THE TOW LINE - Higman Marine

THE TOW LINE
HIGMAN MARINE
SERVICES, INC.
HIGMAN BARGE
LINES, INC.

Volume 2, Issue 2
Fall 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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4
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9
10
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12
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16
17
18
Fall 2011
John McMahan’s Comments
Dates to Remember
100 %
M/V TRINITY BAY joins the Higman Fleet
M/V SPINDLETOP joins the Higman Fleet
M/V SAN BERNARD joins the Higman Fleet
What Does Drowning Look Like?
Visual, Manual, Cognitive
Asian Carp Come to the Canal
Night Time Operations
Charles Thornhill
Engine Room Doors and Down Flooding
Capt. John Gonzales Goes To School
Meet Captain Calvin Hatfield
Employee News
Promotions
2 of 19 The Tow Line
Tankerman 4
Deckhand 2
Travis Cheramie—M/V SNIPE
Brian Bailey—M/V COVE POINT
Steven Hurst—M/V CUMBERLAND
Abel Rodriguez—M/V LAVACA BAY
Tavis Holden—M/V MARRERO
Cody Wallace—M/V MISS CYNTHIA
Frank Causey—M/V PELICAN
Apollo Edwards—M/V ERIK SALEN
Willis Washington—M/V DRUM POINT
Joseph Miller—M/V DECATUR
Kiel Nidini—M/V MARK E. FLYNN
Phillip Criswell—M/V ARUNDEL
Jonathan Hughes—M/V ABERDEEN
Jason Ford—M/V POTOMAC
Alfred Hernandez—M/V POTOMAC
Raymond Bogs—M/V LOUISIANAN
David Griffin—M/V CECIL
Stephen Hampton—M/V GRETCHEN T
Todd Turner—M/V ABERDEEN
Jose Alvarez—M/V ALLIANCE
Michael Loupe—M/V ARUNDEL
Lawrence Pete—M/V GROSEC
Robert Stegall—M/V SANDY POINT
Charles Ferguson—M/V CHESAPEAKE
Jacob Waller—M/V TEXIAN
Justin Godeaux—M/V GEORGE H. THOMAS
Shadrick Bowman—M/V PRESTON N. SHUFORD
Tankerman 3
Stephen Worley—M/V MISS SARAH
Walter Evans II—M/V TRINITY BAY
Gary Axton—M/V TEXIAN
Ronnie Barnett—M/V SANDY POINT
Bryan Carmical—M/V ANNAPOLIS
Derrick Adams—M/V SANDY POINT
Andrew Carriere—M/V LAVACA BAY
Mark Minor—M/V TRINITY BAY
New Faces Ashore
With the expansion of our fleet we have also
needed to expand our shore staff.
Tankerman 2
William Fincher—M/V CHESAPEAKE
Taylor Milam—M/V BAFFIN BAY
Cody Brown—M/V REDFISH
Kevin Cole—M/V SAINT CHARLES
Kyle Molandes—M/V PRESTON N. SHUFORD
William Clark—M/V MARK E. FLYNN
Kyle Hardy—M/V DRUM POINT
Sterling Kramer—M/V PIMLICO
Kenneth Hempleman—M/V CAPT. JACK HIGMAN
Fall 2011
In the Maintenance Department we would like
to welcome Marcos Rocha, Michael
Wattigney, and Henry Boatright. Marcos
and Michael are new Mechanics working out
of the Channelview office. Henry is a
Mechanic working out of the Orange office.
Tyrone Parker is the new Driver working out
of the Channelview office. Welcome him
aboard next time he drives you to your boat.
Michael Huerta is the new Warehouse
Assistant. Michael will be helping Robert in
the Channelview warehouse.
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Promotions
John McMahan’s Comments
February 2011—August 2011
Captains
Relief Captains (Cont.)
