John G. Jacobsen
The author of the first novel written about the United States Merchant Marine Academy is himself a 1985 graduate of the Academy. He entered this quasi-military Academy located on the north shore of Long Island (Fitzgerald’s West Egg in The Great Gatsby) fresh out of high school, eager to challenge authority. And challenge it he did. Within weeks of disciplined living, Jacobsen took it upon himself to ‘go over the wall’ for a bit of celebrating after indoc (indoctrination-for-training). As luck would have it, bunk-check came and Jacobsen was nowhere to be seen. Having been caught, and no wanting to explain to one’s dear mother about getting the boot just two weeks in, young Jacobsen gave the Admiral the best, and most impromptu, speech ever told. And it worked! He was an audacious little bastard, that Jacobsen. Four years later Jacobsen did graduate, and, truth to tell, he Admiral, and others, were happy to see him go.
Twenty-five years later, he’s back, and with the grown up rank of Captain. He is also Chairman of the Biscayne Bay Pilots Association, a cadre of elite ship handlers serving the Port of Miami since 1911. He advanced his merchant marine officer’s license during the 1990 Gulf War, aka, Desert Storm, to Second Officer while circumnavigating the globe on the good ship MV Cape Edmont, a ro/ro (roll-on/roll-off) ship carrying, you guessed it, “rolling stock,” as the military calls its tanks and trucks and jeeps. Jacobsen took to calling the Edmont. Desert Storm, unfortunately, gave Jacobsen lots of material for his journal.
Next came several years as First Officer aboard the S.S. Constitution, a cruise ship plying the waters of Hawaii. Jacobsen’s journal runneth over aboard the Connie, as she was affectionately known. A book could be written, and just maybe, about the captain - a Chinese American named Wu who insisted every conversation with him end with the other person saying, “Thank you, Captain Wu,” a book title if ever there was one! It was in Hawaii that Jacobsen learned to fly small planes. Following his stint in Hawaii, Jacobsen became a harbor pilot in the Port of Miami, piloting ships of all sizes in all weathers in and out of Miami.
Today, Captain Jacobsen is the Chairman of the Biscayne Bay Pilots. When he’s not piloting ships or tending to the myriad details of running the Pilots Association, he can be found around town giving a talk to civic organizations on “What is a harbor pilot?” a humorous talk filled with anecdotes and, well, more anecdotes. As Captain Jacobsen tells it, even though the job of harbor pilot is one of the world’s oldest professions (one of the oldest) and is mentioned in the Bible (Ezekial), he’s been a harbor pilot for sixteen years and his own mother still asks what airline he flies for. Jacobsen has since turned in his Cessna for an old lobster boat and can be found gunkholing along the more interesting parts of the East Coast. The adventures continue, only now he gets to share them with his wife Silvana and son Liam.
