Ahoy Captain Rosik!

The BM 5247 is on its way to Poland.
On Saturday, 7th Feb 2004 at 2 pm it was cast-off time for Captain Wlodzimierz „Wladi“ Rosik who started the engines and steered his ship out of Schnackenburg’s harbour, up the river Elbe heading for his home country.
In the presence of many spectators, friends and different TV stations, he was seen off by the mayor, Andreas Koch, by the head of the THW unit, Hans-Hermann Mietz, and by Wolly Wessel, the initiator of the donation campaign.
All attendees and particularly the donors of the campaign at www.schiffsrettung.com wish Wladi six inches of water under keel (or better twelve) at all times.

Wladi reciprocated with a happy smile, waving gladly as he left the harbour of Schnackenburg. So this was the happy ending of an involuntary stop that had started so disastrously on 21st March 2003.
Captain Rosik was already able to collect cargo in Brandenburg which his freighter will safely transport to Stettin, without any detours. Rosik’s life will somehow get back to normal.

Once again, I wish to thank all those who have helped Wladi. Special thanks go to the donors whose names are being published on the website, to the THW-volunteers, to the members of the voluntary fire brigade, to the Red Cross and to those who donated and collected money „on the spot“ in Schnackenburg, during the salvage operation.

All of them have made contributions to help an individual human being and in doing so have proven that helpfulness and commitment across national borders create a friendly and amicable climate in Europe.

Wolly Wessel

P. S. Wladi even received a phone call from a man in China (speaking to him in German, though) who congratulated Wladi on the salvage and who wished him the very best for the future.