Hello! Long time no hear! That’s about to change! We’ve been working hard during the first few weeks of the year! The Sea Punk I is currently being refurbished in dry dock—you can find out exactly what and why in our popular category “Mail from the Shipyard”, further below. Planning for this year’s rotations is also in full swing. And: we’ll soon be joining forces with FC St. Pauli. Wait, what? Really? Read on to find out.
Love & Rage
Your Punks
DRY DOCK IN LICATA
Once again, the Sea Punk I has no water under her keel – and in this case, that’s a good thing. She has been in dry dock in Licata since the beginning of the year. As you know, our beloved ship is an old punk lady who needs to be well looked after. The crew is working hard every day on board to complete the maintenance work and ensure that the Sea Punk I can soon set sail again to help people in distress at sea. You can find a detailed report from the shipyard by two Sea Punkies below.
Last year, with your help, we were able to save over 600 refugees in distress at sea in the Mediterranean from worse fate in four rescue missions. These people were able to go ashore safely – thanks to your support! Thank you! Our plans for this year’s rotations are in full swing. As soon as the ship is ready for action again, we can set sail.
Civil sea rescue costs money – not doing it costs lives! That’s why your donation helps us. makes a difference. And maybe you know someone who you can encourage to become a Sea Punks amboatsador:a. With a regular monthly donation of 13.12 euros or more, you can help us to plan our operations more effectively and go out regularly.
NO APRIL FOOL’S JOKE: Sea Punks x St Pauli
April marks the return of T-shirt weather. And just in time for it, we have some new merchandise for you—together with FC St. Pauli, we are currently running the screen printing presses hot and will be launching two new shirts and two scarves. Not just for soccer fans a must have! More information to follow. You can already start looking forward to it.
POSTCARD(S) FROM ITALY – POST FROM THE SHIPYARD
Hello everyone,
Here’s another detailed update for you from the dry dock in Licata, Sicily. Why Licata and not Augusta as usual? Well, as a ship under the British flag, we are subject to regular inspections by the British classification society. Every five years there is a major check-up and every two and a half years there is a mid-term survey. This is similar to a car MOT, only even stricter and more complex.
Shortly before Christmas, we therefore sailed the 14 hours from Augusta to Licata, where we are now in dry dock. Dry dock is always something special and completely different from when we anchor in the marina in Augusta, where we sit together in the evening on the pier around the fire barrel.
That doesn’t happen in dry dock. The boat stands on heavy wooden beams at a height of one and a half meters, and the lower part of the ship is visible to some people here for the first time – of course, we all believe in physics, but how this red and blue steel colossus can float in the water is fascinating, to say the least!
To get onto the ship, we climb three ladders, as if we were scaffolding. The toilets are turned off and we have to use water sparingly so that the shipyard doesn’t have to constantly refill our water tanks.
In dry dock, we are focusing on the midterm survey, which mainly involves maintenance in the engine room. Among other things, we have to replace the anchor chain motor. But we also have to do things like derusting and painting the crane. And pulling the shaft and propeller. To do this, the rudder has to be removed first, revealing the shaft as a huge piece of steel. Crazy!
So far, we are confident that we will get through the midterm survey on time. But we have learned from the past and know that a small or large disaster can lurk around every corner, especially once you start (have to start!) taking things apart and looking very closely.
There are currently a lot of engineers on the ship who spend most of their day in the engine room. In fact, that’s not the worst place to be right now, because contrary to the usual sunny Sicilian weather, there have been heavy storms and rain in recent weeks.
Cyclone Harry swept across Sicily. While we watched the storm pass us by unscathed, people were still fleeing across the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats during those days. We know from other NGOs currently working out there that they are often finding dead bodies. We must assume that in the first few weeks of this year alone, up to 1,000 people lost their lives in Cyclone Harry while attempting to flee to Europe across the Mediterranean. May their souls rest in peace and power.
We are aware that we can draw attention to events in the world that would otherwise be ignored or forgotten. Knowing that our work can only be successful if we work politically and intersectionally, it is very important to us to show solidarity with people who stand up for their political beliefs—which are also ours!
Maja T., a non-binary person from Jena, was unlawfully extradited to Hungary with the help of the German state and sentenced to eight years in prison in a political show trial on February 4—the evidence was flimsy and the prison conditions inhumane. Alongside Maja, two other anti-fascists, Anna and Gabri, were sentenced in absentia to eight and two years respectively. The increasingly oppressive tactics of European states are developing against anti-fascist structures, but also against people on the move!
We are not fighting this battle alone, but together, intersectionally and globally. To show our solidarity with Maja and all anti-fascists, we took a solidarity photo in Licata. It felt good to work together with so many people, and we hope that our anger and strength will reach not only Maja, but all anti-fascists with whom we stand in solidarity.
Free Maja, free all anti-fascists! Free the ships and freedom of movement for all!
