Crossing The Bar

The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot

by Captain Paul Lobo

There is nothing placid about San Francisco Bay. Its raucous waters have hosted brutal storms, daring rescues, horrendous accidents, and countless hours of drama and tension. Captain Paul Lobo knows that better than most people. As a licensed harbor pilot in those treacherous waters, Lobo captained nearly 6,500 boats in a 31 year career.

Reading Crossing the Bar is like being on the rolling bridge with Lobo. Here are tragic deaths and lives saved, inspiring rescues, devastating storms, and the infamous and horrendous oil spill after the Cosco Busan rammed the Oakland Bay Bridge which resulted in the first imprisonment of a maritime pilot for making an error.

Readers will also find a December sea rescue in hurricane strength winds and monstrous seas. Without Lobo’s pilot boat and its crews’ supreme effort, the ship they saved would have foundered with the loss of all hands.

This is a fascinating book and I would very highly recommend it to our readers.