It was the first international tall ship race to be held in the Southern Hemisphere and three Dutch ships were at the core of the fleet - the bark Europa, a three-masted schooner called Oosterschelde and a 98-year-old herring boat called Tecla.
As soon as I read this, my heart skipped a beat and I was about to drop everything, jump in the car, and drive straight to Russell.
It's the three-master that got me so excited. This beautifully restored topsail schooner is the last remaining representative of the large fleet of schooners that sailed under the Dutch flag at the beginning of the 20th century.
Her name is Oosterschelde and there is still a piece of my heart on board, you see.
I worked on this ship nearly 20 years ago, and have the fondest memories of being on board.
We cruised along the harbour and the waters around Rotterdam most of the time for day trips, weddings and corporate functions.
Every now and then, we ventured out to the North Sea, which was rough and spectacular.
I was invited to go along on a trip to Spitsbergen, but had to decline because I was about to start university and couldn't postpone getting a proper education any longer.
After saying goodbye to her in 1994, the Oosterschelde was making her way to New Zealand. I just had to see her again.
Thankfully, I googled things before driving off on impulse, and found out I didn't have to go all the way to Northland after all.
The Auckland Maritime Museum was hosting the Tall Ships Festival at Labour Weekend. If there was a fist-pump moment for me this year, this was it.
I had a few weeks to plan the trip, time my work around it, and find a centrally located hotel for a reasonable rate.
I would have stayed at any old backpackers but seeing these fabulous ships would be a once in a lifetime experience for my two boys too, and a nice hotel is much better when travelling with kids.
Some of these ships look a bit like Captain Jack Sparrow's Black Pearl, and my excitement easily rubbed off on my two young men.
So off to Auckland we went on Friday morning, and we got there just in time to see them all sail in.
The festival's organisers said 151,000 people visited the wharves on the weekend, and most of the ships could be visited by the public on Saturday.
But the crew of the Oosterschelde had some painting to do, so they only let a handful of people on board which included me and my boys.
I feel privileged to have been involved in just a tiny part of the 95-year old ship's history, and being on board again for a little while plus sharing this with my children was indeed epic.
It put me in such a good mood, I didn't complain once about the crazy drivers in and around Auckland city or spending a lot of money on petrol and a fancy hotel room. It was absolutely worth it, and I'm still buzzing.
On the website www.oosterschelde.nl, you can read more about the ship's history, take a virtual tour, and see photos and videos including some spectacular raw footage taken on board the Oosterschelde during a storm.
I have saved the website as a favourite, as it's likely to be at least another 20 years before I see this glorious ship again.
To be fair, this was probably my last chance.
Bon voyage beautiful, I whispered when we left the quay. If it's meant to be, we'll meet again.
Martine Rolls is a Tauranga writer and digital strategist - www.sweetorange.co.nz
