Fun with Tugs

Remember to contact a tug in tight channels. But temper the urge to contact the captain depending on the traffic and other conditions....

So here we are on Adam's Creek heading towards Beaufort NC (not SC sorry we don't go that fast ). We meander down at 8 knots and eventually we catch up with a pusher with a barge named Pamlico headed for Calico Creek. The channel is narrow and lined with houses and business so I'm in no hurry to pass and hang back a bit. Eventually it happens. Here comes a 43 Ocean followed by a large Hatt sporty. No doubt they were going to pass and the Ocean did that. He squeezed in behind the tug right in front of us. So he peeks on the stbd side of the tug, gives up and moves over to the port. He's hanging around right off the tugs transom trying to find the cajones to pass.

So I sensed the waffling and hailed the tug; "Pamlico south bound this is Freedom. We are second in line behind you has anyone arranged passage yet? ""NO!" And anyone could tell by the tone he was p1ssed about it because it was a narrow channel and he had all sorts of small craft zipping around. We were the least of his concerns given all the slow sailboats and center consoles."Ok Pamlico, it looks like it finally opens up here, do you mind if we pass?""Sure come on around on the stbd side"Ok at this point a$$hole without calling the tug is on the port side of the tug's stern and we open 'er up. It's good to open up a diesel once in a while since we were basically idling all day. So we hit 18 knots and blew by on the stbd.. Ocean who was well to port was looking at us like WTF? How does a boat like that plane out and blow by me??? We thanked the tug, and settled in ahead and waited for the sparks. Both sporties came by. The Ocean rocked our world because he was insulted. The hatt went by and slowed but still rocked our world. We laughed our arses off since neither had contacted the tug to arrange passage and wound up on the wrong side of the channel because he gave us the stbd side...