Christopher Garnett—M/V PIMLICO
William Compton—M/V SNIPE
Timothy Welsh—M/V ARUNDEL
James “JJ” Conner—M/V KARL G. ANDREN
Glenn Labit—M/V MISS SARAH
Thomas Pugh—M/V BAFFIN BAY
Jacob Penney—M/V GROSBEC
Wesley Horton—M/V KARL G. ANDREN
Relief Captains
Master Pilots
Nakia Fitch—M/V ROCKFISH
Jerald Switzer—M/V BETHESDA
James Whitman—M/V CAPT. JACK HIGMAN
William Howes—M/V MISS CYNTHIA
Samuel Wilson—M/V TEXIAN
Bryan Williams—M/V ARANSAS PASS
Glenn Bumpas—M/V SNIPE
Thomason Johns—M/V ARUNDEL
Christopher Lusk—M/V DRUM POINT
Scott McKey—M/V POTOMAC
James Bellett—M/V PIMLICO
Brandon Couch—M/V ERIK SALEN
Albert Shelton—M/V LAVACA BAY
Mate Pilot
5 Year Mark
James Glover—M/V MATAGORDA
Brandon Maurer—M/V MISS MARIANNE
Robin Brunet—M/V TEXIAN
Dallas Albertson—M/V MARRERO
February 2011-August 2011
Steersman 2
Higman is pleased to recognize the following crew
members for achieving 5 years with our company:
Trey Davis—M/V DRUM POINT
Gary Smith—M/V CAPT. JACK HIGMAN
Billy Coates—M/V SAINT CHARLES
Michael Ash—M/V LOUISIANAN
Gerald McCain—M/V LAVACA BAY
Ronald Anderson—M/V MARK E. FLYNN
Tankerman Jonathan Newman—M/V BAFFIN BAY
Tankerman Gary Sanders—M/V GREBE
Tankerman Allyn Charpentier—M/V GRETCHEN T
Tankerman Rene Nieto—M/V KYLE A. SHAW
Steersman Gerald McCain—M/V LAVACA BAY
Tankerman Norman Clemons—M/V CUMBERLAND
Pilot John Stultz—M/V ARUNDEL
Pilot Tommy Dickerson—M/V ARANSAS PASS
Relief Captain Jory Eaton—M/V SKIPJACK
Tankerman Deldrick Harrison—M/V ANNAPOLIS
Pilot David Cox—M/V POINT ISABEL
Relief Captain Christopher Lusk—M/V DRUM
POINT
These 12 employees join 91 others that have made
our Company home for over 5 years. These 103
crew members have an average of 12 years.
Congratulations!
Fall 2011
Steersman 1
Anthony Gotreaux—M/V GEORGE H. THOMAS
DJ Harper—M/V ANNAPOLIS
Kyle Ewing—M/V BALTIMORE
Thomas Woodside—M/V REDFISH
Miquel Allen—M/V GROSBEC
Jacob Primeaux—M/V ANTIETAM
Stacy Sawyer—M/V ERIK SALEN
Christopher Ridley—M/V GRETCHEN T
Allen West—M/V ARANSAS PASS
Robert Ivy—M/V SKIPJACK
Coady Root—M/V PIMLICO
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Heat Wave
This summer has been tough and everyone
should be recognized for doing well in spite of
our record breaking heat. Health and safety are
the first obvious concerns, but with the heat
comes fatigue both physical and mental, so
take the time to work safely and drink a lot of
water.
I am pleased to report that by the time this
issue is released we will have taken delivery of
two new pushboats– the M/V SPINDLETOP
built by Hope Services and the M/V SAN
BERNARD built by Southwest Shipyard. Mark
Flynn and his crew have kept demand for our
fleet at a very high level throughout the
summer and we expect full utilization of the
fleet to continue through the end of the year.
We have three more new boats scheduled for
delivery before December 31st.
In addition to the wage improvements
announced in July, we are pleased that we were
successful in renewing our group medical
insurance on agreeable terms. Those changes
that we had to make to comply with the new
laws being phased in as part of
“OBAMACARE” were successfully integrated
into our current program.
Let’s all look forward to a break from the heat,
but not for any cooling of demand for our
services.
