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Crossing the Bar: The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot (Paul Lobo)

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Crossing the Bar: The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot (Paul Lobo)
There is nothing placid about San Francisco Bay. Its raucous waters have hosted brutal storms, daring rescues, horrendous accidents, and countless hours of drama and tension. Captain Paul Lobo knows that better than most people. As a federally and state licensed ship pilot of unlimited tonnage for those treacherous waters, Captain Lobo piloted nearly 6,500 ships in a thirty-one year career--everything from mega-yachts, to the USS Enterprise, to TV's Love Boat. Each trip tells its own story, and the Cap'n shares many sea stories,all true. Readers will find gripping, tense adventure stories, all well told.

Reading Crossing the Bar is like being on the rolling bridge with Captain Lobo. Here are tragic deaths and lives saved, inspiring rescues, devastating storms, and the infamous and horrendous oil spill after the Cosco Busan rammed the Oakland Bay Bridge--resulting in the first known imprisonment of a maritime pilot for making an error.

Readers will also find a December sea rescue Captain Lobo was involved during a winter storm with hurricane strength winds and monstrous seas.Without Captain Lobo, two other pilots and the pilot boat crew and their supreme effort, the ship they saved would have foundered on California's Marin County rocky coast line with the loss of all hands. A must read for mariners and armchair mariners alike.
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Article What is a Maritime Pilot? From "Crossing the Bar, The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot" by Captain Paul Lobo

by Capt. Paul Lobo - published on 22 September 2020

Chapter 3 from the book "Crossing the Bar, The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot" by Captain Paul Lobo, available on Amazon (link below)

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Opinion The valet parker for ships

by Bianca Reineke - published on 14 November 2020

Review of Capt. Paul Lobo's book "Crossing the bar". The valet parker for ships: More than 30 years of being a Pilot. Book Review by Bianca Reineke, Germany

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Opinion Book review: Practical Ship Handling, Fourth Edition, by Malcolm C. Armstrong

by Kevin Vallance deep sea pilot and author - published on 5 June 2020

Some ship handlers today use electronic instruments from start to finish and these ships usually have powerful engines and thrusters and an almost unlimited number of personnel on the bridge.

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Article Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA) is seeking for new pilot boats

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 17 April 2020

Cromarty Firth Port Authority (CFPA) is seeking a contractor to build and deliver a new pilot vessel as part of a major project to upgrade its fleet of vessels. The contract for the work is currently being put out to tender and interested parties are encouraged to apply before the deadline of 8 May, 17.00.

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Video Safe Boarding of Vessels at Sea with GAC

published on 23 February 2022

Boarding a vessel at sea can be dangerous. By following simple rules, it can be done safely. This safety video shows you how to leave the launch boat and climb the ladder when boarding vessels at sea safely as well as boarding preparations, safety precautions and boarding under special conditions. The 3 types of boarding arrangements for pilot are also explained. Watch with sound on. Transfers are normally safe when everyone takes all the precautions. If you think it is unsafe, remember to...

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Video Pilot Boat JP Virden Indian River Inlet 2/3/26

published on 9 February 2026

Pilots Association for the Bay and River Delaware Pilot Boat JP Virden heading out to put a Pilot on a ship.

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Video CMA CGM Columbia feat. two harbour pilot boats (2.7K)

published on 31 December 2020

CMA CGM Columbia container ship arriving from Shekou port, and transiting thru Hong Kong, destination Singapore
a rare capture of TWO harbour pilots boats to carry two pilots leaving off the container ship
Columbia is only a 300m long 48m wide vessel, only 9200 TEU capacity but it has separate bridge tower and chimney. The ship was built in 2015.

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Article NZMPA Mobile App for Android released

published on 18 August 2020

The New Zealand Maritime Pilots Association (NZMPA) mobile App has just been released for Android devices.

The App is primarily an information-sharing tool to help improve communications and enhance maritime safety.

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Video How Cargo Ships Navigate the World's Most Treacherous Bay

published on 10 December 2025

Play World of Warships for Free! Click my link to join the battle and unlock exclusive rewards. https://wo.ws/SamEckholm For over 150 years, the San Francisco Bar Pilots have guided the world’s largest ships through one of the most dangerous stretches of water anywhere on Earth. In this episode, I'm taking you out to sea with the pilots to see what it actually takes to navigate these vessels through the Golden Gate. Follow Along Here: --------------------------------------------- 📸...

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Article Study "Master (M. Eng.) Maritime Pilotage" in Germany

by Hochschule Wismar, University of Applied Sciences, Technology, Business and Design - published on 7 August 2024

Neuer Studiengang ab dem Wintersemester 2024/2025!
New degree programme from winter semester 2024/2025!

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