The Harbormaster's Guide to Entry
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The Harbormaster's Guide to Entry
The Harbormaster's Guide to Entry
The Definitive Guide to Navigation in the Port of Beofalls
Part I: Beofalls Harbor
Chapter 1: An Overview of the Harbor Control System
The Beofalls Harbor Control System is a meticulously crafted machine that developed over years of nautical experimentation. In the following sections, we will explain each piece of the Harbor Control System and how it operates within the larger machine of the control system.
The Harbor Control Tower
The nerve center of all harbor operations is the Harbor Control Tower. Centrally located on the Beofalls waterfront, the Harbor Control Tower is the tallest structure in the city, serving as the brain of the entire port. At its summit lies the Harbor Control Room, which features panoramic windows enchanted with long-range magnification. These windows allow controllers to identify approaching vessels and monitor harbor activity miles away with absolute clarity. Within this chamber, highly trained specialists (the Controllers) calculate routes and communicate instructions to every ship via specialized magical stones, maintaining a 360-degree vigil over the sea and every berth in the harbor.The Sea Towers
Four massive Sea Towers are stationed in the water at the entrance to the harbor, serving as the physical checkpoints and the first point of contact for all incoming traffic. Each tower is equipped with multi-level gangplanks designed to accommodate ships of varying sizes, from shallow-draft merchant cogs to massive multi-decked galleons. It is the responsibility of the Tower Sentries to keep a constant lookout for approaching vessels.The Grand Quays
The Grand Quays are the primary berthing infrastructure of the Beofalls harbor, designed to maximize the "Maritime Momentum" that defines the city's trade. Unlike traditional docks, these are massive stone piers anchored directly into the deep sea bed. The quays jut straight out into the harbor at wide intervals, ensuring that the channels between them are broad enough for two large vessels to pass one another while other ships remain berthed on either side. They take advantage of a natural drop-off in the harbor's sea floor, allowing even the deepest-draft multi-decked galleons to moor directly alongside the stone piers rather than anchoring in the bay. While each quay is straight, the shoreline of the Low-Quay ward was engineered with a subtle outward curve. This creates a fan-like arched formation, ensuring the Harbor Control Tower has an unobstructed line of sight down the length of every pier. The quays are built to a standard dock height to facilitate the use of the BPA's specialized wheeled municipal gangplanks.Practical Application of Sending Stone Technology
The BPA utilizes magical Sending Stone technology for communication between Controllers, captains, dock/shipyard crews, and the Customs Master. Under Beofalls Municipal Ordinance, unauthorized use of Sending Stones with the intent to confuse BPA officials or disrupt the activities of the Harbor is a Class A Misdemeanor for the first and second offenses, and a 3rd Degree Felony for subsequent offenses.
The Beofalls Port Authority maintains no strict protocol for the content of messages transmitted via sending stone. However, users should be aware that the Sending spell is limited to transmitting only 25 words or less. Due to these limitations, the Beofalls Port Authority publishes a list of standard messages that will adhere to the spell's limits. The standard messages are expressed in the table below:
| # | Perspective | Recipient Name | Script Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sentry | Control Tower | Sentry: [Vessel Name] at Sea Tower [Number]. Carrying [Cargo Type/Passengers/Diplomatic]. Verified by Sentry [Surname]. Awaiting quay assignment. |
| 2 | Sentry | Control Tower | Sentry: [Vessel Name] at Sea Tower [Number]. Slated for DRYDOCK maintenance. Verified by Sentry [Surname]. Awaiting drydock assignment. |
| 3 | Tower | Sentry | Tower: Acknowledged, [Vessel Name]. Assign [Color] Quay Flag. Proceed to harbor entry. |
| 4 | Captain | Control Tower | [Surname/Ship]: Entering jurisdiction. Am Captain [Name] of [Vessel Name]. Requesting route and berth/drydock assignment. |
| 5 | Tower | [Captain Name] | Tower: Captain [Surname], proceed via Route [Letter-Number]. You are assigned to [Berth/Drydock] [Number] at [Quay Name]. |
| 6 | Tower | Customs Master | Tower: Incoming [Vessel Name] at [Quay Name], [Berth/Drydock] [Number]. [Cargo Type] manifest. Prepare for boarding and inspection. |
| 7 | Tower | Foreman | Tower: Incoming [Vessel Name] at your station. Estimated arrival ten minutes. Clear the lane. |
| 8 | Foreman | Control Tower | Foreman: [Berth/Drydock] [Number] is vacant. Outbound vessel cleared. Crew and gear ready for next arrival. |
| 9 | Tower | [Captain Name] | Tower: Captain [Surname], you are Clear to Berth. Maintain current route. Foreman is standing by. |
| 10 | Tower | [Captain Name] | Tower: Captain [Surname], HOLD POSITION. Maintain minimum five-hundred-foot distance from harbor entrance. Awaiting traffic clearance. |
Chapter 2: Approaching the Harbor
As a ship approaches the Harbor, a captain will see, at the mouth of the Bay, the four Sea Towers. Captains must set course for one of the Towers. It matters not which Tower the ship approaches. However, please note that, if the magical light on top of the Sea Tower is red, it means that the Tower is not currently accepting vessels. Captains must turn their course toward one of the Towers in a way that clearly conveys to an observer the captain's choice.
