We are opening this thread for mariners to leave words of support and encouragement to the crew of the El Faro, Families and friends.
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I sailed with Keith Griffin a few years ago when I was a cadet. I’ll never forget his professionalism and dedication, and I don’t mean that as just passing nice words. He truly epitomized those ideals, always all top of his game. In the mess, you could tell where his priorities were, which was on the ship and crew. He was always striving to take care of the ship. Truly an awesome engineer.
As a mariner myself, I wish to express the deepest condolences to the families of the crew of the S.S. El Faro. I pray that their sacrifice will not be in vain; and will lead to greater safety protections for future crews.
So, the search for survivors of the El Faro is called off, a sad time, many sad days.
To the family and friends of the crew, our hearts are heavy and we send thoughts and prayers.
'Tis evening on the moorland free,
The starlit wave is still:
Home is the sailor from the sea,
The hunter from the hill.
Alfred Edward Housman
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the El Faro crew.
A life at sea is never an easy choice but I would have it no other way. My next trip around Cape Hatteras I will be looking to the southeast thinking of my brothers and sisters no longer with us.
This may slip from headlines to the general public but we will never forget the crew of the El Faro. Take heart knowing they did difficult job so that you could all have a better life at home.
I would like to pass my condolences to the families of my fellow seafarers and particularly the two members of this crew that served aboard my vessel under my command within the past year. You pursued the call of the sea like so many of us have and performed your duties as only a professional mariner can.
Fair winds and following seas to all of you.
We send our sincerest prayers and thoughts to every family member and seaman.
We know they have done their very, very best for each other, for you and their ship.
There is no doubt.
Godspeed, each and every one.
To the men and women of the [I]El Faro[/I], may the good Lord take you up speedily and may you enjoy nothing but fair winds and following seas in the next life.
To the families, the maritime community grieves with you. May the good Lord give you strength in this dark time.
We mariners have long memories and this tragedy will not be soon forgotten. RIP, brothers and sisters.
for the memory of our brother and sister mariners who sailed aboard the EL FARO, whose lives tragically ended before their time and to all those who loved them…
please join me now
WE therefore commit their bodies to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body when the sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who at his coming shall change our vile body, that it may be like his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.
may their souls be in eternal peace
amen
Farewell my friends.
We go to sea because it is what we do. Most will never know the beauty and the danger we all face. There is no other life like it. We are all saddened by this loss of so many of our brothers and sisters. Rest in Peace.
Don’t know what I can add to my fellow professional mariners’ comments except that for most of us, I think that the career chose us instead of us choosing it. . . I know my seagoing career was not what I originally intended, but I loved much of it and my time at sea shaped what I am today. . . many a night I had to wedge my life vest under my mattress to get even a couple of hours sleep in the worst conditions. . . but I never regretted any of it. . . Godspeed the officers and crew of the EL FARO. . .
To the crew of El Faro: May the Lord our Father welcome you with open arms in heaven. Rest easy in your eternal life.
To the families, I pray God will shower you with his support and love as you heal. Your family members are in a better place now, free from the pain and sin of this earth. They will be missed, but not forgotten. Until you see them again…
“Roll on thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll.
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain.
Man marks the earth with ruin,
His control stops at the shore.”
-Lord Byron
An excerpt from “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage”
Sailors and their families sacrifice to take part in this career, it is a dangerous and thankless job most of the time but its something we love. Most people will never see the things we get to see and do the things we do.
I am sorry for the lives lost and I’m sure it’s tough for the families and friends. Coming with their loss will also come a big big safety overhaul, the fact that it was an American flagged ship will thrust it to the forefront that we ship owners and USCG need to implement the latest technologies in keeping sailors safe while aboard.
With your family’s loss will come saftey rules that undoubtedly safe many sea-going lives in the future. The entire industry is a tightknit one and will honor those lives lost for a long time. We will take this tragedy and learn many things from it that will help the next generations.
My heart goes out to the families of these men and women. I lost my wife 201 days ago, so I know what these families are going through to certain respect. God bless those those bastards.
[QUOTE=Colston1285;171006]Sailors and their families sacrifice to take part in this career, it is a dangerous and thankless job most of the time but its something we love. Most people will never see the things we get to see and do the things we do.
I am sorry for the lives lost and I’m sure it’s tough for the families and friends. Coming with their loss will also come a big big safety overhaul, the fact that it was an American flagged ship will thrust it to the forefront that we ship owners and USCG need to implement the latest technologies in keeping sailors safe while aboard.
With your family’s loss will come saftey rules that undoubtedly safe many sea-going lives in the future. The entire industry is a tightknit one and will honor those lives lost for a long time. We will take this tragedy and learn many things from it that will help the next generations.[/QUOTE]
I agree with this statement. I do not know if it will provide much comfort knowing that your loss will save lives. I hope it does.
My heart is heavy that something this tragic can happen under these circumstances. I pray for all the families to find a way to keep moving forward to honor the lives of our brothers and sister that were lost at sea doing what they loved to do.
To the families that lost loved ones on the El Faro. Your family member was doing the job they trained for, they did it because they enjoyed it and it afforded them a way to support their families. They knew the risks but like all of us in the profession they thought the risk was manageable. They provided a life stream of needed products to the people of the lands they traveled to and they took the responsibility seriously. They were a community. They were their own fire department, police department, medical department, brothers and sisters when on board their ship. Knowing mariners I can with confidence say they fought to return to you while they fought to save each other. They are heroes in every sense of the word. They will hold an honored place among all who sail the seas after them.
In the last few days I’ve talked with a good number of American masters and few had any answers but all wanted to tell me of sleepless nights and… Tears. In the ten years I’ve been running gCaptain I’ve only heard 2 captains break down in tears… this week I’ve heard more… and I have cried more than once myself.
I don’t know why this event has shaken me so hard any more than I know why the el faro got so close to that storm So I wrote this poem (the first I’ve ever published) to express my thoughts. It’s titled “I do not know why the captains cried” and is dedicated to the families of the el faro crew… so they know they are not alone tonight when their tears start running.
I don’t know why the captains cried
inside the maelstrom of our minds
thoughts rolled about they tossed they spit
We thought we could hold back the tide
As we donned dark glasses just in case
And batten the lids across our eyes
As our minds fill with the dark deep
The brine began to leak that day
Through two dogged lids it poured and poured
down tired walls the water flowed
To fill the pot marks and scars we face
It lifted oil and mixed with snot
Then flowed by unkept stalks of grey
Our beards became bayous and Boggs
As the tears flowed freely down our face
Why did all the masters weep?
When one vessel sailed through our minds one day?
Are we not strong and stout?
Why did the el faro go that day?
That day before we cried.
-John Konrad
