A second-generation captain, Josh Burns has the river in his veins. As the son of retired Crescent Towing captain Pete Burns, Josh began working offshore straight out of high school and hasn’t let up.
“As a kid my Dad was away a week at a time working on the tugs, so my Mom would bring me down to the docks on the weekends so I could see what he did,” Josh reminisced. “Those are some of my best memories.”
After working for a Louisiana tugboat company, Josh joined Crescent Towing -- Mobile in 2005, shortly before Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the Gulf Coast. Starting as a member of the shore gang and working on the “call-out boat,” he has taken advantage of every opportunity thrown his way.
“I started at the bottom when I came here,” he explained, “then moved into a regular deckhand position when it came available, and I worked hard to move up from there.”
As a licensed captain, Josh is responsible for running wheelman on the tugboat Lisa Cooper. Working an opposite 12-hour watch from the captain, he and the crew assist ships and other vessels as they come into the Port of Mobile, helping them dock, sail, turn around, and shift from berth to berth.
“I really enjoy my job,” Josh enthused. “I feel lucky, because a lot of people can’t say that honestly. Being on the water is one of my absolute favorite places, whether I’m working or relaxing at home.”
Spending nearly half the year together working in tight quarters has a way of bringing people together. “This crew is like my second family,” Josh said. “We’ve all gotten to know each other pretty well, and work well together as a team. What’s cool is that a lot of the guys who worked with my Dad back in the day are still around and have come up in the ranks, so now I’m working with them!”
Currently, Josh is focused on finishing his college degree and completing an upgrade to his pilot’s license.
“When my Dad retired in the 90s, he went on to become a Mobile Bar Pilot,” he said. “I hope to follow in his footsteps and one day become a Mobile Bar Pilot, as well.”