Captain Brown, Harbor Pilot (1950)

[Music] when the fog hangs low and dense it is not safe to bring large ships into Port it would be dangerous in the harbor Channels with their heavy boat traffic the ships wait far out in the harbor until the fog Rises and The Harbor Pilots consider it safe to bring them to dock the pilots must be able to see half a mile the fog is rising slowly and soon ships can enter the port two passing ships must see each other in time to stop and avoid a collision in general a ship can stop in its own length this Freer entered the harbor without a harbor pilot and crashed into the pier ripping out the stern of the ship a good thing the damage was above the water line or the ship might have sunk the repair crew is working hard to re build the ship and put the freighter back into service some boats are allowed to enter with their own pilot if he has a special license for the port you can see that a harbor pilot that knows the harbor is absolutely necessary Bob investigates the old anchors and buoys and parts of wrecked boats but look the large bridge is going straight up a big ship must be [Music] coming Bob listens for her to signal for for the bridge three long whistles the bridge tender knows that the ship is turning for the bridge four or more whistles would be a danger signal Bob knows the different whistle signals how skillfully the harbor pilot navigates the large ship through the narrow bridge this ship is a United Fruit Company freighter bringing a load of bananas from Central America all Harbors have Harbor Pilots because the captains on the ships cannot know the dangers that can be encountered in channels in all the ports they visit around the world Bob's Uncle Captain Brown is a port pilot and has invited Bob to visit the pilot station at the harbor entrance Bob is interested in the port Channel lights that flash a warning to the ships that arrive at night or in a storm at important points along the harbor channels lights flash fog horns blow and bells ring they signify to the pilots where the channels are deep and safe for the large ships and also are a warning for the small craft Bob looks up at the Marine Exchange office on the top of the foreign trade zone building the steamship companies inform the men at the Marine station of All Ships that are arriving and leaving this red flag is a storm signal a warning that the wind at Sea is too strong for small craft the men at the Marine Exchange telephone the pilots and keep them informed on the ships that are arriving and leaving they also notify the tugboat company and the government officials who must meet the ships Captain Brown looks over the list of ships for the day the time they will arrive where they are coming from and where they will dock just think today ships are arriving from Europe South America Canada and Mexico Captain oligreen shows Bob how to look through the telescope and see the ships when they are far out at Sea through the telescope they can tell which ship is arriving and what flag she is flying the pilot house has modern equipment like this loud speaker with it the pilots can talk to ships a mile away tanker Kina tanker Colina proceed to Anchor until wind subsides wind is too strong and you have not enough ballast to proceed to duck at present time flash your light if you have receive the message the pilot house light flashes messages at night to the ships far out in the harbor the pilots operate the light by a small Telegraph key they use the Morse telegraph code that all Navigators know and now it is time for Captain Brown to meet the ship that is arriving from the Orient Harbor Pilots must have a master's and a pilot's license many are former ship captains Captain Brown boards the pilot boat and yes Bob is invited to ride out to the ship with his uncle Captain Brown tells Bob many things about boats and navigation the pilot boat CL the Union Jack with its white stars sailing boats have right of way over motor vessels except when the Sailing Boat is overtaking the motor vessel if there is no wind a sailboat cannot move quickly to avoid a collision all pilots on both the big and little boats must know seamanship how to handle their boats and the water traffic laws they must know who has the right of way carry proper lights and know the whistle signals theck large freighter is arriving from India with a load of rubber and spices when seas are rough it is hard for the pilot to board but these men are trained to ride the high waves and to jump for the rope ladder at just the right moment when the swell is high Captain Brown will be in charge of the navigating until the ship is docked the large ship flies the red and white pilot flag while the pilot is aboard Captain Brown directs the pilot boat to meet him at the dock he goes immediately to the bridge and reports to the captain of the ship captain Brown is responsible for the safety of the ship and the safety of all on board he directs the tugboat to come around to the port side tugboats are needed to help turn the boats in the harbor channels the large ships cannot maneuver by themselves at an extremely slow speed the watch word of the pilot is safety at all times proceed with caution Captain Brown directs the Seaman steering the ship there are many navigating instruments and maps on the bridge the ship's Telegraph signals directions from the bridge to the engine room for example Full Speed Ahead or stop the captain is checking one of the main navigation instruments the seant it is used to tell the location of the ship at Sea by measuring the distance between the sun moon and stars the Captain learns the exact longitude and latitude of the position of the ship thus he can tell at any time just where his ship is the ship proceeds past the breakwaters with their lighthouses that protect the harbor a United States Coast Guard boat is patrolling the harbor the Coast Guard inspect the harbor and keep all channels clear they must keep the harbor Bo and markers well painted and in operation buoys have lights bells and horns that warn the ship when the sea is rough and stormy the men are lifting a 7 ton boy onto their ship to take it to their base for repairs underwater the boys become covered with barnicles and must be cleaned off while there are international rules for the safe guidance of ships every Harbor is different and has its own navigating problems as we are entering the bay let's see what it would look like if our ship were approaching another Harbor if this ship were entering San Francisco Harbor a harbor pilot would navigate her into the famous Golden Gate Bay and she would proceed on under the Golden Gate Bridge each Harbor has distinguishing characteristics if a ship entered beautiful Vancouver the local pilot would know how to steer the boat through narrow channels between the many islands he would know the height of the bridges and the location of the different steamship docks at the large Port of Quebec the unusual setting and picturesque scenery of the bay make it a famous vacation spot many ferry boats are needed for the tourists these Northern ports are closed to ships in the winter when the bay is Frozen from Quebec ships are piloted skillfully up the mighty St Lawrence to the large Inland Port of Montreal wherever large ships W their way you can be sure that a trained pilot who knows the local channel is guiding the ship safely but let's return to Captain Brown whose ship is about to enter a Channel of the Port of Los Angeles the harbor Pilots must be able to size up a water traffic situation quickly and let other boats know what they intend to do two passing boats must understand each other on the port side the ship passes the pilot station on the starboard side she passes the medical quarantine station and the immigration station these stations are under the United States government and are found at all large Harbors All Ships and passengers that arrive from foreign ports must be examined by the government inspectors it is difficult to maneuver a ship into its dock space just as it is hard to park a car on a crowded Street Pilots direct The Landing operations with a whistle the tugboats nudged the ship gently toward the dock because the ship could not maneuver alone in the Close Quarters Captain Brown signals directions to the men on the bridge the engine room and to the pilots on the tugboats the men on the dock pull in the heavy ropes and fasten them securely to the dock a stiff wind is blowing and they will put out extra lines to hold the large ship securely in place our ship is safely docked fine work Captain Brown a pilot boat is waiting for Captain Brown to take him to his next vessel to move a large passenger liner is leaving for New York a harbor pilot must navigate the ships out of the harbor in the same way that he brings them in Captain Brown boards the liner it is exciting when a large passenger liner leaves port and different farewell Customs Prevail in different countries bands play and people throw colored paper screamers that represent last ties with the mainland Bob wonders where all the people are going and Venture ahead for all of them the tugboats turn the large ship in the narrow channel the ship blows one long blast as she leaves her Pier B [Music] voyage and when you reach New York a New York Harbor pilot will meet your ship at the harbor entrance to guide you safely to your dock the Statue of Liberty stands guard at the Port of New York the emblem of our nation's freedom and the most famous Harbor landmark in the world