A peerless day for a princess

While the Labour Day holiday was a chance for many people in the Bay to have a well-earned lazy morning in bed, duty had me out the door early.

I'm not talking about work-related duty. This was a family matter, one of those "must get someone to the airport" occasions.

A bit grumbly at first, I cheered up considerably at the sight of the sun rising on what was to be a pearler of a day in Hawke's Bay.

And then, driving home along Marine Parade, I witnessed the sight of the stately cruise ship Sea Princess gliding into Port of Napier.

It was one of those small but magic moments when human endeavour meets nature and you just have to marvel. A number of motorists parked up to see this colossus of the sea, shimmering white, steer into port on a sparkling blue Pacific with the sun rising above Cape Kidnappers. And as I drove away, I saw the very real signs of the value of a cruise ship visit such as this to Hawke's Bay.

At least four large empty Nimons coaches, smart, gleaming "Cruise Ship Specials", were in convoy toward the port to pick up tourists and deliver them in air conditioned comfort into Napier, from where they could explore the Bay for the day.

I'm certain they did explore because one hour later, I saw another bus packed with people displaying the hair-do's and hair colour of a generation that suggested older-aged tourist wealth, heading for their gannet safari at Cape Kidnappers.

In a funny way it made my day, witnessing the regal arrival of the Sea Princess and the diaspora of its well-heeled passengers into Hawke's Bay.

We gave them a peerless day and if they boosted our economy a bit while they were here, well, everyone's a winner.