John McMahan
Vice President
Fall 2011
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Dates to Remember
2011 Higman Leadership and Management
First Session
Second Session
SEP 22—SEP 23
OCT 6—OCT 7
2011 Tankerman’s Seminar
Ninth Session
SEP 20
Tenth Session
OCT 11
Eleventh Session NOV 3
2011 Advanced Wheelhouse Management
(simulator)
Fourth Session
Fifth Session
OCT 17—OCT 19
DEC 12—DEC 14
2012 Wheelman’s Seminar
First Session
FEB 29—MAR 1
Second Session MAR 12—MAR 13
Third Session
MAR 21—MAR 22
Has the Towboat business changed much in
thirty plus years?
By far the equipment is much better today. The
boats are much more comfortable. No longer
are we navigating Mississippi Sound with just a
compass and an outdated chart. The waterways
have more beacons and buoys today making the
transits safer. And yes the traffic has changed.
Today there are ten times as many tows than
there were in the 70’s and 80’s.
Captain Calvin Hatfield lives in Call, TX and
spends his off time hunting and fishing.
Employee News
Chuck Harrison announces the birth of his son
Travis Ray Harrison. He was born on March
15, 2011. Chuck is a Mechanic out of the
Channelview Office.
John Esparza is the proud father of a baby boy.
Mariano Arturo Esparza was born March 31,
2011. John is a Tankerman on the M/V
MATAGORDA.
Joshua Schovajsa welcomed his son on April
7, 2011. Gavin Parker Schovajsa was born
weighing 7lbs, 3ozs and 18.5 inches long.
Josh is a Tankerman on the M/V GREBE.
Joseph Miller is a proud new father. His son
Eli Robert Miller was born on June 12, 2011,
weighing 7lbs, 8ozs and 19 inches long. JoJo
is a Tankerman on the M/V DECATUR.
Winston Kyle Ewing was blessed with a
healthy baby boy. Jackson Riley Ewing
arrived on July 7, 2011 weighing 7lbs, 1oz and
20 inches long. Kyle is the Steersman on the
M/V BALTIMORE.
Trent Colson welcomed his baby girl.
LouCasey Colson was born on July 29, 2011.
Trent is a Shore Tankerman for Higman.
Jacob Penney announces the birth of his
daughter. Lynnette RheAnn Lee Penney was
born on April 11, 2011 weighing 7lbs, 3ozs
and 20 inches long. Jacob is the Relief
Captain on the M/V GROSBEC.
Fall 2011
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Fall 2011
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Meet Captain Calvin Hatfield
100%
When discussing tools that are important to a towboat operation, there are many. Spud wrenches,
ratchets and ball-peen hammers quickly come to mind. The toilet plunger may not be one of
them, but was an important tool for the operation back in the 1970’s per Capt. Calvin Hatfield.
Higman has been recognized by the United
States Coast Guard for a 100% completion
of the USCG Towing Vessel Bridging
Program.
In those days before washing machines were common on river towboats, a bucket and a toilet
plunger were all you needed to get your clothes clean. By adding water and washing powder to
your dirty clothes in a bucket, the toilet plunger provided the agitation. Once clean, the clothes
were hung on the engine room railing to complete the drying cycle.
Higman Barge Lines, Inc. received the
following letter from Admiral Mary
Landry, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard
District, commending us for successfully
completing the program. All fifty Higman
Need to clean the mop head in 1980? Tie it to a line and throw it into the wheel wash behind the
boat for a few hours.
Capt. Calvin Hatfield relayed these stories when talking about
his long career on the water. With the help of his uncle and
father, Calvin got started at the age of 17 in Corpus Christi.
His first job was on a dredge which did not last long and he
soon found himself laid off. A friend got him an interview
with the union and his name was thrown in the hat. A
deckhand position came open with Higman Towing in 1978,
starting Calvin off on a long career. Jobs were scarce back
then so hard work was the only way to keep your job from
going to the many waiting in the background.
The starting pay on deck back then was $27.50 per day. At
this pay rate, Calvin had ample motivation to get on the road to
a wheelhouse position. During those first few months, he got
a Tankerman ticket. It took another seven years to get his
Pilot’s license in 1985.
