One of the five pilot boats sits at Pier 9 in the early morning
We're taken across the Bay from SF to the Port of Oakland
Our captain brings us into the Port of Oakland
The ship we're getting ready to board is called the Panamanian MSC Flavia
Up on the bridge, the pilots begin to calibrate the ship's size
Overlooking the Port of Oakland
An early morning view of SF
Tug boats begin to move the ship away from the berth
We head further into the Port of Oakland to turn the boat around
A rainbow of cargo containers
The ship is turned around in a very narrow roundabout
As the sun comes up, we head past the famous cranes of the Port of Oakland on our way out to sea
A view of the Bay Bridge as we head out to sea
As we pass under the bridge, it seems to be just feet from the top of the ship
As we leave the Bay, we scramble to the lower decks to catch the pilot boat back to the mainland
And off the side, down a rope ladder to the waiting boat
Charts and maps of the Bay Area that keep all the boats and people safe
This week, we take you out in the early morning activities of the SF Bar Pilots. To start the day, we arrived at Pier 9, next door to the new Exploratorium, at 4 am at the Bar Pilots headquarters.
Who are and what are Bar Pilots you’re asking? The pilots, who are required by state law to guide ships entering or leaving the bay, have been around since the Gold Rush. What’s changed? The size of the ships (which now reach over 1,000 feet long) and the technology to accomplish the job.
The Bar Pilots are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to safely deliver cargo and passengers, boarding each ship via a rope ladder. Once on the bridge of the ship, the Bar Pilot takes control of the navigation and directs the ship into the Bay. In terms of piloting, San Francisco Bay is considered one of the most complex harbors in the United States.
For five hours one typical morning, we documented these brave men and women keep the SF Bay's commercial vessels safe.
Enjoy the photo essay.