How Does the "Local Pilot" Get On??

[Kid Jedi]

Just off the 9/30 Crown Princess out of the Brooklyn, NY...Had an AWESOME time. Highly recommended for all. Here is a curious question:

 

At every port of call, the captain would state in the newsletter "once we embark the local pilot" the ship would proceed to shore.

 

I understand that the local pilot must be someone who works for the approaching port of call, but to "embark" this person...does this literally mean the person gets onboard to guide the ship in??

 

How do they get onboard, especially with the ship still a ways off at sea? Do they sidle up on a dingy and rope-climb to the bridge!? Just joking on that last one (I think), but I'd be curious to know more about this term.

[walsky]

You are just about correct. The incomming cruise ship, somewhere prior to comming into port, is met by a boat with the pilot on board. It pulls along side the cruise ship; a lower door is opened on the cruise ship and the pilot jumps on board as the ship is moving. The reverse of this when the cruise ship is leaving the port.

[FloridaGator]

Very carefully.

[springtxbill]

Pilots do this even in very rough seas.

[Capt_BJ]

Yep - you got it....

 

if you look at the chart for a specific port you will typically see a bouy labeled "sea bouy", this is commonly the end of the pilotage area and approximately the pilot boarding point. The pilot ladder is essentially a rope ladder up the side of the ship.....sometimes a very LONG climb as not all ships have lower access doors. A tanker riding empty has a very tall side.... Today it is not unusual to have a Coast Guard security team arrive/depart with the pilot as well.

 

Sometimes, more than one pilot may be involved due to the length of the transit, or the fact that multiple pilot areas may be crossed. And sometimes there are special pilots just for the mooring evolution. An Alaskan cruise in the inland passage is entirely in pilot waters and typically two pilots are on board standing 'port and starboard' watches as one is required on the bridge at all times. If the ship goes from Alaskan/US waters to Canadian waters, different pilots take over.

 

In a very small number of places pilot transfers are being done by helicopter. No it doesn't land, but rather the pilot is lowered/raised by a cable :eek:

 

This mag' often has articles about pilots, and today links to multiple stories of pilot deaths... http://professionalmariner.com/

[dkjretired]

if you look very closely when they pick up the pilot, they also have people who missed the ship getting on board while the pilot gets off... Actually quite funny to watch....

[cruisinbuddy]

When I was on my 1st cruise in '99, on the bridge tour we were told about the Pilot. When he's on board, he has full responsibility of the ship. It's an insurance thing.

[1932Canal]

When I was on my 1st cruise in '99, on the bridge tour we were told about the Pilot. When he's on board, he has full responsibility of the ship. It's an insurance thing.

The Captain is always in charge of his ship and is at all times fully responsible for the safety of Passengers, Crew and Vessel. Having said that the degree of responibility for the "Safe Navigation" of the ship in "Confined' (Pilotage) waters varies according to the Maritime Laws of the Country. For example, in Canada, the Pilot has full resposibility for the 'Con' (Conduct-Safe Navigation) of the ship when the ship is underway but has no jurisdiction over the management of the ship. In other countries the Pilot is usually only an advisor, although, whilst directing his advice to the Captain it is taken as a direct command by the Bridge Officers. Finally, whilst the Master may be fully conversant with the waters of a particular harbour he will still embark a Pilot because, not to do so and have an marine accident would negate the vessel's insurance. In other words he is expected to utilize the Best Local Knowledge-a Pilot.

A retired Supervisor of Pilots.

[nybumpkin]

I've watched the pilot board/debark the ship several times, and it is interesting to watch the process. The pilot boat (usually marked with "PILOT" in big letters on the side) pulls alongside the ship; the ship's speed slows, but the ship doesn't stop; and the pilot boat doesn't tie up to the ship. It's all done in tandem and, as FloridaGator said, very carefully.

[Kid Jedi]

This is incredible stuff to know, thanks so much for the info. I'm very much into "little known" facts (Jeopardy champ in my home for sure) and reading about what these pilots do is fascinating.

 

So my next question is if I were to try and spy one of these occurences as it happened, any strategies on what the best time/place might be to witness it? Or is it more random luck to be able to spot this (e.g. get up at the crack of dawn and walk the promenade deck with a pair of binoculars)?

[1932Canal]

This is incredible stuff to know, thanks so much for the info. So my next question is if I were to try and spy one of these occurences as it happened, any strategies on what the best time/place might be to witness it? Or is it more random luck to be able to spot this (e.g. get up at the crack of dawn and walk the promenade deck with a pair of binoculars)?

Where and when a Pilot Boards a vessel depends on the Port and the approaches to that Port. Unless you can find a nice Navigation Officer that will tell you the Pilot Boarding Time for the next Port you'll have to get up early and 'look out'.

Most Caribbean Ports have only a short distance from "Open Waters" to the port, but some have quite away to go. For example, there is an Eight Mile Channel from the "Sea" to the First lock on the Panama Canal. Thus arriving at the first lock at daylight means that the Pilot boards at least an hour earlier in darkness.