May 18, 2011
Dear Mr. Thomas,
I take great pleasure in recognizing your receipt of towing vessel safety
decals for 100 percent of your fleet of fifty vessels! Successful completion of
the Coast Guard’s Towing Vessel Bridging Program was not an easy task. You
helped improve the technical expertise of our Coast Guard towing vessel
examiners by making your fleet’s machinery spaces and systems available for
examination.
Your actions have truly embraced the cooperative spirit of the program
and have strengthened towing vessel safety within the Eight Coast Guard
District. Your vessels are now best prepared to smoothly transition from an
uninspected to inspected status in the future. Semper Paratus!
Sincerely,
Mr. George Thomas accepts
the letter of recognition from
Captain James Whitehead.
Reporting to Capt. Stevie Joe Elliott aboard the M/V EDGAR BROWN JR, Calvin got his first
Relief Captain’s job in 1990. From there Calvin was given a Captain’s position in 1993 aboard
the first M/V GEORGE H THOMAS.
Nearing thirty continuous years, Calvin never thought he would be one of the “old guys”.
Looking back, the chance to work with so many great Captains helped make him into what he is
today.
Fall 2011
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The USCG Towing Vessel Bridging Program is in place to help the towing industry
take their vessels from an "un-inspected"
designation to an "inspected" status. This is
part of the transition to "Subchapter M"
requirements expected later this year. Admiral
Landry's letter is as follows:
COMMANDER, EIGHTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70130-3310
Capt. Calvin’s first wheelhouse job came a year later aboard the M/V CHARLES E. BROWN.
Capt. Randy Hopkins broke Calvin into the wheelhouse ranks as the tow traveled all over the Gulf
Coast and into the Mississippi River.
In 2007, Calvin was named the Captain of the new M/V GEORGE H THOMAS as she was
delivered from Intracoastal Iron Works in Bourg, LA.
towboats were inspected under the guidance of
the Towing Vessel Bridging Program.
MARY E. LANDRY
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard
Higman Barge Lines, INC
Mr. George H. Thomas
1980 Post Oak Blvd
Suite 1101
Houston, TX 77056
Fall 2011
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The Tow Line
M/V TRINITY BAY Joins the Higman Fleet
have flooded down.
The M/V TRINITY BAY, built by Hope Services, began service in March 2011!
The crew consists:
Captain Jasper Stephens
Relief Captain Juan Espinoza
Pilot Karl Montiforte
Tankerman Cody Lindsey
Tankerman Gary Axton
Tankerman Mark Minor
Those two tons of water now gather in the
engine room bilge. The liquid will flow to the
lower side in the direction of a list. This is
called the Free Surface Effect.
Specifications:
Length ................78’
Beam ..................34’
Hull Depth..........10’
Gross Tons .........177
Total HP .............2,000
Main Engines .....2 x Cummins KTA 38
Generators ..........John Deere 4045 TFM
As more and more water enters, the list will
increase, which in turn increases the down
flooding.
The freeboard decreases and
the lower edge of the coaming goes further
below the water's surface. It can spiral into a
capsize that is hard to stop.
Keep those doors closed!
The free surface effect allows
water to flow to the low end of the
engine room.
Capt. John Gonzales Goes to School!
The Third Grade is ready to get onboard.
The Hermes Elementary School in La
Grange, TX will never be the same. At the
request of his son Devin, Capt. John
Gonzales brought the towboat world to the
third grade. John is the Relief Captain on
the M/V JESSE B GUNSTREAM.
Third graders are known for their offbeat
questions but this group was serious from
the start. "Are you trained to deal with oil
spills?" asked one kid. "What courses in
school do you need to take to work on a
boat?" "Does everyone wear a life vest?"
Everyone seemed to have a question.
In the end, the class thanked John for the great presentation and the teacher asked about coming
back next year.
Fall 2011
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Fall 2011
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The Tow Line
Engine Room Doors and Down Flooding
M/V SPINDLETOP Joins the Higman Fleet
“Keep all watertight doors closed" is not just company policy but common sense.
In our operation, freeboards are low. With towboats designed to work primarily in flat water
conditions, crews must be conscious of the possibility of flooding and ultimately sinking if the right
conditions occur. With that in mind, watertight doors are critical to the operation.
