Mayport,Fla. – Tropical storm force gusts whipped seas but it didn't stop trade into JaxPort.
Not every day is easy for the St. Johns Bar Pilot Association and Wednesday's nor'easter made the task navigating a container vessel more difficult.
Seas of 10 feet crashed into Pilot Boat Mayport 24/7 365 as it went offshore to deliver a captain who guided a 145-foot cargo ship into the St. Johns River.
This was just one of six trips made on Wednesday, according to a dispatcher at the association.
Vessels need local bar pilots to ensure the safe navigation of ships from the sea to their berth in the port.
As t145-footoot long ZIM Antwerp came inbound from Wilmington, North Carolina, to dock at Blount Island, winds sustained at 30 mph gusted to 46 mph in Mayport Wednesday afternoon
Video from the pilot boat approaching the vessel shows large waves crashing over it.
According to Captain Nathan Cook, bigger vessels with more power can navigate more safely into the port under adverse weather compared to smaller boats, but anything over 12 feet can become more tricky.
The entire port entry through the jetties can be watched on the St. Johns Bar Pilot Association Facebook account.