Close Quarters !

Greetings From New Orleans !
One of the many " Aspects " of what I have enjoyed most about piloting ships out on the Mississippi River , primarily between New Orleans and Baton Rouge , these past thirty-one years is the challenge and adrenaline rush of maneuvering these large and cumbersome vessels in the different river stages , different weather conditions and different drafts of these same vessels , that we encounter .
I have also considered myself very fortunate to have witnessed the close of one generation of what I consider " Great River Men " and the dawn of another generation of what I also consider " So So River Men " !
When I left the steamboats , the Pilots I worked with at the time plied their trade by common sense and what I called the intestinal fortitude that they all shared . They did not have all the modern gadgetry as we do today and they managed to work and survive in much worst overall conditions than we now face and deal with . I also believe that there are a number of reasons for this and one of them is the fact years ago and before the Coast Guard came on the scene , there was what was referred to as the Steamboat Inspection Agency , that determined if some one was both eligible and capable of performing the duties of Pilot ! Now if you can fill in a sketch of the river from memory and if you can pass a few written exams you can just possibly get a license but by no means does this make you a Pilot !! At least not in my book !
Today , the marine industry is run by bean counters , lawyers and the Coast Guard and it appears to me that a persons overall abilities and not just diplomas are far down the totum pole of reason !
So , when I have to meet another Pilot on a ship or a towboat , in " Close Quarters " and when Precision Piloting is a must , I am more concerned about his abilities and not his diplomas !!
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson