Night Run of the Houston Ship Channel

Courtesy of Houston Pilot Lou Vest:
The video begins just below the Port of Houston Authority Turning Basin (the very end of the channel) and continues down to the head of Galveston Bay. From there we still have 31.5 miles of channel across the bay to the pilot station outside the Galveston jetties.
It looks incredibly fast, but we were actually only making 5-6 knots in the first half and no more than 10 knots in the open areas of the second half.
This was a Panamax ship, 106 feet wide, and about 600 feet long with 32 feet of draft.

[@SmithConductor]

This has to be one of the best youtube videos i've ever seen.

[@tanqdobreva6371]

Awesome

[@aliphim]

I miss the sea of orange lights. I should have never left Houston.

[@fullofbaddassness]

I love working next to these big behemoths!

[@JBBrickman]

Dang I kept looking to see the USS Texas, but I guess it’s too dark, it must be cool in the day to sail into Houston and sail past a WW1 and WW2 Battleship!

[@gque021]

Is it true that the Houston Pilots Association won't take anyone over 35 years of age? I'm in the process of upgrading my license now from 500 GRT to 1600 GRT. Right now, I am a Relief Captain for Kirby Inland Marine.

[@CaptainRew]

how long did that take?

[@bradgt5130]

3-4 hours

[@Ghosthound_X]

What bridge is that at 0:31?

[@PortHouston]

This is the i-610 Sidney Sherman Bridge