Page 120 - RedWhiteFleet_interiors_Sep10

BARTENDERS OPPOSITE, left to right: Guests
Every boat in the Red and White Fleet has at least one peruse the tour options and chat
with ticket agent Pinky Lemaster at
onboard snack bar where bartenders serve guests local the window of the Red and White
wines, beers, and other beverages, as well as a variety of Fleet ticket booth. • A group of tour-
snacks, all with the characteristic Red and White Fleet goers have their photo taken in front
hospitality. As part of their quest to provide guests with of the boats by a Fleet photographer.
the most welcoming environment they can, the Fleet Red and White Fleet photographers
prioritizes having a wide array of refreshments and food take photos of all the guests before
they take their tour, and then have
available for guests to enjoy while they are out on the water. them printed and ready for purchase
The two smaller boats of the fleet, the Harbor Queen and by the time the guests return from
Harbor Princess, each have a single bar on the lower deck, their trip on the water. • Jaime Justo
JACK’S BIRD while the newer boats have two bars and the Enhydra even tends the bar during a Red and
The company has always prided itself on its affinity features a third. The bars also highlight some of the Fleet’s White Fleet tour. Bartenders can
for the creatures of the Bay, both big and small. partnerships with other San Francisco institutions, such as provide guests with a wide array of sure each vessel has all the crew and staff that it needs on she said. Acting quickly, she made the call to dispatch the
Whether it’s spotting whales off the deck of the boats snacks and beverages to enjoy while board. They are an integral part of the day-to-day running entire Fleet straight to the San Francisco Ferry Building. That
during tours (sometimes up to five or six at a time) or Anchor Brewing Company, whose Anchor Steam Beer is a taking in the views on the Bay. of the company, making sure that everything is set up for the first night after the quake, thousands of stranded commuters
naming their new generation of boats after the local popular recommendation for guests who want to take in the
marine species (Enhydra is the genus name of the sights of the Bay while sipping on an authentic San Francisco tours to go out safely, efficiently, and on-time. were transported for free by the Fleet and other passenger
local sea otters), the Red and White Fleet and its crew brew. The bartenders who serve customers at the counters Operations manager is a position that has evolved from vessels across the Bay.
love animals. So much so that when a local seagull play a big part in completing the experience of a Red and and replaced the role of the dispatcher at the Red and White Horgan has the additional distinction of having been the
started landing on the boats each day searching for Fleet. Once an operations manager sets the schedule and first female dispatcher to work for the Red and White Fleet.
food, the crew adopted the bird—easily identifiable by White Fleet tour, helping guests to feel comfortable through
the missing web on one of his feet—and kept him fed. their offerings, service, and hospitality. staffs the boats, the fleet can run largely self-sufficiently for “Red and White Fleet was progressive compared to the rest
Nicknamed “J.B.” (short for “Jack’s Bird,” a the remainder of the day, which eliminates the need for of the maritime industry,” she says of the early years, when
reference to Captain Jack Goldthorp), the bird has OPERATIONS MANAGERS someone to be at a desk directing the boats throughout the women first began working in all areas of the company. She
been visiting the Fleet since 2002. “He likes the Royal day. For much of Red and White Fleet’s history, dispatchers started working with the Fleet in 1973, answering phones as
Prince best,” says Captain Williams. “He shows up Of course, in addition to the public-facing positions at the
most days.” Captain Chuck Hodge, who claims the Red and White Fleet, there are many people at work behind worked the radios and played the important role of making a receptionist, and later worked in group reservations.
bird is also known as “Hop-Along,” fed him for five the scenes to make sure the tours run smoothly and safely. sure each vessel ended up in the right place at the right time. In 1986, she was promoted to dispatcher. “I really loved it,”
years back in his day: “He would come find us out in One such role is the operations manager, who is responsible Like deckhands, they also stayed ready to switch to emergency she says. “Loved the industry and loved the work.” She went
the Bay. We saved salmon pieces to feed to him.” Rain mode at a moment’s notice. On the night of the 1989 Loma on to become marketing manager for the company, and
or shine, J.B. is always welcome aboard. for a wide variety of important tasks in overseeing the daily
operation of the fleet. Chief among these is managing the Prieta earthquake, Carolyn Horgan was working as dispatcher then operations manager, adding her name to the many
ABOVE: Jack’s Bird, or J.B., the unofficial mascot of the Red and crews and staffing the boats. Before each day of tours, the when she heard news that the Bay Bridge had been damaged. success stories of employees who worked their way up
White Fleet. Identifiable by his unwebbed right foot, he can be spotted operations manager sets the schedule for the boats and makes “All of the boats were just finishing their last runs of the day,” through the company.
stopping by the boats on a regular basis.

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