It’s actually an article about a film, thought the article itself was good.
New film spotlights vital role Galveston’s little-known harbor pilots play in global trade
“It’s one of those jobs that if you don’t know it exists, you don’t know it exists,” said J.R. Shaw, host of the local podcast/video series Galveston Unscripted. “But when you see it, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe somebody still does this job.’”
I just read the Bible if I want to learn about pilots!
Being a bar/harbor pilot: so hard, only those with the correct bloodline can do it
But seriously, for most of history, ZERO mariner experience was required to join many pilot associations.
James Bond thinks harbor pilots are cooler than him
Surprisingly, more and more groups are not this way anymore.
Some are and will never change.
There wasn’t much of interest about pilots or pilotage in the article for mariners familiar with the subject. What I found interesting was the comments about the public’s perception about the subject.
This, from the article for example, it seems surprising but I believe it’s true.
Talk to people about pilots, even people who live here or may have just moved here…they don’t understand. They think you’re talking about airplane pilots the whole time. They have no clue there are skilled navigators that are purely here to keep the waterways safe and efficient."
In seriousness, there has been a huge and IMO needed change in the US away from the pure nepotism that characterized the industry for years. Not sure if driven by the commissions, users or the organizations, but it was needed. Not blaming anyone, in their position would have done the same
The big hurdle now, as I see it, is the long apprenticeships, at low pay. What this does is limit applicants to those either with families or savings that allow them to take the short money for a number of years. Not out and out discrimination, but a more subtle form.
IMO driving ships in confined places is a learnable skill for many deck officers. Certainly, like many things, some may have qualities that make them better at it than others. Enlarging the pool of qualified applicants, and treating the apprenticeship as a competition of sorts- may lead to the best people in the job.
But it feels a bit like the days of pilot, anointed by king Neptune himself for this superhuman skill are nearing an end.