(True Story)
I was at the wheel of a Ready Reserve Ship (Equality State, over 667 feet) with heavy-lift cranes across the deck, so I could not see anything ahead of me, down the Houston ship channel. All I could really see from the wheel was the buildings going by the bridgewings. So I have experienced the driving a ship down the street dream in real life!
Eventually I saw a bridge we were going under and unbeknownst to me, The pilot was getting ready to play “Texas Chicken”…
I see the arch of a bridge in front of me, buildings on each side of me, and the pilot calls out " 20 DEGREES RIGHT RUDDER!" from way out on the bridgewing (75+ foot beam). I bark back the order extra loud so there is no confusion, Im thinking “WTF!” there is nowhere to turn! But I put my complete faith in the pilot… I see the forward mast of the ship start to swing over to the buttresses of the bridge, My eyes are glued to the swingmeter and rudder indicator, for what seems forever… the the pilot calls out " 20 DEGREES LEFT RUDDER!" I echo the command back, and still Im thinking something is going seriously wrong! Then I see another bridgewing flash by our port side, close enough it would seem he could have given the other pilot a “high-five”! … then Im relieved to hear the pilot order “MIIIID-SHIPS!” …Whew!
My heart was in my throat, and finally realized THIS IS HOW YOU PLAY TEXAS CHICKEN! HELL YEAH! THAT WAS FUN!
