25/11/2025
AIDAstella — Durban Departure.
I missed the ship’s arrival on Sunday thanks to Durban’s moody weather, but I made it in time to watch the AIDAstella depart in the late afternoon. With the inner harbour restricted to passengers only, I worked from outside the gates and then moved to Point Beach for a better angle.
My original plan to shoot from right next to the water didn’t work out — everything was fenced off — but I found a beautiful elevated spot at the end of the promenade. The timing was perfect. At 5 pm, the ship slowly eased away from the terminal and began turning toward the harbour mouth, catching the warm light as it moved.
AIDAstella is on a long repositioning journey from Majorca to Cape Town, so seeing it pass through Durban felt like catching a small chapter in a much bigger story. A floating city, pausing here just for a moment before continuing across the coastline.
More ship-spotting content coming soon.