Friday, February 9, 2007

Wrap-up and parting

Final day... some team members have gone home but there are eight of us packing our bags and getting ready for flights to various parts of the world, and the exploration phase of the project has been successfully concluded.

Over the next several days, the full reality of what happened to Joe and the rest of the team on Bell Island will finally sink in. The events of our final day on the island offered a small consolation as we placed in the mine, at the spot on the gold line where Joe's body was found, a memorial white cross. That evening, the people and council of Bell Island hosted the dive and support team at a special supper... which was fantastic... and one of the speakers said something we found profoundly moving.

"Long after all of us are in our final resting place," he said. "Joe Steffen will be remembered fondly by the people of Bell Island, because of the sacrifice he made in order to bring something special to this island."

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