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Requesting a bridge opening?

Hey guys - we haven't been using the boat lately because of travel and holidays, but what has happened is a meeting between the bridge supervisor, the water chief of police and my boat is going to take place at the tiki bar just before the bridge. This way everyone can assess the situation and come up with a resolution. This was the chief of police's idea as he has seen our boat. My strategy is to show the situation and offer to wait for a larger boat such that one is in sight in efforts to consolidate. Only on those days where it is an off time with no other boat traffic and a high tide will I need an opening. It'll be early February before I get a chance to meet but will let you know the outcome. Either way we'll make it work.
 
Good attitude Come Monday
 
Your strategy should be to buy some drinks.
 
Well - here it is, and it's all good.

Here is what I did.  All the tender houses are county ran.  I called the county and asked how I could get in touch with the supervisor of the tender house at the bridge I was having trouble with.  They gave me the guys name and number.  I called the supervisor and explained my situation while offering to meet at my boat for him to look at and he took my information and said he'd get back to me.

He sent me an apology email, which wasn't necessary, then called.  He explained how the tender was in the wrong and thanked me for not formally reporting that.  Apparently they would have been fined pretty heavily for a denial to open the bridge.  He said he doesn't care who requests an opening, an open is going to happen.  He was pretty hard on the tenders saying their job is to be alert and open the bridge.  If they believe the opening was unnecessary, the proper procedure is to take the registration number off of the vessel (if it has one), as it passes, and report it to the coast guard as they will deal with it.  They are in no way supposed to give navigational instruction.  He said there is a new group of tenders running that bridge as of Jan 1, so this gentleman I had a run in with is no longer working there.

I thought it was a good opportunity to ask what "easily lowered" constitutes as said in the CFR (coastguard federal reg's).  He said "Look, if you can get it down without it being a big deal - then lower it.  You know if you can drop your top quickly.  Otherwise, if you're running back and forth to the helm - open the bridge.  Boating is suppose to be fun and passing a bridge should not inconvenience you.  I'd rather you open the bridge than be unsafe."  He said I'm fine and to request away.  In fact, he gave me his cell phone number and said if I ever have another problem, which he assured me I wouldn't, to use his name over the radio and immediately call him.  

I honestly expected more a compromise, but what a great ending.  - And yes, I WILL find this guy and bring him a bottle of booze for his acknowledgement and efforts...
 
Great ending to a beginning of future boating. Glad to hear it all worked out!
 
Common sense prevails! Thanks for posting the end of the story. I'm sure that will help many who read this and have to have a bridge opened for them.
 
Excellent. Sometimes things just seem to work themselves out so easily.
 
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