PORT ARTHUR —
For Tabitha Wood, her journey on the General Rudder began in Alaska, not Galveston.
The 30-year-old Texas Maritime Academy student boarded the Rudder in Galveston with her fellow shipmates, but her voyage began long before July 5. Wood fell in love with the sea on a summer trip to Alaska when she was supposedly running from responsibility with a sorority sister. She had been in nursing school, but it didn’t quite capture her attention the way being aboard a ship did.
“It’s a different world out there,” she said.
Wood got a job on a boat that took tourists to see glaciers and otters and other Alaskan treasures while she was there. After that, she just hasn’t been the same.
“I’m a fish out of water on land,” Wood said.
As the Corps Executive Officer of the Rudder, Wood prepares paperwork, plans out the day and performs inspections regularly. She had just completed room inspections before arriving in Port Arthur. She said they were cleaner than she expected.
Out of the 50 cadets, Wood is one of four women. She was selected for Corps Executive Officer because she had the second highest GPA out of the cadets. Corps Commander Carey Harriot had the highest.
As Corps Commander, Harriot is in charge of the cadets. But he did not anticipate this responsibility. He was chosen as Corps Commander because of his high GPA and was informed of this opportunity after he arrived on board the General Rudder.
When the cadets line up for formation every morning and every evening, Harriot is there to ensure accuracy and efficiency. He also plans the cadets’ days and prepares paperwork with the help of Wood.
Local News
Related Photos
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Jake Moore, 12, and Caitlin Moore, 10, look at different knots you would learn for Workboat Academy during a tour of the General Rudder ship at the Port of Port Arthur. The Workboat Mate Program at Texas A&M Galveston helps individuals have the training, support, knowledge and skills to attain a Mate's license. Students from the program gave tours in Port Arthur on Monday. Morgan Jones
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