There was a question on Saturday about pilot boats, and how they may differ from tugs. Tugs are common in the local area, so I will not go into details on them. Pilot boats are less common around Comox Harbour so some additional background on them may be appropriate.
The image below is of a pilot boat in Portsmouth Harbour, UK. Pilot boats are usually painted in bright colours so they may be distinguished from normal vessel traffic. Around Vancouver Island they are usually longer than 10m, but rarely over 15m.... often about the size of CAPE LAZO.
Boats like this are used to take pilots out to commercial vessels approaching a port or to take pilots off after a vessel has left a port. Each pilot is associated with a local port and is contracted by a ship owner to give the master and the bridge team advice as they navigate in local waters. The master remains in command of the vessel but there has to be a bond of trust between the master and his bridge team and the pilot, as the pilot provides advice on avoiding dangers when arriving or departing from the appropriate port.
The image below is of two pilot boats at Ogden Point in Victoria Harbour. See more on pilots operating out of Victoria Harbour.
A pilot boat with a pilot on board will often fly Flag H from the International Code of Signals:
The pilot boat in Portsmouth Harbour is flying Flag H (on the mast above the cabin) and so is the boat in the image at website of the BC Coast Pilots operating out of Victoria. When a pilot has boarded the vessel he is contracted to, that vessel should hoist Flag H to show that the pilot is now on board.
In restricted visibility pilot boats may sound an identity signal consisting of four short blasts. When appropriate, they will also show white-over-red all-round lights, both when underway and when at anchor.
The symbols associated with pilot boats are to be shown and sounded only when they have a pilot on board.
Helmsmen of pilot boats often have the reputation of being aggressive drivers. Of course they are on a mission of safety in that the pilot they are transporting may be critical to the safe passage of some commercial ship. The helmsmen are typically some of the best boat handlers around since they have to provide their services in all weather conditions and have to work in close quarters with enormous commercial vessels when the pilot needs to transfer between the pilot boat and the commercial vessel.