One of the most unusual things I found washed ashore this week wasn't a shell or sea bean. It was a rope ladder, nearly 70 feet long, lying in a tangled heap above the high tide line.
Judging by its size and heavy-duty construction, it almost certainly fell from a large cargo ship or tanker making its way through the Gulf.
Rolling it up was no small task. As I worked my way down the beach, I couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. Each wooden step was grooved across the top to provide extra traction, helping prevent wet boots from slipping. Every rung was secured with a wooden block above and below on each side. The rope fit neatly into grooves carved into those blocks, while tightly wrapped twine locked everything firmly in place. The ladder
looked as though it had come straight from the pages of a pirate adventure novel.
Despite that old-fashioned appearance, rope pilot ladders remain an essential piece of modern maritime equipment. Large ships are often too big to pull alongside docks or harbor facilities, so harbor pilots climb aboard using these ladders while the vessel is still offshore. Those pilots then guide the ship safely through channels, into ports, and around hazards using their local knowledge. Crew members also use rope ladders for boarding from smaller boats or for maintenance while the ship is at anchor.
International maritime standards govern exactly how these ladders are built because lives depend on them. The hardwood steps resist wear and weather, while the carefully designed rope system keeps each rung level and secure even under the weight of a climber.
As I stood beside this massive ladder on an empty Texas beach, it was easy to imagine the countless sailors, pilots, and crew members who had climbed it somewhere far offshore.
Before ending its journey on our coast, it had already traveled the world, one careful step at a time.
Jace Tunnell is the director of community engagement for the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. His Beachcombing series appears in newspapers, as a weekly video on YouTube and KEDT PBS, and as a weekly feature on KEDT NPR. Follow Jace at harteresearch.org, Facebook (@harteresearch) and Instagram (@harteresearch).
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Rope ladder washed ashore tells story of maritime safety