Buoyancy and Reserve Buoyancy
Every boat depends on the displacement of water to provide the buoyancy for the hull. When a
towboat is floated, she sinks into the water until the weight of the surrounding water displaced by
her underwater volume is equal to the weight of the entire boat. As additional weight is added to
the hull either by equipment, fuel, water, etc., the boat will sink lower and lower. The upward force
created by this displacement is the vessel's buoyancy.
The volume of the watertight portion of the towboat that is above the waterline is described as the
Reserve Buoyancy. The freeboard is a rough measurement of your reserve buoyancy.
Watertight Doors
Keeping the vessel riding high means keeping water out of the
hull. Watertight doors fitted above the main deck are one of
the main protectors from water making its way into the
hull. Most critical of these are the engine room doors. These
doors protect the engine room from down flooding and
are critical when water flows over the main deck.
Watertight doors provide the watertight integrity of the vessel
and must always be treated as such. Although an open or
poorly maintained door may seem like an insignificant issue,
when the right factors align, the door can become a death trap
and result in terrible circumstances to a vessel and its crew.
The M/V SPINDLETOP, built by Hope Services, began service in August 2011!
Down Flooding and Free Surface Effect
So what happens when water is washed over the towboat's
deck due to a passing ship? This is a non scientific example,
but will illustrate the point:
High coamings are a good idea!
When hit by an unexpected wave with the engine room watertight doors open, water will quickly
start down flooding into the engine space. Let's say our boat has a typical watertight door that
measures thirty six inches wide, what happens when water goes over the coaming?
The Crew:
Specifications:
Captain Scott Bryars
Relief Captain Luther Beckham
Pilot Sam Nelms
Tankerman Justin Lawrence
Tankerman Matt Cornelison
Tankerman Arthur Barnes
Length ................ 78’
Beam .................. 34’
Hull Depth.......... 10’
Gross Tons ......... 177
Total HP............. 2,000
Main Engines ..... 2 x Cummins KTA 38
Generators.......... John Deere 4045 TFM
Imagine two feet of water washing over the coaming and entering the engine room at flow rate
of one linear foot per second. At that rate, in ten seconds about two tons of water will
Fall 2011
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Fall 2011
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The Tow Line
M/V SAN BERNARD Joins the Higman Fleet!
The M/V SAN BERNARD, built by Southwest Shipyard, begin service in September, 2011.


The Crew:
Specifications:

Captain Ross Burton
Relief Captain Jarrett Hopson
Pilot Elton Jeansonne
Steersman Jacob Primeaux
Tankerman Leon Morvant
Deckhand Blake Spence
Length ................ 78’
Beam .................. 34’
Hull Depth.......... 8’
Gross Tons ......... 177
Total HP............. 2,000
Main Engines ..... 2 x Cummins KTA 38
Generators.......... John Deere 4045 TFM





transition to night vision does not take so
long.
Take your time when undertaking deck
tasks.
Outline your movements on deck in your
mind before undertaking them.
Keep your mind on the task at hand. Do
not "multi-task".
Be prepared to deal with obstacles on deck
with the limits of your eyesight.
Keep aware of deck and trunk edges.
Remember in very low light, there is a 1
degree blind spot in the center of your
visual field. Use your entire field of vision
to help compensate for the 1 degree blind
spot.
If you require glasses, make sure your
prescription is correct and your vision is
checked regularly.
Make
sure
communications
are good between the deck and the
wheelhouse. Keep the wheelhouse updated
on what is happening on deck.
 Have the proper tools at hand before
going out on deck.
 Use a proper flashlight (intrinsically safe)
with a fresh set of batteries.
 Wear a billed cap to keep search light glare
Charles Thornhill
Charles Emmitt Thornhill Jr. passed away on
June 13, 2011. Charles worked at Higman
since 1998. He was one of Maryland Marine's
first Tankermen.
Before becoming ill,
Charles’ last days at Higman were spent on
the M/V Preston N Shuford. You may have
known him from his many days spent with
Stevie Joe Elliott on the M/V CHESAPEAKE
and the M/V DECATUR. Many knew him as
"Cat-eyed
Charlie"
or
simply
"Thorn". Charles was a very dedicated and
loyal employee and close friend to those that
knew him. He will be deeply missed by
many.
