Pilot Ladder

The pilot ladder is a type of rope ladder which is used on board ships to allow the marine pilot to embark and disembark. This dangerous job involves the pilot jumping from their much smaller pilot boat onto the bigger vessel. They then climb the pilot ladder to board the ship and steer her to safety through difficult waters that the captain may not know. The pilot usually boards on the lee side of the ship, which is the side that faces away from the wind. ****