These ropes were tying the Elissa, the Official Tall Ship of Texas, to the quayside. At least they were on the day I took made this image.
The elissa is a three-masted, iron-hulled barque built in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1877. She was rescued from destruction in a Greek Shipyard in 1975 by the Galveston Historical Foundation and towed to Galveston in 1979. She was named the Official Tall Ship of Texas by the State Legislature in 2005. I find it quite amusing to scan the list of official Texas state symbols. Whoever would have thought that a Legislature that meets for only 140 days every two years would have the time?
On her most recent seaworthiness study in 2011 she was found to have significant corroding of her hull and the Galveston Historical Foundation is seeking to raise $3 million to repair her hull. Prior to this inspection, the elissa sailed regularly and the foundation hopes to have her seaworthy and sailing again by late summer.
elissa is also the name of a traditional IPA brewed in Houston by Saint Arnold's Brewery (not yet the official state craft brewery, mind you). India Pale Ales were first brewed in the late 1700s in England for transport to the British colony of India where conditions were not conducive for brewing. If you've not yet tried it, I wholly recommend you do! Ships like the Elissa would have transported the ale from England to India.
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Production Data
Camera: Canon EOS 5D
Lens: Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AF Lens
Processing: Lightroom 3.6
Processing: Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 2 (nik software)