Fall 2011
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Fall 2011
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The Tow Line
Night Time Operations
With summer upon us and water
activities high (when on the boat and at
home) it is important to understand
what drowning really looks
like. Drowning is not the violent,
splashing, call for help that most people
expect. Drowning is almost always a
deceptively quiet event. The waving,
splashing, and yelling that dramatic
conditioning (television) prepares us to
look for, is rarely seen in real life.
Night time on deck is a different animal.
We are all at a disadvantage when night time
falls. As humans, we rely heavily on our sense
of sight. When the sun sets and the hours of
darkness begin, our vision's sensory system
functions quite differently and is not nearly as
efficient as it is during the day.
You may remember from your high school
biology class that our eyes operate with a dual
receptor system using "rods" and
"cones". These receptors allow the eye to see
over a large range of light levels. But there are
limits.
Our photopic vision (cones) allows us to see
colors and fine detail with a possible visual
acuity of 20/20 or better. It functions though
only in good light. The dimmest light in which
the cones can function is roughly equivalent to
a night with 50% moonlight.
Our scotopic vision (rods) is of poorer
quality. It is limited in detail with a visual
acuity of 20/200 or less and gives us only the
ability to differentiate between black and
white. The dimmest light in which our rods
can function is equivalent to the light of an
overcast night with no moonlight.
It is easy to see the change from photopic to
scotopic at dusk as colors begin to fade and
eventually become indistinguishable.
As we go from photopic and scotopic vision
during the period of dusk, we use our mesopic
vision. Neither the rods nor the cones operate
at peak efficiency in this range, but both
contribute to visual perception.
Mesopic
vision is of primary importance to the deck
operations at night because there is usually
some light present.
Fall 2011
What Does Drowning Look Like?
The transition to full night vision takes
time.
Rods require 30-45 minutes or longer of
absolute darkness to attain maximum
sensitivity after exposure to bright light. When
you leave the galley at night to check the
coupling, you must realize that your vision
is not at its full efficiency until the rods can
adjust to the light conditions.
While dark adaptation of the rods develops
slowly over a period of 20 to 30 minutes, it can
be lost in a few seconds of exposure to bright
light. Protect your night vision from bright
lights!
The center portion of your retina is called
the fovea. This area gives us the center field of
our vision. It contains a large amount of cones,
but has no rods. With no rods in very low
light, a blind spot exists in the central 1
degree of our visual field.
What does this all mean to your deck
operations?
 Understand the limits of your eyesight
during night time deck operations and
make adjustments.
 Keep the galley lights low at night so the
12 of 19 The Tow Line
Except in rare circumstances, drowning
people are physiologically unable to
call out for help. Drowning people's mouths
will alternately sink below and reappear above
the surface of the water. The mouths of
drowning people are not above the surface of
the water long enough for them to exhale,
inhale, and call out for help.
To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic
surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the
number two cause of accidental death in
children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle
accidents) - of the approximately 750 children
who will drown next year, about 375 of them
will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other
adult.
Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature
instinctively forces them to extend their arms
laterally and press down on the water's surface.
Physiologically, drowning people who are
struggling on the surface of the water cannot
stop drowning and perform voluntary
movements such as waving for help, moving
toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of
rescue equipment.
Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these
drowning people can only struggle on the
surface of the water for 20 to 60 seconds before
submersion occurs.
Fall 2011
So what you should really look for is:
 Head low in the water, mouth at water level
 Head tilted back with mouth open
 Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
 Eyes closed
 Hair over forehead or eyes
 Not using legs - Vertical
 Hyperventilating or gasping
 Trying to swim in a particular direction but
not making headway
 Trying to roll over on the back
 Ladder climb, rarely out of the water
This doesn't mean that a person who is yelling
for help and thrashing isn't in real trouble, they
are experiencing aquatic distress. Though not
always present before the instinctive drowning
response, aquatic distress doesn't last long .
However, unlike true drowning, these victims
can still assist in their own rescue by grabbing
for lifelines, throw rings, etc.
