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Pilots' Association For The Bay & River Delaware facts for kids
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| Formation | 1896 |
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| Type | Piloting |
| Headquarters | 800 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
| Location |
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Official language
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English |
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President
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David Cuff |
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Key people
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Robert Bailey, Daniel MacElrevey, J. Troy Selph, Dennis Cluff, Kevin L. Barrow |
| Website | Pilots' Association For The Bay & River Delaware |
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The Pilots' Association For The Bay & River Delaware is an important group of expert navigators. These navigators are known as maritime pilots. They guide large ocean-going vessels safely through the waterways of the Delaware Bay and the Delaware River.
Established in 1896, this group is one of the oldest state maritime pilot organizations in the United States. Pilots help massive cargo ships, oil tankers, and passenger liners avoid hidden underwater hazards.
The waterway they protect runs between several states. It is bordered by New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. The entrance connects to the Atlantic Ocean between two headlands: Cape Henlopen in the south and Cape May in the north.
Contents
What Is a Maritime Pilot and Why Are They Needed?
A maritime pilot is an expert ship navigator with special local knowledge of a specific waterway. Even the most experienced ship captains cannot know every dangerous rock, shallow sandbank, or tricky tidal current in every port.
When a giant ocean ship arrives from across the world, local pilots step aboard. They take control of navigation to guide the ship safely into port.
Pilots work in all kinds of weather, including heavy fog, fierce rainstorms, and freezing winter blizzards. They prevent dangerous groundings, accidental collisions, and cargo spills.
How Maritime Pilots Board Large Ocean Vessels
Boarding a giant cargo vessel is one of the most exciting and challenging parts of a pilot's job. A small, fast pilot boat transports the pilot out to the open ocean.
When the pilot boat meets the moving ship, the pilot climbs up a rope ladder. This special ladder is called a Jacob's ladder.
Pilots must be physically fit and agile. They time their climb with the movement of ocean waves to stay safe.
The Natural Hazards of the Delaware Bay and River
The Delaware Bay and River system is naturally shallow and full of shifting sandbars called shoals. Tides constantly change water depths throughout the day.
Large ships often carry thousands of tons of cargo. These heavy vessels sink deep into the water, leaving only a few feet of clearance above the river bottom.
Delaware pilots memorize channel depths, bridge heights, water currents, and turning points. This detailed local knowledge protects the river environment and keeps international trade moving smoothly.
History of Delaware Bay and River Piloting
Ship guidance in the Delaware region began long before the modern association was formed. Maritime trade has been the lifeblood of the region for centuries.
Historian John Thomas Scharf recorded that local navigators were guiding ships in the Delaware Bay as early as 1650. During this colonial era, early European settlers relied on rivers for transportation and commerce.
By the late 1700s, Delaware pilots had formed organized working groups. Becoming a pilot required hard work and dedicated study.
Young navigators had to serve a strict four-year apprenticeship. After completing their training, they passed comprehensive examinations to earn a formal license.
State Laws and Early Regulations in the 19th Century
For many decades, the laws of Pennsylvania governed piloting across the bay and river. Pennsylvania issued official pilot certificates as early as 1837.
However, pilots from New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania often worked under different rules. By 1860, Philadelphia was still the main center issuing licenses.
In 1881, the State of Delaware created its own formal pilot laws. The state established a board of five commissioners to supervise licensing and resolve commercial disputes.
These rules stated that fees were owed even if a ship was damaged or unable to finish its journey.
Competition Between Rival Pilot Groups
During the late 19th century, fierce competition arose among pilot groups from different states. Pilots raced each other to reach arriving ships first.
On September 21, 1882, the Board of Port Wardens of Philadelphia placed restrictions on Delaware pilots boarding specific Pennsylvania boats. These boats included the E. C. Knight, John G. Whilden, Thomas Howard, and Enoch Turley.
Delaware pilot crews on the schooners Henry C. Cope and Thomas F. Bayard pushed back against these rules. The intense competition made it clear that a united system was necessary for maritime safety.
The Formation of the Modern Association in 1896
To end harmful rivalries, pilots decided to unite into a single professional organization. They held their first planning meeting on November 28, 1896, in the town of Lewes, Delaware.