A vessl bound for Hamilton, Bermuda, boards the Pilot off St. Georges at the East end of the Island but then has to navigate through the Coral Reefs North of the Island before entering Hamilton Sound; a distance of at least 30 miles, or about three hours steaming.

I'd advise an early rise and, even if the Pilot is already onboard, you'll get some spectacular photos of the appraoches to the port and berth.

[nybumpkin]

This is incredible stuff to know, thanks so much for the info. I'm very much into "little known" facts (Jeopardy champ in my home for sure) and reading about what these pilots do is fascinating.

 

So my next question is if I were to try and spy one of these occurences as it happened, any strategies on what the best time/place might be to witness it? Or is it more random luck to be able to spot this (e.g. get up at the crack of dawn and walk the promenade deck with a pair of binoculars)?

I've just lucked out a couple of times - managed to see it from our cabin balcony as we approached the Mississippi on Carnival Conquest, in the Hudson River on Carnival Victory, and coming into St. Thomas on Carnival Legend. (I may have surprised the folks on the pilot boat in St. Thomas - I awoke and walked out on our balcony in my nightgown but no robe - and there was the pilot boat alongside:eek: !) I have photos of various pilot boats and will try to post them.

[BallFour4]

How do they get onboard, especially with the ship still a ways off at sea?

 

You have all the technical answers, and we've watched the pilot leave the ship as we sailed from Galveston on every cruise. These people are true experts, and as described on other posts the professional pilot does not touch the actual controls of the ship. (As described to us by a professional pilot we met at dinner in Galveston one evening).

 

Here are the Webshots images of our cruise aboard the Rhapsody. You can see the pilot boat approaching and touching the side of the ship as we sailed.

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/487421930RSufOQ

 

I was talking to my wife when he jumped from one vessel to the other, but it is fun to watch.

 

Now, as a certified geek, I take a Garmin color GPS and a Horizon Standard Marine Radio to listen in while in port.

 

All fun stuff, and never enough toys...

[dkjretired]

Where and when a Pilot Boards a vessel depends on the Port and the approaches to that Port. Unless you can find a nice Navigation Officer that will tell you the Pilot Boarding Time for the next Port you'll have to get up early and 'look out'.

Most Caribbean Ports have only a short distance from "Open Waters" to the port, but some have quite away to go. For example, there is an Eight Mile Channel from the "Sea" to the First lock on the Panama Canal. Thus arriving at the first lock at daylight means that the Pilot boards at least an hour earlier in darkness.

A vessl bound for Hamilton, Bermuda, boards the Pilot off St. Georges at the East end of the Island but then has to navigate through the Coral Reefs North of the Island before entering Hamilton Sound; a distance of at least 30 miles, or about three hours steaming.

I'd advise an early rise and, even if the Pilot is already onboard, you'll get some spectacular photos of the appraoches to the port and berth.

 

If I remember correctly from my cruise in Baltimore, the pilot boarded near the Cheaspeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel which means the pilot had about a 6 or 7 hour ride into Baltimore.

[lougee1043]

the travel channel has done a show on this topic --- the subject was a lady pilot who takes ship across the bar into astoria oregon

 

we sailed out of portland oregon one time and the ships horn blew 3 or 4 times and the pilot got on the pa and told the pax that it was his home on the shore that we were passing and he was signalling his wife that he would be home for dinner

[1932Canal]

the travel channel has done a show on this topic --- the subject was a lady pilot who takes ship across the bar into astoria oregon

 

we sailed out of portland oregon one time and the ships horn blew 3 or 4 times and the pilot got on the pa and told the pax that it was his home on the shore that we were passing and he was signalling his wife that he would be home for dinner

There was (or maybe still is) a Lady Pilot on the Great Lakes. Formally she was the Captain of a Great Lakes Vessel. She applied and was accepted as a Pilot. It was a smart move on her part as later the Shipping Company for whom she had work went out of business.

On the Great Lakes the salutation between ships or to people ashore is one long followed by two short blasts on the ship's whstle; the letter "D" in the morse code and when flown as a flag - Yellow Blue Yellow horizontal bars - indicates to another ship that it is "standing into danger"

[spookwife]

even military vessels get Pilots when they pull in.. even their homeport! It's not quite as easy as getting aboard a cruise ship, though. Most Navy vessels don't have easy access at the water line.

[nybumpkin]

I've posted some of my pics of pilot boats: http://travel.webshots.com/album/554785433DoNbrL

 

Unfortunately, I don't have any digital pics that were taken alongside.

[Vampire Parrot]

Everything you ever wanted to know about pilots getting on and off a ship :

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/pilotage/cofpractice.htm

 

Pilots are of course mandatory at most ports, and they aren't free...

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/files/pilotagetariff-2006.pdf

 

Southampton VTS's (Vessel Traffic Services) pilot's page :

 

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/com/pilotage.htm

(Move the cursor over "Pilotage" at the top of the page for the complete menu)

[Jim_Iain]

The pilot on Celebrity M-Class ships board right below the Constellation Suite (Mid-Ship). I love watching him coming and going. I uploaded a

couple pictures.

 

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/554830830NsfLbO