GL: Black Warrior, Birmingport, AL to Mobile Bay to Orange Beach, AL

[Brent Hodges]

 Elaine wrote:

Also, your ship radio is the most
> important piece of equipment while traversing these waters.  (endsnip)

And just for that reason, I strongly reccomend a fixed radio for a trip like
that. More reliable, and more range. A handheld for a backup ain't a bad
idea either. I always run with 2 fixed raidio's on the bridge, with a
handheld backup.

I haven't noticed anyone mention whistle signals either. When dealing with
the tow boats, he's not going to say "go around me on the right", he's going
to tell you "see me on one whistle" or "see me on two whistles". There is a
technical way of explaining it out of the "rule books", but the little cheat
sheet I have stuck to my helm that keeps me out of trouble is this. "One
whistle, port to port meeting, I go right" and "two whistles, starboard to
starboard meeting, I go left" Whether you're overtaking or meeting, if he
calls for a "one whistle" pass, you change course to your starboard, or
right. The tow guys have always (almost) been very easy and courteous to
deal with, but they EXPECT you to know what the whistle signals mean.

I welcome anyone to give a better explanation if I haven't made it clear, or
said something wrong.

Brent Hodges