The View from a Drawbridge

Tag: fisherman

  • Another Drawbridge Story

    Recently I wrote a blog entry called How Soon We Forget, about a unique encounter I had with a fisherman on the job, and how I reacted when he passed away. That was a story that has weighed heavily on my mind for years, and it was good to get it out. There have been…

  • How Soon We Forget

    I used to work the graveyard shift at the Ortega River Drawbridge in Jacksonville, Florida. It was usually a quiet shift, and that’s the way I liked it. I’m not someone who thrives on drama. But there was a certain ebb and flow to that shift: people who jogged at the same time every day;…

  • The Amazing Coelacanth—Talk about a Fish Story!

    Of all the unique creatures on this fantastic planet of ours, my absolute favorite is the Coelacanth (pronounced see-la-kanth). I love a good backstory, and this is a fish that most definitely has one. Back in 1938, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer was asked to come down to the docks to check out a strange fish that a…

  • Bridge Goes Boom

    One of my coworkers reminded me of an incident that occurred a few years ago on our drawbridge. I can’t believe I had forgotten about it. It was very bizarre. Makes me wonder what else I’ve forgotten. Hmmm… Anyway, two workmen from the Department of Transportation were leaving the bridge after doing some repairs when…

  • Tragedy Between the Lines

    When you work on a drawbridge, you’re sometimes a silent witness to some really tragic events. No one tells you that when you take the job. On the bigger bridges you’ll get jumpers. Occasionally one will survive and 100 percent of those will say they regretted their action the second they jumped, which says a…