Those of us who go in and out of Charleston Harbor, routinely see the boats ferrying harbor pilots. And honestly I’d thought maybe they just got big bucks for a cushy job.
On the other hand, dealing with wind and current, and a vessel 1,000 feet long in a 1,000 foot wide channel, could get dicey…especially with international crews and entirely different ships. The article in http://www.professionalmariner.com/March-2007/Charleston-docking-and-harbor-pilots-continue-a-long-tradition/ gives some details about how they have to navigate, and tells “the rest of the story”. I think you will find it interesting.
My neighbor is a harbor pilot and this gave me some new regard for what he does?
I have distant relatives that have been HP’s in Savannah for years and a friend from high school that is one up in Virginia. They work in all kinds of conditions. They’re paid well but they work pretty hard to earn it.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
I’ve got several friends who are harbor and bar pilots in Savannah. Those men are pure professionals. They are paid very well, but they earn it. I wouldn’t want the job of getting those 900’ ships up the river and into port.
quote:I have distant relatives that have been HP's in Savannah for years
That’s the thing about the pilots in this area, they are all related. It’s a job you have to be born into and you learn it as a kid. No way can an outsider ever get in line for a pilot job.
As with most high paying positions these days, its not as much the difficulty of the work as it is the responsibility associated with it. These guys are paid well deservedly so. I imagine I probably would have bounced one of those ships off the Ravenel by now…that wouldn’t be good for anyone.
That’s the thing about the pilots in this area, they are all related. It’s a job you have to be born into and you learn it as a kid. No way can an outsider ever get in line for a pilot job.
That’s the thing about the pilots in this area, they are all related. It’s a job you have to be born into and you learn it as a kid. No way can an outsider ever get in line for a pilot job.
Lol. Not true.
By the time a pilot becomes “Full Branch,” or licensed by the State of South Carolina to pilot any vessel of any size, he or she will have:
Earned either an undergraduate degree with a competitive cumulative GPA or Third Mate License.
Been scored by the Commissioners of Pilotage during the highly competitive application process which includes a physical examination, character references, in-person interviews, and examination of college performance and relevant maritime experience.
Completed 1,200 trips through the harbor over a three-year period under supervision of a Full Branch Pilot.
Obtained a U.S. Coast Guard Master’s License with a First Class Pilot’s Endorsement.
Satisfactorily completed testing and examinations throughout apprenticeship as supervised by the Charleston Branch Pilots.
Successfully ascended through the rankings, or branches, of pilot licenses to reach a level of Full Branch Pilot.
Those of us who go in and out of Charleston Harbor, routinely see the boats ferrying harbor pilots. And honestly I’d thought maybe they just got big bucks for a cushy job.
On the other hand, dealing with wind and current, and a vessel 1,000 feet long in a 1,000 foot wide channel, could get dicey…especially with international crews and entirely different ships. The article in http://www.professionalmariner.com/March-2007/Charleston-docking-and-harbor-pilots-continue-a-long-tradition/ gives some details about how they have to navigate, and tells “the rest of the story”. I think you will find it interesting.
My neighbor is a harbor pilot and this gave me some new regard for what he does?
RD
Interesting read and thanks for posting. I’m sure these guys work hard and are good at what they do but I had my own close call with one of their boats. About a year ago we were anchored near the grillage in our Sea Hunt 225 when one of the pilot boats shifted course and looked like he was going to run us over. He passed by us about 100yds to port going full ahead and creating about a 5ft wake. I told everyone to hang on and the wave hit us beamside and pitched us so hard that the starboard beam was almost under water. Scared the crap out of us. And, before anyone says anything please bear in mind that we were not near the shipping channel.
They have no liability! They are just" advisors" to the master! Lots of nepotism and who you know! Your experience means nothing. They would rather have a lawyer and train them to be a pilot, this way they have a pilot and a lawyer!
Thanks,
Paul
GW 257 Advance
Master Unlimited-Oceans
quote: He passed by us about 100yds to port going full ahead and creating about a 5ft wake.
No offense, but 100 yards is plenty of clearance and if you can’t handle the wake from the pilot boat, you probably shouldn’t be at the jetties. Do you think he can slow down for every boat he sees?
I suggest anyone who observes the pilot boat or any of the ships doing or acting unlawfully, contact the USCG immediately. If there is a dangerous situation and your complaint is legitimate they will dispatch a boat immediately to investigate. The pilots have a strict set of guidelines to follow, especially the speed of the ships traveling throughout the channel. I also wouldn’t be in a vessel that is not sea-worthy enough for harbor conditions…
I was involved in an incident several years ago and the coast guard was on the scene in a timely manner. They even boarded the ship in question to get evidence on how fast it was traveling in the shipping channel near the grillage…
I’ve always wondered where the line was drawn between being responsible for your wake and damaging a vessel that wasn’t seaworthy enough to be there anyway. If a container wake swamps a jon boat are they resposible?
I don’t know the correct answer to that TT. But I have a friend who is a transport captain and he said that if you are hit by their wake they are responsible. He has hailed more than a few ships and asked the captain to stand by while they check for damages.
Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
another association wouldn't stand a snow balls chance in hell, the Charleston Branch started in 1890. I'm sure if the State were to allow one, someone would have tried.
Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
Because the family associated with it has political pull?
What do I win?
www.charlestonpilots.com/
The heart of the Charleston Pilots’ structure is the apprenticeship program, which goes back to the early “guild” system allowing for a trade to be passed down from one generation to the next. Today the apprenticeship program remains, but is a very competitive process supervised by a state commission and not reliant on family relations.
