Louis Nickles, senior deckhand for Blue & Gold Fleet, has been at the job on the San Francisco Bay for the last 18 years.
Louis Nickles has been working on the Harbor Bay Ferry route for 18 years. As the business succeeded, his relationship with the loyal passengers grew stronger. Photo by Matt Larson
By Matt Larson
Published: October, 2013
Louis Nickles, senior deckhand for Blue & Gold Fleet, has been at the job on the San Francisco Bay for the last 18 years. "It’s a good excuse to be on the water every day," he said. "And to be around nice people." Nickles got his start with Harbor Bay Maritime and proudly served the company as it grew and grew until it was acquired by Blue & Gold just a couple years ago.
"Harbor Bay Maritime was a company that started from scratch and got to be very successful," said Nickles. "It was very rewarding to see all of the passengers being more and more faithful; snowballing to a very good success."
As the business succeeded, so did Nickles’ relationships with the passengers whom he still gets to see on a daily basis. "Through the years we’ve been meeting so many amazing people," he said. "And there’s still more to come." If this story sounds familiar, Nickles worked alongside Tim Patrick, featured in our last issue, who was also part of the Harbor Bay magic.
Nickles acknowledged that at times, the job of a deckhand may seem fairly simple. "It sounds easy, except when there is a situation," he explained. "It has happened—people in the water, a problem with the boat, someone having a stroke—but most passengers didn’t even realize there was a situation because, for us, it was just another day at the office." Being ready for anything always keeps the deckhands alert and ready to ensure the safety of everyone’s commute. "That’s what really matters," he said.
"I came to working on the ferry boats because I’d been into sailing all my life," said Nickles. Born and raised in Paris, he was drawn to the San Francisco Bay for its all-season waterways. "In Paris the sailing season is so short; here it’s all year long." Nickles makes trips back to Paris about three or four times per year, especially during the summer months, but has lived in the SF Bay since the 1970s and sails all year long.
"Sailing is a good game," said Nickles. "There’s no cheating. There’s no motor, there’s no brake; you have to get in tune with all the elements. And you can go anywhere if you feel like it, if you have the time and the leisure." Over the years Nickles has always had an old vintage boat to work on and restore. He’s had a 1918 Seabird, built in Alameda; a 1940 Eclipse from Norway that was used as a training boat in the Olympics (winning two gold medals); and currently he’s got a Vectis, a cutter-style boat from 1929 New Zealand. "It’s as good as new," he said. Nickles sails all around the Bay and often participates in the annual Master Mariners race, one of the oldest sailing organizations on the west coast. He’s won the race four times.
If you’re into sailing, Nickles recommends simply doing the long loop around the Bay. "You look at the bridge and all you see are people stuck on it in first gear," he said. "You just wonder what the rich people are doing in their Ferraris in first gear when you’re going around in a beautiful boat. And the wind is free!"
Being on the water is a great place for both travel and leisure. Naturally, Nickles recommends the ferry boats as the best way to travel across the Bay. "The ferry boat is a fantastic commute," he said. "So many passengers tell me: ‘It’s the best part of my day.’ Not at work, not at home. The best moment is taking the ferry boat. For me, the whole day is always wonderful." After 18 years on practically the same commute, Nickles’ job as a deckhand has become a social outlet in his life as well. "That’s the main reward," he said. "It’s not like being around strangers. It’s being around friends."
