‘ELBE PILOT, ELBE PILOT!’
On the North Sea off Cuxhaven river pilots
are transferred to incoming vessels to guide
them along the Elbe river to Brunsbüttel and
further on to Hamburg. Aboard 37-year-old
pilot vessel ‘Kapitän Hilgendorf’ the pilots
await their next inbound ship, come night,
come rain, come storm. An open shuttle then
takes the pilot from his rolling post to the
looming hull of the big ship where a dancing
rope ladder beckons him to clamber aboard.

First published in: ‘mare’ No. 14
Text by: Andreas Weber
Photos available through: Marc Steinmetz