Raroa comes into Port Nelson, Labor Day 2013

It's Labor Day in NZ, and folks at the port were working hard. The rest of us got to wander down to the water's edge and spectate.

According to news reports this was the biggest ship ever to come in for a refit. I knew things were unusual when I woke up, checked out the window and saw one of the tugs shooting spectacular sprays from its firehoses - no pic sorry. This was all a bit of show, but it was enough to make us hop on our bikes and head down for a better look. This first one is the lead tug entering what is known locally as "the cut":

 

I am told that tug is here from Singapore, and you can see that our own tug, the little black and white fellow, looks like a toy beside it.

There is an equally large tug at the back, facing the other way, which perhaps gave the Boatshed and other restaurants at water's edge a bit more piece of mind should the wind kick up. You can see some tight navigation as the Raroa passes just above one of the principal channel markers.

She's in.

That red tug tucked in at the back came across from Wellington to help out. We like the sign on the back by helipad that says, No Smoking.

Yes the event brought out lots of folks. 

So this is what we got up to this morning. We've had high wind for a few days - glad it came right on the holiday.