The Pilots were getting off ’early’ because the energy industry wanted them off, convinced the state of Alaska authorities and USCG it would be fine, and who were the pilots to argue against US flagships with US Masters that had their own Pilotage endorsement?
Joe Hazelwood’s ONLY fault was walking off the bridge to send a message to his office during a critical moment in the pilotage waters transit. He was sending a message nobody would bother to read until the next day. If they even cared.
Don’t blame the pilots for not being there at a time & place where authorities agreed and sanctioned them to be gone. Even though it flew in the face of any common sense.