Galveston-Oil and Water

Galveston · March 2014

Operation Keep Your Fingers Crossed

A harbour collision, an oil spill, a closed port, and one ship waiting for permission to leave.

Hotel @nyware Galveston Harbour Deck 5 Heliport March 2014
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Galveston had an environmental emergency of its own.
Harbour Note 01

Port Closed

A ship had collided with a barge, leaving the harbour closed while the United States Coast Guard assessed the situation.

From the Deck 5 helicopter pad, the view was excellent. The prospects of leaving were less certain.

Operation Keep Your Fingers Crossed was officially underway.

View of Galveston port from the ship's heliport
A view of the port from the heliport.
Ed Reif on the ship during the Galveston delay
Waiting out the harbour closure.
Update · 27 March 2014

All cleared. We were preparing to set sail. It was very cold, and sunshine suddenly sounded like the best destination on the itinerary.

Hotel Note 02

Welcome to Hotel @nyware / Galveston

Hotel Galvez in Galveston
The Hotel Galvez: another temporary address inside Hotel @nyware.
Such a lovely place. Plenty of room. Any time of year, you can find it here.

Born Under the Sign of Water

I used to think spending too much time on a cruise ship was bad, so I stopped thinking.

Two songs had helped push me toward the water: Little River Band’s Cool Change and Blues Image’s Ride Captain Ride.

Sailing Song 01

Cool Change

Time alone on bright, clear water—and the recognition that a pre-arranged life sometimes needs a deliberate change of course.

Listen on YouTube
Sailing Song 02

Ride Captain Ride

A mystery ship, another shore, unexpected friends, and the possibility of seeing a world other people missed.

Listen on YouTube
Final Bearing

A Cool Change

The port eventually reopened, the ship finally moved, and Galveston returned to the wake. Hotel @nyware checked out of one temporary address and sailed toward the next.

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