Uniting Pennsylvania and Delaware Pilots
On December 3, 1896, pilots gathered at 319 Walnut Street in Philadelphia to officially adopt by-laws and elect leaders. Seventy-five pilots attended this historic meeting.
Pilot Eldridge was chosen as the temporary chairman. The new organization combined members from the Pennsylvania and Delaware pilot associations.
Under the new agreement, the business was shared equally among active members. Pilot shares were set at $1,000 each.
The Transition to Steam-Powered Pilot Boats
In late 1896, the pilots made a major technological leap by ordering a modern steel steamship. They hired the Neafie & Levy shipyard to build the steam pilot boat Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia served as a floating pilot station anchored five miles outside the Delaware capes. The united association began with 92 licensed pilots and 12 apprentices.
Pilot boats like the Ebe W. Tunnell and J. Henry Edmunds watched over Five Fathom Bank. Meanwhile, the William W. Ker and John G. Whilldin patrolled the waters near Fenwick Island Light.
Historic Delaware Pilot Sailing Schooners
Before modern engines existed, pilots relied on wooden sailing schooners. These boats had to be fast and sea-worthy in heavy ocean gales.
The Famous Schooner Thomas Howard
The schooner Thomas Howard was built in 1870 at the famous Cramp shipyard in Philadelphia. She had an exceptional career guiding ships.
In 1880, Pilot James A. Orton recorded daily life aboard the vessel in his detailed journal. The Howard measured 79.2 feet in length, 20.6 feet across the beam, and weighed over 50 tons.
The Long-Serving Schooner Thomas F. Bayard
The pilot schooner Thomas F. Bayard was built in 1880 at the C. & R. Poillon shipyard in Brooklyn, New York. She measured 86 feet in length and weighed 70 tons.
The schooner was named after Thomas F. Bayard, a prominent Delaware statesman and diplomat from Wilmington, Delaware.
The Thomas F. Bayard was one of the last sailing schooners to serve on the Delaware Bay, marking the end of a grand era in American sailing history.
List of Notable Historical Delaware Pilot Boats
- New Kit (also called Little Kitty, built in the 1810s)
- Matthew L. Bivan (built in the 1810s)
- Oscar B. Davis (built in the 1820s)
- Louisiana (built in the 1820s)
- Henry F. Mierken (built in the 1820s)
- Enoch Turley (built in 1842)
- Thomas Howard (built in 1870)
- Henry C. Cope (built in the 1870s)
- Thomas F. Bayard (built in 1880)
- Ebe W. Tunnell (built in 1887)
- William W. Ker (built in 1889)
How Delaware Bay Pilots Operate Today
Today, the Pilots' Association For The Bay & River Delaware maintains its headquarters at 800 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The association operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It provides essential navigational services to ensure the safe passage of commercial shipping.
Modern Pilot Stations and Operating Locations
The association operates key facilities along the waterway to dispatch pilots quickly to incoming and outgoing vessels.
- A permanent pilot station located at Cape Henlopen near the mouth of the bay.
- Operations offices in the historic coastal town of Lewes, Delaware.
- An inland dispatch station in Chesapeake City, Maryland, supporting traffic through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
- Central administrative offices located along the waterfront in Philadelphia.
How Pilots Train for Their Careers
Becoming a maritime pilot today requires years of rigorous maritime education and practical training. Candidates usually earn a bachelor's degree from a maritime college.
After college, apprentice pilots spend years learning the Delaware waterway under the guidance of veteran pilots. They must memorize hundreds of navigational landmarks, channel depths, and water current patterns.
Pilots also practice complex maneuvers in high-tech computerized ship simulators. These simulations prepare them to handle emergency steering failures or severe weather safely.
The Economic Importance of Safe Piloting
The Delaware River port complex is one of the busiest cargo hubs in the United States. It handles goods such as fresh fruit, steel, automobiles, paper products, and energy supplies.
Delaware pilots ensure these vital goods move safely and without delay. By preventing accidents, pilots protect fragile coastal wetlands, fisheries, and public shorelines.
See Also
- Port of Wilmington (Delaware)
- Delaware River and Bay Authority
- Delaware pilot boats
- Cape May