It was to be the Pacific Jewel’s fourth visit to the port this cruise season, and there had been much preparation done to welcome the 1798 passengers and 660 crew on board to the port.

Somewhat ironically, it was almost 12 months to the day since strong winds and dangerous surf forced the captain of the MS Marina to cancel its planned disembarkation at Eden.

Following Marina’s ill-fated visit, Cruise Eden spokeswoman Natalie Godward was quoted as saying: “I’m absolutely gutted and so are a lot of people in Eden”.

On that occasion, 1250 passengers plus 780 crew nosed into Twofold Bay, only to turn around and leave when 30 knot winds and the likelihood of a two-to-three-metre swell meant the captain deemed it unsafe to run the tenders to and from the ship.

It must have been akin to ‘Groundhog Day’ for Ms Godward as she announced “huge swell conditions in the bay” had prevented safe tender operations, adding that Pacific Jewel’s captain had made “several attempts to launch tenders without success”.

At least 10 tours around the Sapphire Coast had been planned for the Pacific Jewel’s passengers, ranging from sightseeing around Eden’s historic sites and exploring its coastal national parks, visits to the Eden Killer Whale Museum and Potoroo Palace, to kayaking and cooking masterclasses.

It’s not only tour operators who missed out of the extra coffers. Businesses put on extra staff, cafes cook extra food and so forth. 

On both occasions the message was unequivocal: it wouldn’t have happened had the wharf extension been completed; the breakwater wall would have provided shelter and the fixed wharf would negate the need to run tenders between ship and shore. 

Funding for the wharf extension project has been secured and, according to the latest information, the ‘real’ work is likely to get underway later this year. Repeated delays, however, have left the community weary and sceptical. 

The delays must stop. Work must get underway.