Italian heartbreaker sails away

More than 60,000 people, including some now heart-sick young women, visited the Italian Navy sail-training ship Amerigo Vespucci during its five-month goodwill visit to Auckland for the America's Cup.

The 72-year-old beauty, with uniformed sailors in the rigging and holding small Italian flags - some waving goodbye to girls waving goodbye - left its berth at Princes Wharf yesterday to farewells in Italian, English and Maori.

The three-masted ship, named after Italian navigator and explorer Amerigo Vespucci, who died in 1512, departed without the joy of Louis Vuitton Cup or America's Cup successes, but its company won many hearts and friends over the summer.

"There were a lot of broken-hearted girls standing on the wharf waving goodbye," said Brian Hewitt, a spokesman for Sea Services, which acted as agent for the ship during its visit. "There were a few gallons of tears."

Mr Hewitt was sure a few of the young women would this week go to Sydney, the ship's next port of call on its seven-month voyage home.

Margaret Bryant, who acted as a liaison between the ship and the New Zealand Government, said that even before Christmas the ship's open days attracted about 56,000 visitors.

She believed the crew had mixed feelings about leaving. Apart from the romances, many had struck up firm friendships.

"As much as they were ready to move on after five months, it was difficult to say goodbye."

Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/marine