Navigating Bridges
At some point in your boat travels, you may have to request a bridge opening. If you have never navigated a bridge, you may feel intimidated by the process at first. In order to make your process go smoothly, there are some common procedures you will need to follow. Below are a few tips for dealing with bridges wherever you boat!
Boat Clearance
The very first question you should ask yourself is: “How tall is your boat?”. When you are planning your trip for the day, you should look on your chart and identify the bridges you have to pass under. Most bridges will have a clearance board, which is a scale posted at water level on the bridge opening that shows a vertical clearance in real time. However, never take a chance with “close”. Keep in mind floods and high tides can diminish the clearance! Once you know your height and the bridge clearance you will be able to determine if the bridge needs to be opened (if it is an opening bridge of course).
Check Bridge Schedules
While you are checking the clearance of each bridge on your course, be sure to check each time schedule. Most bridges open on a set schedule, such as opening on the hour or half-hour. Once you can visually see the bridge you are approaching, call the operator to request an opening via your VHF radio. Do not expect the operator to acknowledge you first.
Quick tip: Offshoreblue.com is a great resource guide for checking bridges and mile markers!
Requesting a Bridge Opening via VHF Radio
In order to contact the bridge operator, you must know the correct hailing channel for requesting passage. In Florida, bridges monitor Channel 9 and some other states bridge operators monitor channel 13. Before calling in, make sure you double check the name of the bridge you want to pass under. If you mix up the name of the bridge, the operator may not acknowledge you.
Be Aware of Boat Traffic
For many scheduled-openings, there is boat congestion as boats wait. Once you have requested an opening, be aware of the boats around or behind you. A boat on the other side of the bridge that is coming through with a current pushing it toward the bridge should normally be given the right of way. Tugs should always be given the right of way as well. Try to keep out of the way and communicate with other boats via your VHF radio if needed. (when in doubt, communicate!)
Wait Your Turn
Take your time cruising up to the bridge and keep your distance so you do not get crammed with other boats around you and too close to the un-opened bridge. If you have not contacted the bridge operator yet and they are already opening the bridge, call them once the bridge is already open to request passage. Be sure to wait until the bridge is fully raised before passing through.
If you request a bridge opening and you can pass safely without needing an opening, you risk a hefty fine!
We hope some of our tips help you on your next boating adventure! If we missed anything important, let us know!
Nice info. I’m a bridge tender and I’d like to add a few things, if I may. My knowledge is limited to Florida, so not everything here is pertinent. When you hail a bridge, the tender may not immediately respond. This doesn’t mean he’s an @$$, although he may be. Make sure you’re less than 10 minutes from the bridge. Check you radio to make sure you can send and receive. If a tender is in the middle of an opening, he’s [supposed] to have 100% of his concentration on the process. We are not supposed to answer phones or radios during the operation. Sometimes tenders use the restroom. If you hail and get no response, check your equipment and try again after a minute or two. If all else fails a one six second horn blast followed by a one second blast should work. If you’ve chosen a vessel name like Queen of the Unintelligiblemumblesomething, please forgive us if we ask to have it spelled… slowly. FDOT requires us to put your vessels, length, height and beam on the opening log, giving us that slowly is also much appreciated.
(Un)fortunately, lawyers are involved. Tenders are limited in the information we’re able to give out. If you ask about bridge heights and clearances, we are [supposed] to refer you to the tide boards. If we say you’re clear or offer heights, etc. and you have an indecent, it’s probably going to be considered our fault. So, we’re not allowed to say.
There’s a misconception regarding bridge schedules. The bridge schedules are for the convenience of Joe Driver trying to get to work on time, not for the mariners on the water. An 8:00AM opening begins after it’s deemed safe to turn the traffic signal red after 8:00AM. It’s acceptable to start the opening after 8:00, but NOT one second before. You wouldn’t believe the angry calls our bosses and FDOT get from drivers …. “I was late today because the bridge opened early.” If they contact FDOT, we have to account for the early opening. After the scheduled time, we may have to wait for pedestrians and vehicles to clear the area between the traffic gates. All operations stop if there’s any question. Tenders are not allowed to touch any buttons or switches except the emergency stop, if there’s anyone inside the gated area. This means, if anyone runs the red lights, the operation comes to a halt and everything waits for this one @$$#0le, who’s more important than everyone else. Pedestrians are the worst. They’ve walked across this bridge 100 times and they [know] they have plenty of time to cross. What they don’t know is they’re the reason. If they had stopped and waited, I could have continued the opening procedure without delay.
So, you’re sitting in the channel at 8AM, trying to maintain steerage-way so you don’t get pushed into the bridge fenders, meanwhile, the traffic signals turn red, the tender makes a safety announcement which the pedestrians ignore, , an actual physical visual inspect is made. Again, “You sir. On the bike. Please move outside the nearest traffic gate.” *Cyclist looks up at the bridge house pointing at himself as if to say, “Who? me?” Finally, the gates are lowered one at a time (theoretically) so the tender has his eyes on each one. The span locks are then pulled. These are fairly large bars which connect the spans when they’re lowered. Some bridges also have tail locks. Pulling the locks can take up to three minutes. Then the attorneys tell us to say…
“Attention, attention. The Jupiter Federal Bridge is preparing to open. Requesting vessels* please remain outside the fenders until the bridge is fully raised.”
*vessels requesting an opening
And we start activating the magic that makes the spans raise.
(The Jupiter Federal Bridge was built in 1958. Sometimes we activate the switches and…. we activate the switches and…. “Vessel on the east side of Jupiter Federal, the south east span isn’t opening. You may wait for the issue to be resolved or, at your discretion, if you feel it’s safe, you may use the north side of the channel to pass.)
I’m a sailor too broke to own a sailboat, (We had a Mirage 5.5 sloop before we started our business.) I like being a bridge tender, being on the water and interacting with boaters. I try to be helpful, efficient and friendly. It is apparent that not all tenders feel the same way. I’ll apologize for them here.
And now… “Jupiter Federal, Queen of the Unintelligiblemumblesomething, is clear. Thanks for the opening. Have a great day.”
“Thank you Queen of the Unintelligiblemumblesomething, you as well. Caution, caution. The Jupiter Federal Bridge spans are now lowering.”
Manatee Max,
Thanks for the little extra from the Tender’s view. It is good to hear what is going on in the operators nest. Reading you explanation made me wish I was on the water. Thanks, Landlocked 🙂