(by correspondent
Domenico Palesse)
Being a sailor is a life choice.
No one is self-sufficient, everyone serves someone. It is the
very essence of the crew, of that team that shares tasks and
duties every day, but also joys and smiles.
A sense of brotherhood amplified by the daily routine of
navigation, where everyone is part of something, where the ship
is their home and their traveling companions are their family.
And the Amerigo Vespucci, the 'lady of the seas', is no
different. On the contrary.
The officers' wardroom jealously guards an endless logbook, made
up of photos and memories, dates and thoughts.
A series of albums that retrace the history of the Vespucci
through the eyes of its crew, during its trips ashore or during
its most exciting moments.
Each book is a dive into the past, each photo is a memory of an
experience done very closely together.
From the traditional shots in front of the most famous monuments
in the world, to evenings together at the restaurant. From
official ceremonies in port, to selfies on board the ship.
The cover of the latest album is blue. The first photo is of
Marseille, dated July 4, 2023, just three days after the
departure of the second world tour in the 93 years of the
Vespucci. Just below is Las Palmas and then Cape Verde.
In every port, in every city, the crew never fails to smile in
front of the camera lens.
They are photos often without uniform, in free time, without
ranks or uniform.
Young men and women discovering the world, between gastronomic
challenges and evenings at the restaurant.
There are the "champions" who have crossed Cape Horn and the
Patagonian canals, but also the winners of a dance competition
or an impromptu foot race.
Jokes and teasing like you do among friends, unlikely
photomontages and laughter.
The same ones that infect those who are immortalized in those
photos and who, in front of the images, still get excited.
The journey is still long and the empty pages are still many. A
few months and that book with the blue cover will end up next to
the previous ones, with new images and new emotions to leave as
a legacy to the next members of the next crew, to wish them a
sincere and friendly "fair wind".
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