Video covering a bulk carrier’s transit from an inland port toward sea

Okay… let me start by urging you to watch this LARGE and with sound on! This video was the product of a personal project assignment. I’ve been eager to head back up to the Port of Sacramento to photograph the harbor when it’s relatively full. There are times when there are no ships in port, but on November 28th, there were three, and one of them was scheduled to depart in the late morning. A ship leaving port creates an interesting flurry of activity, with dock lines being released, a pilot boarding the ship, and tugs assisting it off the dock and getting it turned into the channel pointed in the right direction. A handheld Marine VHF makes it even more interesting, as I can hear the calls between the ship, tugs, vessel traffic service, drawbridges, other vessels, etc. I’m quite self-aware that this makes me look sound like a crazy old man, hanging out at seaports with my cameras and my drone and my radio, but… 🤷‍♂️

This is a long, slow transit, in a narrow channel. It’s fascinating watching the whole journey, intermittently parking alongside various rural roads in the Sacramento River Delta (what a fascinating area to explore!), and watching for the cranes and superstructure of a giant cargo ship to drift across the landscape. Someone just passing through might do a double-take, not realizing that ships sail these waterways, and seeing one appearing to move across what looks like dry land from the road. It would appear surreal!

Starting at Sacramento, New Optima was boarded by San Francisco Bar Pilot Unit 20 (Captain Dan Larwood). He’ll be in charge as far as New York Point, off Pittsburg, CA, where a fresh pilot (Unit 36, Captain Maximilian Starnitzky). The Bar Pilots are specialists in the local waterways. And the Delta requires a lot of knowledge—navigating these incredibly narrow waterways, there’s very little room for error.

Right off the dock, New Optima is assisted by two tugs operated by Brusco Tug & Barge: Sharon Brusco and Mike Brusco Sr.

Along the way, she’ll pass under two drawbridges and on some trips in some areas, may encounter other ships going the other direction. The 65 miles covered here took nearly seven hours. I hope you’ll enjoy the trip!