Allen Garfinkle — The Making of a Bay Pilot | 8/7/2019

The article was written by Allen Garfinkle, Executive Director – Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun

Captain David Gelinas will discuss the history of the Pen Bay Pilots and how the Maine's State Pilotage System is practiced on Penobscot Bay. He will also share stories about Captain Bill Abbott who mentored him when he became a pilot.

In 2006 I was invited to join Port of London Pilot Capt. Tom Miller on one of his last few voyages before his retirement. A pilot cutter ferried us from the Gravesend Port office to the Port of London Terminal where the Hebridean Spirit waited for us to board. Once aboard, the ship's captain manoeuvred the vessel off its moorings and into the channel. After handing the vessel over to Capt. Miller, the Captain joined the ship's company for dinner, and the first offer and a helmsman remained...

Crew motor pandu sangat berjasa sekali buat kami, mereka mengantar n menjemput kami ke kapal saat tengah laut . Tanpa mereka kita tdk bisa bekerja.. terima kasih crew motor pandu.

Experiences from Australia: No two days are the same for a marine pilot in a busy port such as Esperance, but Mr MacAdie wouldn’t have it any other way.

Reflections on his work on the Mississippi River (2014)

Video showing marine pilot navigating a cargo ship from Port Botany.

My personal impression is that a lot has changed in terms of safety in the last two years. Non-compliance with current legislation that directly affects the safety of pilots is now no longer tolerated by many stakeholders. Something is happening. And that is a good thing.

A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, bar pilot, or simply pilot, is a sailor who maneuvers ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbors or river mouths. They are navigational experts possessing knowledge of the particular waterway such as its depth, currents, and hazards.

RightShip continues its webinar series on pilot ladder arrangements. On September 18th, they´re asking two marine pilots to share their first-hand perspectives on pilot ladder arrangement best practices.