Waiting for the Ferry to Depart

A load of sacks slowly disappears into the ship’s hold, interrupted by lengthy, heated discussions about the order of the cargo. Lorries from the nearby mill continuously bring sacks of flour, which are manually stored on the quay and then hoisted onto the ship with a crane. At this leisurely pace, it will ultimately be midnight before the steel hatch in the bow above the cargo hold closes and the ship can leave the important Atlantic port of Mindelo in the Cape Verde Islands.