Gatekeepers of the Waterway

Mary Anne Dennis has worked for a decade at the Ortega River Bridge near Jacksonville, Florida. Robert Beringer

Depending on where you sail, there are perhaps fewer people you’ll have more crucial interactions with than a bridge tender. They are the marine equivalent of a traffic cop, the solitary gatekeepers who grant us access to yearned-for open waters. Drawbridges are staffed 24/7/365, with bridge tenders perpetually on duty managing the smooth flow of traffic between vehicles and vessels. 

If you transit the Intracoastal Waterway, you speak to these sentinels of the seaway more than your dockmaster—short yet urgent dialogues where you communicate clearly your intentions, and they respond with concise directions. The horn blows, the bridge goes up, and off you go. A typical communication on Channel 9 goes like this:

Me: “Jacksonville Main Street Bridge (repeat two more times), this is eastbound sailing vessel Ukiyo approaching your position. Come in, please.”

Bridge tender: “This is Jacksonville Main Street Bridge. Go ahead, captain.”

Me: “Yes, bridge tender. I’m requesting a lift, please.”

Bridge tender: “Yes, captain. Our next scheduled opening will be at 6 p.m.”

Me: “Affirmative. Thank you, bridge tender. Ukiyo out and standing by on Channel 9.”

That’s how it’s supposed to be—a brief and polite interaction, resulting in a successful transit. But it doesn’t always happen that way. One night I requested an opening, and only one leaf went up. I had to drop anchor and wait a tense hour while a maintenance crew was called to fix the bridge. Another time on the Chesapeake, in a narrow ­thruway with a strong following current, the bridge got stuck and I had to motor in circles with several other boats for a long time. 

Everyone has their own bridge-opening stories. Florida alone has countless drawbridges, and each is staffed by unique individuals with their own personality and motivations. The experience from the water can range from “very professional” to “needs more training in public relations.”

But who are these people who wave as you pass under their watchful eye? “I’ve got the best view in the city,” says Mary Anne Dennis, 76, who has worked for a decade at the Ortega River Bridge, one of Florida’s oldest and busiest. Ortega happens to be my home bridge. That little house up there can be a busy place.

Ukiyo approaches the bridge after hailing the bridge tender. Robert Beringer

“I think we contend with one other bridge in the state for the most openings,” she ventures. “Sometimes we get as many as 50 openings a day, and average 800 a month.”

Each bridge is different, and tenders must be trained and certified by the Department of Transportation wherever they are assigned. Like many vital positions that deal with public safety, the pay is low. Bridge tenders, like sailors, must be ready to deal with anything. A couple of years ago, as the Ortega Bridge was preparing to rise, a center-­console powerboat barged through and collided with the span, sending two occupants to the hospital.

Before hailing a bridge, be aware that there are things you can do to make the opening quick and easy: 

• Try to be within visual range so the tender will associate your voice with your vessel. 
• Be mindful of the tide because it can either slow you down or greatly increase your transit time.
• Use your low power setting on the VHF and call the bridge by its official name, which often is not on the chart (but usually in cruising guides). There might be five or more bridges within your radio range, and the bridge tender wants to speak only with mariners approaching their bridge.
• Upon acknowledging your desire to open the bridge, the tender will request your vessel’s name. This is done to track traffic patterns for the Department of Transportation, so speak clearly and be ready to spell it if asked.

A big pet peeve of tenders is that following boats will sneak through without calling the bridge. All vessels must contact the bridge for permission to transit the span. 

“One of our biggest problems is the boaters whose egos are bigger than their boat,” Dennis says sternly. “Read Chapman Piloting & Seamanship before passing through bridges.”

And don’t forget to wave and thank the bridge tender as you pass through.

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