Current & Former Students

Former Student Carved Into Maritime History

Speth modeling for the figurehead, tied to the bow of Elissa, courtesy of the Galveston Historical Foundation

In the fall of 1980, Texas A&M University at Galveston freshman cadet Amy McAllister Speth ’83 joined the crew to restore Elissa, the 1877 iron-hulled square-rigged barque and official tall ship of Texas. Before the ship was a staple at Galveston’s Pier 21, it was in disrepair in a salvage yard in Greece after years of neglect rendered it unseaworthy. The Galveston Historical Foundation acquired the ship and after a few repairs to the hull – just enough so Elissa would survive the trip across the Atlantic Ocean – towed Elissa from Greece to Galveston.

After it arrived in Galveston, Elissa underwent significant restoration work to bring the historic vessel back into ship shape.

“Only about 40% of the hull was sustainable,” Speth said. “We restored everything on her from the hull up.”

Hired as a rigger, Speth worked under the direction of a master square-rigged ship rigger, Steve Hyman, setting the system of ropes and hardware connected to the ship’s masts, yards and sails. As the project continued, Speth’s role evolved, and her job duties soon included sanding and varnishing the masts, yards, railings and deck structures, among other rigging and carpentry jobs.

The work schedule was aggressive, but not rushed. Though Speth says the crew often had to stand in line to use power tools, she remembers that there was never a sense of being unsafe, but rather, the required teamwork fostered camaraderie as they worked together to meet deadlines.

“It was the most rewarding project I have ever worked on,” said Speth. “The quality of the craftsmanship is evident in the meticulous details. The crew became a close-knit group, many of whom are still close friends.”

Speth’s proudest moment of the restoration came toward the end of the project when she modeled for the figurehead, an experience that she calls a great honor. As the story goes, Speth bore a striking resemblance to a young Mary Moody Northen, a principal benefactor of Elissa’s restoration. Northen was a Galveston philanthropist with ties to Texas A&M – Galveston as the financier and namesake of the Moody Northen Student Center whose legacy still impacts students at the campus.

World-renowned artist Eli Kuslansky sculpted the figurehead. 

Eventually, Kuslansky needed a more realistic reference, so he and Hyman, the lead rigger, stuffed life jackets underneath Speth and tied her arms and legs to the bow for about 20 minutes. The moment was memorialized when an Associated Press reporter snapped an iconic photo. The next morning, Speth’s mother received a call from her sister in Chicago asking if she knew her daughter’s picture was in the newspaper. She now jokes that the photo would have gone viral on TikTok if it happened today.

When Kuslansky was ready to start carving, the team held an opening ceremony of sorts, where a couple of crew members took turns with the chainsaw to make the first cuts into the block of laminated mahogany. Kuslansky took it from there. The completed figurehead holds a yellow rose of Texas, Northen’s favorite flower, gilded in gold leaf, a detail that reflects the care and craftsmanship of the restoration as a whole.

“Working with the crew on the restoration was hands down the most fulfilling experience of my life,” Speth said. “Elissa’s restoration was a heartfelt and beautiful collaboration among some of the most talented craftspeople in the world. Their quality and pride can be seen in every detail.”

Speth feels fortunate to have been a crewmember during the newly restored Elissa’s maiden voyage out of Galveston. Following the restoration, Speth graduated with her degree in Marine Transportation and received her US Coast Guard third mate merchant mariner license. She launched her career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, serving as an ensign on research ships. She later moved to the Chesapeake Bay, where she married Eric Speth, Elissa’s chief carpenter, with whom she shares a son and a daughter.

As her career progressed, Speth transitioned into quality management and eventually started a successful consulting business. After Speth’s children went off to college, she purchased a Sea Ray Sedan Bridge and cruised down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from Virginia to Florida. She credits her maritime background for giving her the skills and confidence needed to make the trip. Speth is now retired in Tampa, Florida, where she remains an avid boater. Even though she didn’t stay in the maritime industry for most of her career, she says she is forever thankful for her maritime education and experience – especially for her time as an Elissa crewmember and her unique connection with the ship and the crew.

“I will always be grateful and proud to be the leading lady of the most beautiful and stately ship,” Speth said. “It’s humbling to think that when she’s crossing the sea, I’m protecting her from harm at the front of her bow.”