Some Days.

[floating dutchman]

Every now and then life just gives you one of those days, days that mark either the beginning or end of an era, sometimes just a day you will remember for ever. I think I just had one of those days.
Our beloved Santa Regina, the old ferry in our fleet. At 31 years old had reached the end of her economic life, Bit sad really because she is one of the best sea keeping ships to have ever worked Cook Strait. I have spent over a year working on her and electricity, I walked off her today in better condition than when I walked on her over a year ago, Always in the back of my mind I knew that she was a good ship but that her days of working Cook Strait were coming to an end. She is going to Indonesia with a happy friendly crew who appreciated the work I have put into her. SO much better than her going up the beach in India (scrap). I enjoyed the delivery trip to Auckland dry-dock, handing her over to the new owners, even though most of them didn't speak a word of English.

Santa Regina (NZL..1985) Wellington 22.7.2014 c.V.H.Young 055(1).jpg

Her replacement the Strait Feronia, is a great ship, but will never have the charisma that the Santa had.
Come home today after managing to spend the day traveling by foot, car, van, bus, ferry, prop plane and jet plane all in one day and my 9 yo son has a large soft toy dog bought for him by mum. He decided to name him Birchy, after the wood that he looks a similar color to on the game Mine craft. Well he spent the next hour after I encouraged him to creating a 3D image of Birchy in the creative mode in Mine craft, I was amazed at what he did!
I then went into the "my latest project" thread on CA to show him Bob's drawings and then to show him Rick's 3D imaging made from those drawings. Our neighbours would have heard the penny drop! He realized that at 9 he had the basic 3D mental ability to put a 3D image from his head into a computer!
I then asked him "what do you know of that is designed by people?" "Umm, houses, soft toys and umm cars." was the answer.
So largely thanks to Bob and Rick my son has an appreciation for what designers do, and an idea that it is something, that with hard work he could do well. Thank you for that.

Some days.

Jeroen.

[kimbottles]

Susan and I took the Santa Regina across the Cook Strait in about 2005. It was blowing a gale and we had a grand time of it. We were among the few passengers who were not seasick. Great memories, sorry to hear she is moving on. But glad she will continue to go to sea.

[Bull City]

My family and I took her in 2001. My two older sons were on in NZ on 12 month visas, and we all went to visit over Christmas. It was one of the best trips we have ever taken. We had good weather.

[Tucky]

Congratulations to you and your son- nicely done by you both.