Apollon

The demolition of the Greek-owned Adriatic ferry Apollon at Aliaga in Turkey has prompted this little photo essay of a crossing I made on her from Brindisi in Italy to Igoumenitsa in Greece in 2007. Originally Sealink's Senlac, she built in 1973 for the Newhaven-Dieppe route. Thereafter, she operated for 13 years for various Greek owners in the Aegean and Adriatic before being sold for scrap at the end of the 2010 summer season.

 

At Brindisi - her registry in Kingstown, Jamaica is somewhat unusual.

Me on deck with a life ring.

 

In the forward hallway, there was a large decorative panel made by the Hungarian emigre sculptor Franta Belsky, whose bas relief works adorned the interiors of several Sealink ferries of the 1970s.

 

In a vitrine opposite, her owners had put on display various images of previous ferries they'd operated.

 

 Rabies hazard warning notice from Channel days and a typical British Rail sign, directing passengers to the cafeteria. The pictogram features a fork, but no knife.

The cafeteria was decorated by a series of brass panels depicting scenes from the Bayeux tapestry

 

Booth seating in the cafeteria - with mushy green formica and a cruet set.

Out on deck.

 

Next morning dawned hot and sunny as we motored past Corfu and towards Igoumenitsa. But oh dear, the Apollon's plumbing was very unwell and a sewerage overflow pipe was sending a great gush of liquid excrement all over the deck. I went to inform the bridge and, before the Captain knew why I was there, he gave me a tirade to the effect that passengers we'ren't allowed on the bridge wing. It therefore gave me heightened pleasure to point out the very particular nature of the problem.

 

 

 

Apollon at Corfu Town in 2008.

 

The Apollon at Aliaga for demolition (Photographs courtesy of Selim San via Shippax)