Once the ship's heading has been turned to one of the Sea Towers, the captain must keep a lookout for the directions of the sentries as to the gangplank the ship must sail past. This may require the use of a captain's spyglass. During daylight hours, the Sentries will use hand signals. At night, the Sentries will signal by waving a lantern. If multiple vessels are approaching the same Tower, the Sentries will always signal the closest vessel first. If that still does not determine which vessel is being signaled, captains are to communicate among themselves, either by signals or by magical means, which ship will defer their entry into the Harbor and yield the right-of-way.
On final approach to the Sea Towers, all vessels are required to slow their forward momentum as much as possible without stalling. Immediately upon the bow of the ship coming level with the Tower's gangplank, the captain must make their way to the bow of the ship for the verification process with the Sentry. Captains must remain in a position to speak with the Tower Sentry at all times until the stern of the ship passes the gangplank. Because the ship is still moving forward, this means that captains will have to slowly move toward the rear of their ship to remain in a position to speak and interact with the Sentry.
During the verification process, the captain must present to the Sentry the following documents: (1) the ship's passenger and/or cargo manifest; (2) any bills of lading or other legal documents related to the cargo; (3) if the vessel is carrying hazardous materials, the ship's permit so to do; and (4) the captain's own BPA-issued license. If the captain does not have a BPA license, they must declare so to the Sentry. In such an event, the Sentry will signal to one of the Harbor Captains standing by in the Tower, who will immediately walk down the gangplank to board the vessel to assist the captain in navigating the Harbor. All instructions from this point forward assume that a captain has a BPA license. For those who do not, the assigned Harbor Captain will assist in compliance with all Harbor rules.
After the Sentry has verified the documents, they will communicate to the Control Tower using a Sending Stone. At this point, they will simply request a Quay assignment for the ship. Upon receiving the assignment from the Control Tower, the Sentry will return all documents to the captain, and the captain will also receive a Sending Stone and a colored flag. The Sending Stone is to be used only while navigating the Harbor and must be returned to the BPA, either by returning it to the Sea Towers upon departure or, for those who are planning to stay in Beofalls a while or travel elsewhere by land, by depositing the Sending Stone at the Harbormaster's Office. The colored flag corresponds to the ship's Quay assignment and must be displayed either at the bow of the ship (usually on a fore-mast) or atop the main mast. Corresponding flags are visible at the end of each Quay.
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| 1 Please note that any unauthorized attempt to access the Diplomatic Quay is a violation of both Caelornese law and Beofalls Municipal Ordinance. |
Chapter 3: Navigating the Harbor
Upon clearing the Sea Tower, the ship has now fully entered the jurisdiction of the Port of Beofalls and the Kingdom of Caelorn. All ships must maintain a speed not to exceed 5 knots. The captain uses the Sending Stone to request a route and berth assignment from the Control Tower. Traffic within the Beofalls Harbor is directed into preconfigured routes. A map of these routes is provided free-of-charge to BPA-licensed captains. If you believe that your map is out of date, upon arrival at the Sea Tower, you may tell the Sentry the "effective date" listed on the map and the Sentry will tell you if it is current. If it is not current, the Sentry can give you an updated map.
