# Skyway **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [December 1, 2014, 5:33am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739 "2014-12-01T05:33:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mullet\_Farm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mullet\_Farm](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Mullet_Farm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 5:33am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/1 "2014-12-01T05:33:03Z")
Skyway memorial finally going up. > **[Author behind memorial for victims of Sunshine Skyway collapse](http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/author-seeking-to-build-memorial-for-victims-of-skyway-collapse/2208436)** > > A memorial will honor the 35 who died when the Sunshine Skyway collapsed in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 6:13am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/2 "2014-12-01T06:13:24Z")
Helluva job you did [Johnnie](http://articles.latimes.com/2002/sep/09/local/me-lerro9)… Ever hear of full astern? Just like that MISERABLE FUCKING ASSCLOWN John Cota! He was just FUCKING lucky he didn’t knock the Bay Bridge down killing hundred! STOOPID pilots! . ---
**Author:** ![Mullet\_Farm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mullet\_Farm](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Mullet_Farm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 7:03am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/3 "2014-12-01T07:03:13Z")
Christ please shutthefuckup already. Read the book. ---
**Author:** ![RespectMyAuthority](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@RespectMyAuthority](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/RespectMyAuthority)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/4 "2014-12-01T12:37:46Z")
Mullet Farm, Don’t you realize that asking someone to shut up in such manner on this forum is not appropriate? It will end with a bunch of flaming posts and then the thread will get deleted. Any useful information will be flushed down the crapper. [QUOTE=Mullet Farm;148934]Christ please shutthefuckup already. Read the book.[/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/5 "2014-12-01T13:57:57Z")
and what does this say? > He was guiding the 608-foot freighter into the Port of Tampa when a sudden squall with gale-force winds engulfed the empty, high-riding ship less than a mile from the bridge. Visibility plummeted to near zero. > If he could anchor–and the emphasis was on if–he feared the wind might push the Summit Venture into an oncoming ship. So he decided to shoot for the 800-foot hole between the bridge piers, hoping to steer safely under the high center of the bridge. > “There was a large degree of sliding due to the wind. I’m sure the vessel moved laterally,” he testified. “I figured she’d make the center span.” > She didn’t. what is says is that Lerro chose to hope to clear the bridge at the risk of striking it. He risked the lives of every driver or passenger in every vehicle on that bridge that fateful day. His risk proved to be a fatal one not for him, the ship he was piloting or the other vessel but for 35 innocent persons who knew nothing of that another man was putting their lives in mortal danger. They were the ones who lost and lost in a most horrible way plunging suddenly into Tampa Bay hundreds of feet down. Lerro could easily have said that his ship and the one coming in the opposing direction were at a lesser risk of catastrophic loss. Fewer lives would be lost if any at all! All he had to do was order emergency astern and the anchor let go but he didn’t and instead chose to “shoot” the gap and pray the ship would make it through clean. But “she didn’t”…so he lost his hail Mary gamble but not his life…that was for others! If he suffered guilt for those lost in his years before he died…GOOD! His judgement failure…their LIVES! I stand by every word I wrote earlier and say SCREW YOU to each and everyone of you who bemoan them. I have killed NO ONE in my days. And I still say Cota is an ASSCLOWN because he tried to do the same GODDAMNED BULLSHIT STUNT with the COSCO BUSAN but luckily for him (and more importantly, drivers on the Bay Bridge that morning) all he did was kill a few hundred birds as opposed to a few hundred PEOPLE! like I said…helluva job Capt. $400k/year Dope Head! FUCKING PILOTS! . ---
**Author:** ![rigdvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@rigdvr](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/rigdvr)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/6 "2014-12-02T00:56:42Z")
Lol. Get em Cap! This ass might have well prefaced his “attempt” with a “hold my beer and watch this.” I grew up in St. Pete and couldn’t imagine getting knocked off the Skyway. ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/7 "2014-12-02T07:22:24Z")
it is all about JUDGEMENT how can a 37 year old develop the judgement required in a fast moving dangerous situation? how can a man who’s brain is addled by prescription drugs have the same? they can’t and the system is rotten to the core ---
