Never before had a cruise ship decided to explore Kenya from south to north, docking not only at the port of Mombasa — accustomed since the days of Vasco Da Gama to ocean-going sailing ships and steamers, and almost never for tourism — but also in more intimate and picturesque locations such as Shimoni and Lamu.

It had never happened before, and that alone would be enough to make it newsworthy.

But in Kenya, where firsts always have a miraculous aftertaste, the arrival of a cruise ship is not just news: it is poetry of the sea and of people.

On Sunday morning, in the village of Shimoni, the tranquillity of the fishermen was interrupted by a white and majestic sight: the SH Diana, an elegant lady of the Indian Ocean, the pride of the Swan Hellenic company, advancing slowly like a Mijikenda thought, seeking its place among the dhows and nets spread out in the sun to drop anchor in the turquoise waters of the south coast.

Children ran along the beach singing, some took photos with their phones, others simply waved, as one does with whales or dreams that pass by only once.

For Kenya, it was a historic first. The SH Diana remained along the coast for five days, calling at Shimoni, Lamu and Mombasa on a single itinerary that intertwined culture, history and seascapes.

‘This ship has made history for us,’ said the CEO of the Kenya Ports Authority, who has a much more impressive name than that of a captain, namely William Ruto.

‘This is the first time a cruise ship has spent several days visiting Kenyan ports. We are proud to have a circuit that starts in Shimoni, passes through Lamu and ends in Mombasa,’ he told the media. And for once, it did not seem like the usual platitude. Shimoni, which until recently was only an evocative name for its slave cave and for launching a few tourists arriving from Diani towards the dolphin routes or the enchanting but limited Wasini Island, now has a small new port and a big dream: to become a regular stop for international cruises. With all due respect to snorkelling and pollution... but that's how it is.

Then it was Lamu's turn, the ancient pearl. Passengers disembarked among carved doors and sandy alleys, walked among the scents of spices and the calls of the muezzin, discovering that time, in those parts, is not in a hurry. ‘Lamu remains one of the world's leading cruise destinations,’ Ruto recalled. And who knows if he really meant it or if, for a moment, he too was enchanted by that perfect slowness.

Finally, in Mombasa, the Diana ended its tour amid applause, souvenirs and promises: the historic port within the canal, the city of flavours and contrasts, where the ship's arrival brought a wave of enthusiasm and new economic prospects.

The sea was full of light and the numbers — the ones that ministries like — said that cruise passengers had gone from 656 in 2020 to more than 7,000 this year. Not bad for a country that until yesterday thought that large ships were only used to import cars.

‘At the start of the cruise season, we want to show the world that Kenya is much more than beaches and safaris,’ said Allan Njoroge of the Kenya Tourism Board. Words that smack of good intentions, but this time they were reflected in the water with something true.

Because as the SH Diana slowly sailed away towards the horizon, leaving behind a thrill of salt and wonder, to many it seemed like they were witnessing a small revolution. A ship arrives and departs, yes — but in between, a country finally begins to see itself from the sea, as Ivano Fossati sang of Genoa, but no longer to be plundered, but to offer a different possibility of tourist revenue. Who knows, perhaps this will help us understand that certain paradises rich in history and ecosystems, such as Lamu and Shimoni, are attractive precisely because they have this ancient and unspoilt air about them. Far removed from tower blocks, eyesores and private beaches...