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Systemically Sedated

Marc Livanos a/k/a Panhandle Poet

The El Faro was a rare example
of a steam-powered vessel.
She lumbered out of Jacksonville
with a crew of 33 on 9/30/15.

Tropical storm Joaquin
was already a full-blown hurricane
when El Faro set sail
and quickly became a CAT-4.

Former crew said the “rust bucket
was not supposed to be on the water.”
The ship was covered with rust and its decks
filled with holes as recently as August.

Built in nineteen seventy-five,
El Faro was far beyond
the normal 20-year life span
of an ocean-going vessel.

Yet, the American flagged, built
and crewed vessel was cleared by
the American Bureau of Shipping in February
and the U.S. Coast Guard in June.

From day one, the ten
licensed officers and Captain
knew they sailed in peril
but their hands were tied.

Landlubbers that haven’t lived
the life of a mariner are clueless.
No different than whites that haven’t lived
with police overreach.

One can’t understand
what one hasn’t lived
be it landlubber, mariner,
black or white.

The day El Faro departed Jacksonville,
the third mate told the Captain
that by 4:00 AM, they would be 22 miles
from the center of Joaquin.

At 5:43 AM, the Captain was told
the number 3 hold was flooding.
At 6:13 AM, the ship lost power
and was being slammed by 40' waves.

Fighting these monsters
on a listing rust bucket
makes your hair stand on end.
I know. I fought such monsters.

At 7:29 AM, the Captain trembling
announces “The bow is down...
abandon ship.”
Davey Jones Locker claimed 33 souls.

Unbelievable, TOTE Marine said
“There was no incentive
for the Captain to maintain
the ship’s schedule...”

A master that does not maintain schedule,
even in the face of dangerous conditions,
is usually replaced. This industry practice
goes back too many decades to be denied.

Ask retired captains in the union halls
how the Master must make schedule,
come hell or high water.
Ask the wives and sons and daughters.

But don’t ask the U.S. Coast Guard
or American Bureau of Shipping.
Don’t expect policing organizations
to see or address systemic issues.

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