**Author:** ![Topsail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@Topsail](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Topsail)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 9:32am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/8 "2014-12-02T09:32:45Z")
[QUOTE=c.captain;148931]Helluva job you did [Johnnie](http://articles.latimes.com/2002/sep/09/local/me-lerro9)… Ever hear of full astern? Just like that MISERABLE FUCKING ASSCLOWN John Cota! He was just FUCKING lucky he didn’t knock the Bay Bridge down killing hundred! STOOPID pilots! .[/QUOTE] Once more, your unjustified defamation to other’s reputation demonstrates your total ignorance of the facts or any other maritime knowledge, other than to be a bow ship handler holding an unlimited credential as Master of the Stoopidest. ![](http://i59.servimg.com/u/f59/18/03/68/24/tampa_11.png) ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/9 "2014-12-02T13:07:51Z")
Nothing more predictable than a pilot defending another mafia member Lerro’s actions to stop the ship came TOO LATE! He needed to stop the SUMMIT VENTURE long before it came so close to the bridge than he did. He thought he could make it at first and risked the bridge and the persons on it…to “shoot” it but FAILED! 35 others who had no idea of what was happening hundreds of feet below had any say in the matter and they were the ones who paid with their lives…NOT Lerro! ---
**Author:** ![RespectMyAuthority](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@RespectMyAuthority](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/RespectMyAuthority)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/10 "2014-12-02T13:10:06Z")
There isn’t much that can justify Cota’s actions. As far as Lerro goes, it still seems that he was going too fast and didn’t know the ship’s position. His actions to fix this were obviously too late. [QUOTE=Topsail;148970]Once more, your unjustified defamation to other’s reputation demonstrates your total ignorance of the facts or any other maritime knowledge, other than to be a bow ship handler holding an unlimited credential as Master of the Stoopidest. ![](http://i59.servimg.com/u/f59/18/03/68/24/tampa_11.png)[/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/11 "2014-12-02T13:28:36Z")
[QUOTE=RespectMyAuthority;148979]There isn’t much that can justify Cota’s actions. As far as Lerro goes, it still seems that he was going too fast and didn’t know the ship’s position. His actions to fix this were obviously too late.[/QUOTE] it’s all about Judgement…JUDGEMENT…[B]JUDGEMENT![/B] or pathetic lack thereof… . ---
**Author:** ![Heat\_Miser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Heat\_Miser](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Heat_Miser)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/12 "2014-12-02T14:01:39Z")
[QUOTE=c.captain;148978] He thought he could make it at first and risked the bridge and the persons on it…to “shoot” it but FAILED! 35 others who had no idea of what was happening hundreds of feet below had any say in the matter and they were the ones who paid with their lives…NOT Lerro![/QUOTE] Agreed. Fake-it-till-you-make-it is not an acceptable strategy when the lives of others hang in the balance. Pilot-free passages has got to be one of the best things about working GoM mud boats. ---
**Author:** ![Jetryder223](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Jetryder223](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jetryder223)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/13 "2014-12-02T17:45:59Z")
OK, at the risk of venturing into an argument between pro’s with way more experience than I, I’d like to pose a question. Didn’t technology exist in 1980 which should have shown the position of the ship in relation to the bridge? I’m talking RADAR & LORAN. With those systems operating, I would think an experienced pilot would have a good indication where an 800’ bridge opening was even if outside visibility was compromised. If yes, then judgment was not a factor. If the ship then went off course due to an ill timed microburst or waterspout, then I would agree with the court that the tragedy was an act of God. ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/14 "2014-12-02T17:58:09Z")
A strong thunderstorm can fill a radar screen with rain clutter and scramble loran signals making them useless. ---
**Author:** ![Jetryder223](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Jetryder223](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jetryder223)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/15 "2014-12-02T18:11:04Z")
[QUOTE=tugsailor;149000]A strong thunderstorm can fill a radar screen with rain clutter and scramble loran signals making them useless.[/QUOTE] Fair enough. Then wouldn’t it also be fair to say that a sudden squall sufficient to blind eyes and electronics at the worst possible time is an act of God? I’m just trying to get a sense whether this tragedy is a case of bad judgment or bad luck. ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/16 "2014-12-02T18:55:24Z")
