If you knew people were performing the backbreaking labor of carrying coal from a ship to a dock only to be paid a few cents by each basketload, you wouldn’t really want to do anything that could delay them, right?
But when my guide let me know that several of the workers wanted me to come on board the coal ship to see what it looks like, I was worried I might have to be guilty of that. The only way to get on board was by walking the plank. A couple thin strips of wood formed the makeshift bridge from ship to shore.
The drop below was maybe 20-30 feet into the water… and who knows how deep or shallow that might be.
I tried unsuccessfully to use my camera gear as an excuse, but that only resulted in volunteer offers to carry the stuff for me. I bit the bullet and tried to think of myself as light and nimble like a gymnast while going fast. Speed helped resolve the guilt of delaying the workers and helped me not overthink the drop.
Big challenge for me, everyday life for the workers here. Dhaka, man. Home to many of the most difficult jobs I’ve seen.