Saint Helena THE LIFEBOAT. Sergio Ramazzotti PARALLELOZERO

Transcription

1 Saint Helena THE LIFEBOAT Sergio Ramazzotti PARALLELOZERO

2 St Helena island. The RMS St Helena anchored in the bay of Jamestown, the island s main village. Since the town has no dock, the ship stays anchored for the time needed to offload all cargo, an operation carried out by barges and sometimes taking up to three days

3 The RMS St Helena is not only the last mail ship on Her Majesty s service still remaining in the world. It is, above all, the lifeline that ensures the survival of the 4,000 inhabitants of the island of St. Helena, confined to little more than a rock in the middle of the South Atlantic, halfway between the coasts of Africa and those of South America. So far, there is only one way to leave the island, and to get there: it is this ship, a strange hybrid between a cargo and a cruise ship (where the crew strives to entertain the few passengers), which runs from Cape Town and anchors off the impervious cliffs since there is not a port roughly every 35 days. The RMS St Helena brings goods, food, letters from distant relatives, the abundant alcohol that is consumed in the island s three pubs and never seems enough to last until the next call, the hope of salvation for those who are ill and must be evacuated, the bodies of those who haven t made it and are taken back to their prison island to be buried. The ship runs at a loss (in fact Britain is forced to subsidize it at an exorbitant cost), and there are rumors about its possible decommissioning in 2016, when a regular commercial airplane service will start at the island s newly opened international airport. This, as many St. Helenians say, will be the worst disaster to hit the island since time immemorial.

4 Cape Town, South Africa. A passenger on the deck of the RMS St Helena while the ship is leaving the city

5 South Atlantic waters. A cricket match on the deck of RMS St Helena, played by passengers and crew members

6 South Atlantic waters. Captain Rodney Young (left), deck cadet Ryan Lee, behind him, and chief officer Adam Williams (in the foreground) on the bridge of RMS St Helena

7 South Atlantic waters. Captain Rodney Young (left) talks to passengers during the captain s cocktail in one of the lounges of the RMS St Helena

8 South Atlantic waters. Passengers swim, or try to, in the ship s miniature swimming pool

9 South Atlantic waters. The RMS St Helena in navigation at sunset

10 South Atlantic waters. Passengers in one of the lounges on board the RMS St Helena

11 South Atlantic waters. Passengers do early morning exercises on the outer deck of RMS St Helena

12 South Atlantic waters. Accountant Sharon Wade during a dart game organized for passengers in one of the lounges of RMS St Helena

13 South Atlantic waters. Members of the RMS St Helena crew during a fire drill

14 South Atlantic waters. Captain Rodney Young and officer Jackie Leo in the captain s cabin after Sunday s divine service. They are honoring a tradition of the ship s company called Gin for Jesus, consinsting in having a gin and tonic (actually, more than one) after the service

15 St Helena island. The RMS St Helena is forced to anchor at a distance from Jamestown, the island s main village, which has no proper dock. Goods and passengers are transferred by boat or barge

16 St Helena island. Captain Rodney Young, left, and doctor Revti Kaul assist an elderly passenger during disembarkation. Passengers with limited mobility and patients are taken ashore via an air taxi, that is, a cage lifted by crane and transferred with a barge

17 St Helena island. The bag containing diplomatic mail is handed by chief officer Adam Williams to the crew of the boat used to take passengers ashore

18 St Helena island. The RMS St Helena anchored in the bay of Jamestown, the island s main village. Since the town has no dock, the ship stays anchored for the time needed to offload all cargo, an operation that sometimes takes up to three days. One of St Helenians favorite hangouts is the Mule Yard (right), a pub where they gather for a drink after a day at work

19 St Helena island. The RMS St Helena is forced to anchor at a distance from Jamestown, the island s main village, which has no proper dock. Goods are transferred by barge. Sometimes the offloading operations last up to three days, depending on the condition of the sea

20 St Helena island. The RMS St Helena anchored in the bay of Jamestown, the island s main village. Since the town has no dock, the ship stays anchored for the time needed to offload all cargo, an operation that sometimes takes up to three days. One of St Helenians favorite hangouts is the Mule Yard, a pub overlooking the bay, where they gather for a drink after a day at work

21 St Helena island. Patients who cannot be treated at the island s dramatically underequipped hospital are taken on board the RMS St Helena via an air taxi, that is, a cage lifted by crane and transferred with a barge for evacuation to Cape Town. Clive Duncan, an Anglican minister on the island, has broken his hip and after eight days in Jamestown s hospital is being taken to the ship

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