to check on Tom and apologises for agreeing to the party, saying she should have realised it was overwhelming. She offers to stay with him but he says he wants some peace and quiet.

Gordon visits Zac in his caravan and explains who he is. He offers him an opportunity to make more money for less work: He’ll pay him twice his fee if he doesn’t catch the shark…