I’m a boat and barge handler, not a pilot and shiphandler, I wasn’t there, and I’ve never been there, so I’m not qualified to say what the pilot should have done. However, the textbook solution for suddenly losing the ability to determine position and maintain situational awareness in a narrow channel is to reduce speed, drop an anchor and pay out enough chain so that the speed is zero at slow ahead. The pilot may have had a good reason for not doing that. It sounds to me like the pilot had more balls than brains, but apparently he was not held at fault due to the microburst. ---
**Author:** ![\_A465B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e8c25b/32.png) [@\_A465B](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/_A465B)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/17 "2014-12-02T21:08:33Z")
The one with real balls on the day was the guy whose car skidded to a stop as the span dropped away. Car at the edge, he and his companions jumped out and ran away from the deadly gap. Realizing his golf clubs were still in the car, he ran back and got them. His buddies didn’t go with him. That’s balls. ---
**Author:** ![c.captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/c.captain/32/807_2.png) [@c.captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/c.captain)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 10:15am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/19 "2014-12-03T10:15:19Z")
[QUOTE=lm1883;149059]That’s why the USCG and a grand jury let him off the hook. Like a wise man said “Sailing is a life time of boredom with few seconds of terror.” All you can do is hope you never are placed in that situation, and if you are, do the best you can. Someone is always going to have something to say regardless how it works out and unless they were party to the events, it’s all just wind. Read the NTSB report, get all the info you can into your bag of tricks. Every deck officer reading this thread and feels compelled to post should remember that they too are eligible for one of these nightmare scenarist os. I guess I’m saying you shouldn’t throw rocks in a glass house. It could be you we are reading about next.[/QUOTE] NO SALE! Unless Lerro had absolutely no indication of the squall until immediately beneath the bridge he had time to react soon enough to avoid placing the SUMMIT VENTURE into such mortal danger of hitting the bridge. The ship wasn’t what was in such danger but all those drivers…did that enter Lerro’s mind as he attempted to “shoot” though? I say he did have that time but waited far too long to stop. Just like Cota, he had the chance to come to an emergency stop in time but FAILED to do so out of HUBRIS and a sense of being a typical ship’s pilot…ie. INFALLIBLE! I don’t believe there are too many here who would not agree with me that drugged up ASSHOLE came perilously close to knocking down the Bay Bridge in 2007. I will give Lerro a sliver of benefit of doubt but in the case of Cota, that BOZO was reckless beyond all possible measure and was too drugged up to be even aware of how much of a potential catastrophe lay right at his feet with his inexcusable actions! He should still be rotting in prison today! ---
**Author:** ![Mullet\_Farm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Mullet\_Farm](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Mullet_Farm)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/20 "2014-12-03T10:45:17Z")
“He should still be rotting in prison today” Lerro’s dead asshole. ---
**Author:** ![smoker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e19b73/32.png) [@smoker](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/smoker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739/21 "2014-12-03T12:06:49Z")
[QUOTE=Mullet Farm;149063]“He should still be rotting in prison today” Lerro’s dead asshole.[/QUOTE] Umm … I am pretty sure that c.captain was referring to John Cota who spent 10 months in a prison and not Lerro, who was exonerated. Cota, 65, of Petaluma, pleaded guilty to water-pollution violations and served 10 months in prison after investigators concluded he was traveling too fast in heavy fog, was impaired by prescription drugs and ignored safety precautions while working as the ship’s pilot during the Nov. 7, 2007 crash. The bunker fuel that poured from a gash in the ship’s hull oiled 69 miles of shore, closed fisheries and killed more than 6,800 birds. Afterward, the state Board of Pilot Commissioners found Cota at fault and began steps to revoke his pilot’s license. Instead, he voluntarily retired as a pilot on Oct. 1, 2008, and now draws a pension of $228,864 a year, funded through fees on the shipping industry. > **[Man Who Caused The Bay's Biggest Oil Spill Wants License Back](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/11/john-cota_n_2662469.html)** > > Capt. John Cota, who was blamed for causing the worst oil spill in San Francisco Bay in two decades when he crashed the cargo ship Cosco Busan into a ... [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/skyway/13739.md?page=2)