These stories are the experiences of a harbor towboat pilot in Saint Paul on the Upper Mississippi River. They contain descriptions of this unique barge port which includes the navigable section of the Minnesota River and the only gorge on the Mississippi which lies between Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Much has been written about the river south of Minnesota but this may be the only testament to life on commercial vessels working at the very head of navigation. The adventures are comical and hair-raising, the characters are true river-rats and the local boats are just as quirky as the men who work on them.

This book is in full color and is intended as a reference or information source for anyone assigned leadership roles for maritime security and defense. It is suitable for a ship or facility library. Most photos and all illustrations are original by the author. Loaded with useful information to meet the needs of security and defense in the maritime industry, Concepts in Maritime Tactics is a necessary onboard tool. Ship operators, Masters, crews, and security personnel assigned to maritime security duties NEED this information. This book was designed as an onboard reference and has been considered the best comprehensive source available for this need. Knowing how to pull a trigger if needed has a relatively low priority in maritime security. How to avoid it and if neceesary to win the fight are the essential skills. The concepts within these pages have been reviewed and used successfully by security team leaders in such pirate prone regions as the Somali Basin. Differing from military and law enforcement agencies, the maritime industry has its own methods, traditions, and a history dating back 4000 years. These must be taught and understood to meet the rigorous needs of today's anti-piracy, terrorism, criminal acts, and civil unrest concerns. The security of vessels is a 24 hour per day 365 days per year responsibility, wherever the vessel happens to be. Vessels, port facilities, and offshore facilities all fall under the maritime industry's umbrella. The concepts in tactics found in Concepts in Maritime Tactics pull it all together.

In 1975 at the tender age of 17 a very wet behind the ears Bob Deck left high school to learn the art of being a deckhand on Mississippi River towboats with the goal of becoming a "harbor pilot." The men who trained him were colorful and unique characters. Men like "Steamboat" Bill Ruport a grizzled River Rat at the ripe old age of 24who learned Bob how to handle the lines (what rivermen call ropes) and "lay riggin" (wire barges together) into "tows" (rafts of barges to be pushed downriver from St. Paul to St. Louis). Bob learned that rivermen have a whole different nautical vocabulary. Later decking under the iron-fisted Captain Crash provided danger and humor to a young man's coming of age. If you have ever driven across a bridge over the river and wondered what life on those Mississippi riverboats is like then this is one view that is enlightening and entertaining.