Boatnerd Discussion Forum

In the 70's I was on the J.R. Sensibar and we used to take coal into a power plant in Tonawanda, I think it was Niagara Mohawk Power. We had to go through the Black Rock Lock.

Guest II wrote:He went through the Black Rock Canal and Lock to get there to unload ore.

I was on the Howard M Hanna Jr (2) in 1957 and we went to unload at the Semet-Solvay (SP?) Dock.

I can't remember if that was North Tonawanda or not. We were, IIRC, just upstream of the Grand Island Bridge.

He went through the Black Rock Canal and Lock to get there to unload ore.

North Tonawanda huh? For some reason that seems funny to me. J live in Buffalo near Tonawanda and the only place I would think a laker would go is Tonawanda Iron or maybe Wick-wire Spencer steel. However both those are in Tonawanda not North Tonawanda. Do you know exactly where he went?

Ship handling is a sometime thing. Some people take to it easily, usually the guy who is not always shouting and looses his temper easily. Others are just born dock shy. It's true that most damage is done making a dock ("the slower ya go, the less damage ya do")t's not as bad now days, what with the twin screws and bow/stern thrusters, in the "old days" with maybe 60 boats go'n thru the Soo in one day, single screw, no bow thruster and as I look back it seems the wind was a lot stronger, the snow a lot thicker and the rain a lot wetter, the front window always open. They had some Great Shiphandler's back in the day...

In looking over my late father's old licenses, I noticed the following as stated on his license:

"....Licensed to serve as.....' "Master and First Class Pilot, steam and motor, any gross tons: Master Great Lakes as far east as Anticosti Island: First Class Pilot between Gary, Duluth, North Tonawanda and Montreal".

This was issue numbern 9,12. He had received his rating as "Master" in the mid-thirties.

I do believe that he had experienced many white-knuckle moments in his career and one he related often was the night that the first mate swallowed his snuff during a moment of stress. He also said that the highest waves he ever experienced were while downbound on Lake Michigan.

As they say, you're only as good as your last dock you made. The hours in the Pilot House or awake are crazy. Up for 8-14 hours. Make a dock or go up a ditch of a river pushing mud while going around other vessels only a few feet off, sleep 3 hours, up for 8-12 hours in the rivers and locks, sleep for 4-6 hours at the dock, and hopefully get 12 hours off across a lake, assuming the weather is good. Then start over again. The pay is good, but only a fraction of a salt water harbor Pilot's pay. Best advice, enjoy your accomplishments and ship handling, then retire as early a age as you can.

There is quite a difference between Captains "Deep Sea" and "Sweet Water". A Captain on the Great Lakes will either do all the ship maneuvering, dock side and in the Rivers or be in immediate supervision. A Captain ocean wise will have his vessel checked down and be maneuvering at slow speed, miles from the harbor, in order to pick up either the local pilot or the river pilot. When the Ocean vessel reaches her dock either the local/river pilot or a docking pilot will secure the vessel to the dock. A Great Lakes Captain is a licensed Pilot for any and all harbors on the Great Lakes. Pilots at deep-sea ports are usually only licensed for the one port. Great Lakes Captains are some of the Best ship handlers in the world.

The trick is to appear calm and collected in front of your crew. Then go to a Shipmasters convention, have a few drinks, and then listen to the stories flow!

I would say that usually it was just another day at work and I used to enjoy the challenge at times when conditions were not ideal.
Course there were occasions where it was bum puckering but you could not show your true feelings.
Was trip where we had a new mate and he managed to get us in a very close situation when I was called to the pilothouse just in time to avoid a collision. I was extremely shaken and I am certain the blood pressure was in the very high range.

I don't think there are too many white knuckle moments for ship masters. These people are trained professionals and have probably done it all a hundred times. Sure there moments that probably raise ones blood pressure a couple points, but mostly all in a days work. If they couldn't do it they wouldn't be ship masters.

Every captain remembers docks or situations they would like to do over!

I don't believe being in operation of a vessel compares in any way, shape, or form to any land based vehicle! You have so many variables that affect a ferry boat, tugboat, ship, etc... These vessels that range in all different sizes are affected by wind, current, bank suction, and from other vessels moving in close quarters to others. As far as being stressed or white knuckle while operating a vessel, some officers are and some are not and love the challenge of it and are just naturals at it. Now there are certain situations that come through an officers career no matter how good they are that stick out in there mind as being a close call, rough day/weather, or an inch is the same as a mile situation. A maritime officer is a skilled person with many years of sea service under their belt, training, and schooling to hone an officers skill's and know how. No disrespect to the skilled shore workers out there. Cheers!

I see pictures of the large freighters going through the lift bridge and manuervering in other tight areas near docks and in locks and so on.

Is this a white knuckle time for the captain or wheelsman or just another task like a semi truck driver parking backing up to a truck dock in a crowded place?