So if someone falls in water or looks like they
are in trouble, you should simply ask them,
"Are you alright?" If they can answer at all,
they probably are. If they return a blank stare,
you may have less than 30 seconds to get to
them. And parents - children playing in the
water make noise. When they get quiet, you get
to them and find out why.
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Visual, Manual, Cognitive
When distractions are present in the
Wheelhouse, incidents can happen.
We reported in the Training Newsletter on the
finding of the NTSB on the fatal "Duck Boat"
incident where a barge ran over a tourist vessel
anchored on the Delaware River in 2010. Two
passengers were killed. The investigation
revealed that the mate was inattentive to his
duties while navigating the vessel because he
was distracted by his repeated use of a cell
phone and laptop computer.
"What about crew change?"
What adds to your immediate situational awareness is positive and helpful to your safe
piloting. What does not add to your situational awareness is a distraction.
You pick up the phone and type back "Crew
Change tomorrow in Baton Rouge". Press
send and you are done.
Can we ever be distraction free during our time in the wheelhouse? My answer to that is “probably
not”. Today's towboat world is much different than the one just a few years ago. Our lives are full
of gadgets and communication devices that are all trying to get our attention.
So what just happened?
The challenge today is to keep distractions to a minimum and to manage the distractions that are
inevitable. How are you managing those distractions?
Reading and then typing an answer to the
incoming text may have taken you 37 seconds.
During those short 37 seconds:
Let's look at a hypothetical example of one of
our wheelhouses and put some numbers to the
realities of distractions.
Your two barge tow is loaded, 9'6" draft,
southbound on the Lower Mississippi River.
The current at the present mile board is running
strong at four mph. The throttles are open
and you have an over the water speed of seven
mph.
Over the ground, your tow is now making
eleven mph.
In the background you hear a soft ding,
indicating a text message has just been
delivered to your cell phone.
 The tow traveled 596 feet, just short of two
football fields.
 Since the tow is strung out, the bow rake of
the lead barge is now more than a half mile
from your position in the wheelhouse when you
picked up that phone; 596 feet plus the 600 feet
of tow.
 You have just moved about 7,000 tons of
cargo (fourteen million pounds!) with very
little observation of your surroundings.
There are three main types of distraction taking
place in this example:
 Visual - taking your eyes from the route
and onto texting.
 Manual - taking your hands away from the
sticks and other operating controls. Though
this is normal, it is still part of the distraction.
 Cognitive - taking your mind off what
you're doing and the task at hand.
But wait, you say; "What about all the
other distractions in the wheelhouse? What
about the chart plotter, the log book and the
engine gauges?"
Wheelhouse tools, if used properly are part of
your "Awareness Mix" and play an important
role in situational awareness.
Fall 2011
10 of 19 The Tow Line
Asian Carp Come to the Canal
Watch out for flying fish!
The crew of the M/V MARRERO had a
surprise last week while nosing into the
bank near Algiers Lock on the canal
side. Two good sized Asian (Silver) Carp
jumped at least 5 feet and landed on the
back deck.
Silver carp were imported to North
America in the 1970s to control algae
growth in aquaculture and municipal
wastewater treatment facilities. They
escaped from captivity soon after their
importation and are considered a highly
invasive species.
Tankerman Ronnie Barnett shows off his catch!
Silver Carp together with the closely related
bighead carp often reach extremely high population densities and are thought to have undesirable
effects on the environment and on native species.
By 2003, Silver Carp had spread into the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri Rivers and many
of their tributaries in the U.S. They are now abundant in the Mississippi River watershed from
Louisiana to South Dakota and Illinois, and are close to invading the Great Lakes via the Chicago
Sanitary Canal. Navigation dams on the Mississippi River seem to have slowed their advance up
the Mississippi River, and until late November 2008 Silver Carp had not been captured north of
central Iowa on the Mississippi.
The Silver Carp is also called the flying carp for its tendency to leap from the water when
startled. They can grow to over 40lb, and can leap 10ft in the air. Many boaters traveling in
uncovered high-speed watercraft have been injured by running into the fish while at speed.
Fall 2011
11 of 19
The Tow Line