After 31 years
as a California State and Federally licensed San
Francisco Bar Pilot, Captain Paul Lobo has now
written Crossing the Bar. With more than 6400 safe dockings of
vessels of all sizes, Captain Lobo
has safely piloted thousands of ships in the
confined, shallow and dangerous waters of San
Francisco Bay and tributaries. Often working in
zero visibility, he has conned ships weighting
over 200,000 DWT to safe anchorage or to
terminals with currents racing up to 6 knots. He
has piloted yachts, oilrigs, submarines,
aircraft carriers, supertankers, passenger
ships, containerships (up to 1085 feet long)
and freighters.
There
is nothing placid about San Francisco Bay.
Its raucous waters have hosted brutal storms,
daring rescues, horrendous accidents, and
countless hours of drama and tension.
Reading
Crossing the Bar is like being on the
rolling bridge with Captain Lobo. Here are tragic
deaths and lives saved, inspiring rescues,
devastating storms, and the infamous and
horrendous oil spill after the Cosco Busan
rammed the Oakland Bay Bridge - which resulted
in the first imprisonment of a maritime pilot
for making an error.
Readers
will also find a December sea rescue Lobo
assisted with in hurricane strength winds and
monstrous seas. Without Captain Lobo's pilot boat
and its crews' supreme effort, the ship they
saved would have foundered on the rocky Marin
County, California, coastline with the loss of
all hands.
Carl
Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle