Meet Capt. E. Howard McVay Jr. Navigating Narragansett Bay and Beyond

Meet Capt. E. Howard McVay Jr.

One of the world’s most experienced ship Captains is East Providence resident, Captain E. Howard McVay. Known by many as “Howie,” Captain McVay grew up in Riverside, R.I., attended public schools and is a 1974 graduate of East Providence High School. After high school Captain McVay attended the Massachusetts Maritime Academy located on the Cape Cod Canal. In 1978 Captain McVay graduated with a BS degree in Marine Transportation (deck officer) which included a USCG unlimited Third Mates Oceans license. In addition, Captain McVay was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Naval Reserve.

After graduation from Mass Maritime Academy, McVay went deep sea sailing aboard tankers with ARCO MARINE. During his time with ARCO, McVay worked his way up to his unlimited USCG Master Oceans license. While home from sea, McVay was training to be a ship pilot with the Northeast Marine Pilots association based in Newport RI. When on vacation from his deep-sea career, he delivered numerous sailboats between Rhode Island and the Caribbean.

Captain McVay became a ship pilot and served 35 years as a pilot. People may think of a pilot as one who only flies a plane. The term ‘pilot’ also refers to licensed ship operators. McVay can do both. He is licensed as a ship and airplane pilot. McVay has piloted some of the largest ships on the ocean and has also seen much from his own plane overhead. McVay began his piloting while home from sea in 1983. In June of 1985 he retired from deep sea to continue his full-time career as a ship pilot with Northeast Marine Pilots. During the 35 years as a pilot, Captain McVay safely completed 6,267 ship movements. McVay has piloted ships up to 900 feet long and more.

On a Monday evening in March, Captain McVay was invited to present a lecture at the Weaver Library. The room filled quickly and others lined the walls to hear McVay talk about his career experiences. The SRO crowd listened with rapt attention to his address and then asked questions until the library needed to close for the night. McVay’s lecture was light with facts and anecdotes from his career. It also included a video power point presentation which had attendees gasping in amazement. The video showed how a pilot boat approached football length and greater ships. Captains, like McVay, would come along side by pilot boat and then board the large ship by climbing up a rope ladder. This was often done with raging sea waters and rough conditions. Once on the ship, the pilot takes the “con” or navigational control.

A maritime pilot’s job is to safeguard the state by preventing accidents. “Pilots must navigate vessels of any size anywhere in the world,” said McVay. The Rhode Island State Pilot Commission ensures safety by maintaining a pilotage system that protects lives, property, and vessels at high efficiency. They provide qualified pilots to handle duties. “I’ve had to refuse ships wanting to go through the Cape Cod Canal in zero visibility and navigate alternative routes,” McVay added. Missions are dangerous, requiring pilots and crew to wear flotation vests with AIS-enabled beacons for quick location in emergencies. Pilot boats are equipped with rescue systems and thermal infrared vision (FLIR) for locating individuals overboard.

McVay explained to the Weaver Library audience that Rhode Island licensed pilots protect the state's waters and coastline. The Northeast Marine Pilots dispatch ship pilots for large marine traffic between Boston and New York. "Becoming a certified pilot requires an 'unlimited tonnage ocean license for steam and motor vessels,' taking 7 to 12 years after 4 years at the Maritime Academy. Additionally, there's 5 years of training under a senior pilot's supervision and a rigorous exam lasting 4 to 6 days, which includes drawing NOAA charts from memory twice for both the US Coast Guard and the State Pilot Commission,” he added. McVay commented that his late father, who was a local ophthalmologist, once joked, "It was simpler to become a surgeon."

McVay has sailed around the world and witnessed his share of oddities. “There were days when a ship's steering failed for no reason. When piloting during a night off the coast of Panama, I had lightning strike the vessel four times. We mariners have a phrase for such things - another mystery of the sea," quips McVay. McVay made many significant and noteworthy observations. (As reported by Mark Johnson, New England Wire Service, SouthCoastToday): On the afternoon of March 3, 1998, McVay piloted his boat into a flat-calm Rhode Island Sound to meet a 486-foot tanker, the Botany Triumph. “The tanker and its Korean crew had come from Belgium carrying a cargo of caustic soda bound for Providence,” said McVay. “I boarded the tanker about 5.7 miles south of Brenton Point, approaching it from the stern. As we headed back to Newport, there was something on the tanker's bow,” McVay noticed. Peering down into the water, McVay noticed something that hadn’t been seen on the East Coast since 1891. The Botany Triumph slowed, stopped and then eased backward. McVay then saw the largest whale he had ever seen. McVay and the tanker's crew stared into the water searching for some sign of life. But the 66-foot whale floated with no signs of life. “Some of the men had tears in their eyes,” recalled McVay. McVay knew that he had to ensure that the 40-ton whale posed no hazard to navigation. “Someone's going to want to study this thing.” The whale had been struck by an unknown ship out to sea. Indeed, within days, scientists from all over the Northeast would come to see the rare whale and perform studies.

Captain McVay maintained an active career in between his pilot runs. He was:

• Chair of the R.I. State Pilotage Commission from 2011 to 2023

• Member of the R.I. State Pilot Commission from 1998 to 2023

• R.I. State Pilot since 1987

Atlantic Richfield

• Promoted from Deck officer through Master while sailing aboard the largest tankers under US flag from 1978 to 1985.

Northeast Marine Pilots Inc.

• President from 2000 to 2014.

• Secretary from 1991 through 2000.

• President of Sound Pilots a subsidiary which navigates ships in Long Island Sound from 2000 to 2014.

• Pilot in Long Island Sound since 1984.

• Ship pilot navigating the waters between NY and Boston 1981 to present.

Other past and current community involvement:

• East Providence Harbor Management Commission. Propeller Club, Port of Narragansett Bay.

• Maritime Man of the Year award in 2007.

• Governor Sundlun’s Dredge Task Force

• Governor Almond’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Dredging

• R.I. Economic Collaborative

• RI Quonset Development Stakeholders.

• Bays, Rivers, Watersheds Coordination Team RI Economic Monitoring Collaborative

• Narragansett Bay, Special Legislative Commission to Develop a Strategic Plan. America's Cup World Series Host Committee

• R.I. CRMC Dredge Advisory Committee.

• Past Member: East Providence Rotary Club

Currently retired, he enjoys sailing and flying his small airplane. Captain McVay is also a pilot for the Lady Pomham ll, taking visitors to the Pomham Rocks Lighthouse during tour season. The McVay’s play tennis, sail, & fly their plane to various destinations. Captain McVay is married to Francine (Colone) McVay. They have four children and 5 grandchildren. Appropriately, Captain McVay lives on the Riverside Waterfront.