On the day he left port to fight terrorism, Steven Nind knew he wanted to marry the woman he had left behind.
But 22-year-old "Nindy" was forced to wait six long months on board Te Mana before he could propose to Kelly Taylor, 24.
Able Marine Technician Nind plotted with his matesand made at least one furtive phone call to his intended in-laws at Whangaparaoa to seek their permission to ask Kelly Taylor for her hand in marriage.
As Te Mana steamed into Auckland yesterday, he surveyed the fruits of his labours in the ship's helicopter hangar.
Spread before him was a large white sheet emblazoned with the words "Kelly Taylor will you marry me?".
He had met his sweetheart 2 1/2 years earlier at the Devonport base, where she worked as a childcare worker.
January 28 was very hard for him as Te Mana left port and steamed for the Gulf. After that, the Southlander tossed around a few ideas with his mates and decided a bold statement would win the day.
But as he rolled up the sheet in the hangar, Able Marine Technician Nind confessed he "still had that little bit of doubt" that the plan would work. He needn't have worried.
It all went like clockwork at Devonport when he dashed down the gangway and dropped to one knee as the sheet unfurled down his warship's side.
There was a collective cheer from the hundreds of people waiting for the returning crew and even greater enthusiasm from 15 journalists and photographers who formed an impromptu scrum around the couple.
There were tears, and hugs, and the popping of flashbulbs.
