Beachcombing Report: Ladder from the High Seas

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.
Standing 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).