The Waipa Delta

Todays Waikato Times bore the sad news that the MV Waipa Delta is moving north to Auckland after running into some red tape issues with the Hamilton City Council. Funny. As a Hamilton Icon, I would have thought that the Hamilton City Council would have made sure that the Delta would have been kept in its place with the way that I am sure most Hamiltonians feel about the boat and its place in Waikato lore.

However, in my own personal way, I'm not sorry to see it go. My own experiences with the Waipa Delta have been disappointing to say the least. For our second wedding anniversary, my wife and I went on the boat for the dinner and cruise, and for what we got, it was a really expensive ride on the river. The food was sub-standard, and less than impressive. The "fresh stir fry veges" were McCain frozen stir fry veges over boiled and never touched a fry pan. The hot stones destroyed the thumbsized meat portions I was handed.

Compare that to this year where my wife and I visited Lone Star, which we hadn't been too in perhaps over 9 months, we ate our meal and the manager there, saw us and remembered us from an evening 18 months earlier, and even was within a few weeks of the reason why we were there (she said birthday, I said anniversary). Then when we went to pay our bill, it was all taken care of. The food was awesome, portions generous as always, but we went away satisfied, rather than feeling someone seasick.

I do hope honestly that the HCC realises the potenial loss in such an icon and cuts the red tape BS to keep it here, so it can improve and serve more people.