Archive for November, 2025
It is my distinct pleasure to compose this post about the “El Faro Salute!” memorial overlooking the magnificent harbor in Rockland, Maine. My pleasure derives from my communication with the memorial’s creator and artist JBONE (the artist formally known as Jay Sawyer). All of the photographs and web site links are courtesy of JBONE, with the exception of the photograph of the ship itself. JBONE is a native of Rockland. He graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy, moving on to a career in the US Merchant Marine. He lived the life of the El Faro crew, which is evident in simply contemplating his design of the memorial – loyalty to ship and shipmates. I encourage all to visit the attached web links and videos relating to the memorial – and to JBONE’S artist web site, which add more background to this memorial and to his other fascinating art.
The El Faro (the “Lighthouse”) was a US flagged container ship built in 1975. She was lost at sea with her entire crew on October 1, 2015, after sailing into Hurricane Joaquin on a voyage from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico – a routine voyage for the ship and crew. Her entire crew of 33 perished, several originally from Maine and graduates of the Maine Maritime Academy. The National Transportation Safety Board report of the accident can be found at: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA16MM001.aspx
Jay Sawyer (the artist now known as JBONE) spent seven years designing, creating, and installing this memorial on what can only be described as an amazing location overlooking Rockland harbor and the Atlantic beyond. The male and female mariners salute you and their shipmates as they sail into their future. Below those figures the visitor can look through the stern portholes of the sculpture to the harbor and the Atlantic Ocean in the distance – the location of the final resting place of the El Faro crew.
Who better to tell the story of the memorial than the artist. Attached are two pdf documents written by the artist himself. Imbedded in two of the photographs within the first document (Glorious Day of Remembrance) are links to video interviews with JBONE. I encourage everyone to view the interviews.
Another fascinating video covering the 10th anniversary of the El Faro loss can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74g91-e0Eeg. I especially appreciated the effect of the memorial on the families of the El Faro crew.
Any lost at sea memorial is essentially about precious lives cut short. Please remember those on the El Faro now standing permanent watch on the sea they loved and sailed.
And last, but certainly not least, please visit the JBONE Studio website at https://studiojbone.com. You will learn more about the El Faro memorial and have the opportunity to view the artist’s fascinating other work.