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| Photo Video available at: nbcbararea.com news piece by Joe Rosato Jr. |
I felt this was an interesting article on the inside information on what it is to be a Bar Pilot, about their training and circumstances they too face in their every day jobs . . .
Since the Gold Rush days, Bar Pilots have helped guide ships in and out of the bay, from tugboats to the latest class of 1,200 foot super container ship
By Joe Rosato Jr. for NBC Bay Area
San Francisco Bar Pilot John Carlier stood in near darkness on the bridge of a 1,200-foot container ship, staring into the deep, turbulent night. Lightning blinked in the distance as alarms went off all around him. He fidgeted uncomfortably -- helpless as the massive ship careened past Alcatraz Island -- all navigational control wiped-out by the fierce storm. Then he chuckled.
In this case, Carlier could allow himself a good laugh. The ship’s control deck was firmly on land in the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo. And the doomsday scenario was controlled by the school’s computer generated simulator. Still, Carlier was genuinely uncomfortable with the experience.
“This is very realistic,” Carlier said. “If they turn it up a notch you can get a little queasy here.”
Continue reading Mr. Rosato's article and view Video Interview at: nbcbayarea.com
