An hour or two spent watching ship channel operations can be a nice zen-like diversion from your daily activities. An artful eye might appreciate the practiced movements along with the visual contrast between the lumbering commercial vessels and the more agile fishing and service boats.
Watching the big ships at Galveston and Port Aransas
At the easternmost tip of Galveston Island in Texas, an intricate dance unfolds as colossal vessels enter and exit the Houston Ship Channel. This maritime route connects the Gulf of Mexico to the Port of Houston. On clear days, the sheer size of these vessels creates the illusion that you can extend your hand and touch them. However, during foggy conditions, the ships transform into ethereal ghosts, mysteriously gliding through the mist. Also from this vantage point, observers can observe ferries transporting commuters from Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula, shrimp boats returning with the daily catch, and various tugboats and pilot boats guiding the cargo vessels through the channel.
Similar operations occur at the Port Aransas Ship Channel, also known as Aransas Pass. Enthusiasts gather at the south jetty and Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas to watch the ships gracefully move from the Gulf of Mexico to the Port of Corpus Christi. Both viewpoints offer an unobstructed view from which to marvel at the diversity of commercial shipping. Plus, you might even see a pod of dolphins frolicking in the channel!
The Artist
Jeff Kauffman is an art photographer in Austin, Texas USA. His work has appeared worldwide in publications, art festivals, and commercial venues. You can follow Jeff directly on Instagram and LinkedIn social media platforms, as well as his website.