Anchored within a fleet of ships!
At Anchor, Galveston,TX
We’ve arrived into Galveston, and dropped our starboard anchor close to the most western edge of the outer anchorage, just off the coast from the recently ravaged island.
Upon our arrival, I was on Watch during our approach into the anchorage and noticed the effects of the recent damage caused by Hurricane Ike.
Most of the channel buoys were missing, and we reverted to our Electronic Charting Display (ECDIS) to assist with navigating towards our anchor location. Over one hundred-fifty ships are in queue awaiting orders as our Automated Information Service (AIS) transponder shows, all while at anchor, as the Houston/Galveston ports are temporarily closed for most traffic!
As well, not much radio traffic, as all four of our VHF radios are mostly silenced with the eerie calm normally replaced with the garble of Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) , responding tugboats, harbor pilots, and commercial vessels as they trade information associated with an active harbor. But for now, it is quiet!
Peering past the bow as it dances and sways with the low swell and as I look towards the armada of commercial ships adjacent to us or across to the North, all I notice are the glittering deck lights, similar in fashion, to a mirage that symbolizes a city but which is not actually as city, as my mind tells itself. The coastline demonstrates the chaos as its silhouettes of buildings and beach shanties stands without power, some of which may not exactly cast as an intact super structure; only the information we’ve managed to retrieve from satellite television has brought us an image of what actually has happened during these desperate times. But for now, we watch from the safety of a ship with power, water and shelter and hope.
We hope that no souls are wandering without these aforementioned necessities, but understand and accept, that these conditions might exist for a few of the unfortunate ones.
On a final note, we managed to transit through a front which brought with it, squalls associated with heavy rains and winds just the other night. With the winds, a funnel cloud was quickly spotted, and a water spout touched down, just a quarter mile off our starboard bow. Within a minute, the spout grew and appeared to intensify. I had my camera within reach and snapped a couple of spectacular photos. It appeared nearly dead ahead for a moment yet, dissipated and vanished as quickly as it started. Only a few of us including Chief Mate Mike, Captain Smith and AB “LG” witnessed the unique event.
Hope you have a great day!
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