Judah wrote:
I'm no expert (still in training, actually) but it seems to me he wasn't
cleared to a hold. He was cleared to a fix.

In a nonradar environment that's how ATC separates airplanes. When you
get to the fix you have to know what to do. Do you then enter holding
or do you just continue on your route. If you receive no further
instructions you must enter holding. But for how long? That's why you
always get an EFC time.



He was also told to expect to continue as filed afterward. It would seem
that he therefore doesn't require an EFC time... Once he reaches the fix,
he should be able to continue as filed.

Being told there's no delay expected is the same as an EFC time. If you
lose comm you don't hold at that fix you just keep going.