Here is what Carl Notle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote about Captain Lobo's new book on his career as a San Francisco ship pilot for 31 years
I have been covering maritime activities, among other things, for the San Francisco Chronicle for many years and have sailed-and reported on-many ships from aircraft carriers to a historic War II freighter I sailed on from San Francisco to Europe. In addition, I write a weekly column on the city in The Chronicle, so I have been around awhile and know something about writing. I can recommend his book to you. Captain Lobo has long experience as a ship's master and as a San Francisco Bar Pilot. The duties of a bar pilot may not be familiar to you, but a pilot is a critical member of the maritime community. A pilot is responsible for the navigation of ships through dangerous or congested waters and oversees the docking and undocking of ships-some of them over 1,000 feet long-once they reach port. Captain Lobo has spent more than 30 years moving ships in and out of the Golden Gate and into San Francisco Bay and its tributaries. He has dealt with strong currents, heavy fog, powerful winter storms and sometimes dangerous encounters with other ships. In his book, he takes you along with him on the bridge of famous ships and lowly rust buckets; he's piloted more than 6,100 vessels from nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, tankers loaded with fuel oil, to the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Love Boat. A pilot's job involves careful judgment and sometimes comes with a bit of adventure and some danger. I've read a lot of sea tales, but Captain Lobo's is a first person inside story from someone at the top of the seagoing ladder.
Carl Nolte Reporter and columnist San Francisco Chronicle.
Available on Amazon For autographed copies, email info@capnco.com