Upon receiving your route and berth assignments from the Control Tower, a captain must use their Harbor map to find the assigned route and must navigate the ship to sail along that route to their assigned Quay and Berth. Captains must note that a 500-foot cross-traffic lane is established immediately seaward of the Quays, measured from the end of the Quay structure itself, specifically excluding any allowance for the protrusion of vessels moored at berth. All ships that have not been pre-cleared by the Control Tower must hold behind this 500-foot line without dropping anchor. Dropping anchor within the Harbor may disrupt the flow of traffic and present a hazard to your ship and other ships in the Harbor. Therefore, the BPA maintains that dropping anchor is to be used as a last resort. The BPA's preferred method for ships to maintain position behind the 500-foot line is for the ship to heave-to, though another method may be employed if the captain's judgment determines it would be better given the conditions. While the 500-foot hold line serves as the mandatory safety boundary for all incoming traffic, Commanders of Class-A (Frigate) and Class-B (Galleon/Heavy Merchant) vessels are reminded that the 500-foot marker is a minimum safe distance. Captains are strictly required to adjust their holding position upwind of the marker to account for inherent vessel drift and leeway. Failure to compensate for the specific hydrodynamic characteristics of one's vessel, resulting in an encroachment upon the 500-foot exclusion zone, shall be logged as a failure of command and a violation of standard navigational safety protocols.
Using their spyglass, a captain should locate their assigned berth, which will be marked with a large number on a signpost and by a number painted onto the side of the Quay. If, for whatever reason, the captain cannot see their assigned berth from their holding position, they may rest assured that the Control Tower will not give the "Clear to Berth" message unless they have received the all-clear from the berth foreman. However, a captain should make certain, once they can see their berth, that the foreman has raised the green flag signalling that the berth is ready to receive the ship. Berth foremen may lower the flag after initially notifying the Control Tower that the berth is ready for any number of reasons, including emergencies on the dock. If the green flag is not raised, a captain should not initiate docking maneuvers, even if the Control Tower has said that they are "Clear to Berth." You may hold position if necessary. If you must hold position in a lane of traffic, you must notify the Control Tower immediately so that the Controllers can halt the flow of traffic through that lane or divert traffic to other lanes.
Chapter 4: Docking Maneuvers & Depature Maneuvers
The Beofalls Port Authority recognizes that safe and efficient berthing is a collaborative process between the vessel’s command and the assigned dock personnel. While strict adherence to safety protocols is mandatory for the preservation of all vessels and port infrastructure, we acknowledge that every ship—and every set of wind and tide conditions—presents a unique set of challenges. Masters are expected to exercise professional judgment, utilizing their experience and the guidance of port personnel to execute safe arrivals.
For vessels under manual propulsion, the preferred method of approach is the 45-Degree Angled Entry. This maneuver ensures that the vessel maintains sufficient momentum to steer while providing a clear sightline to the assigned Quay. Once the ship is within range, the captain shall oversee the secure casting of the bow line to assigned berth personnel, who will begin securing it to the pylon. This will serve as a natural pivot point for the ship's final alignment. As the vessel aligns, the captain shall turn the rudder hard over, away from the Quay, to swing the stern into its designated position. Simultaneously, the crew shall cast the stern line to the dock workers, who will wrap it around the pylon and begin pulling it taut to arrest the vessel's pivot. Once the vessel is positioned, the crew will cast the secondary lines—located on the seaward side of the bow and stern, respectively—to the dock crew for final securing.
To prevent structural damage to the Quay and hull, all berths are equipped with permanent Woven-Fenders (hemp-pudding style), which are securely attached directly to the Quay structure to provide a consistent buffer. If necessary, captains may have their crew deploy the ship's own fenders for extra protection of the hull. Captains must ensure their approach is aligned for a controlled contact against these fixed fender systems. The speed and angle of the final maneuver should be commensurate with the vessel’s tonnage and current environmental conditions, including wind, tide, and surge. Once the vessel is secured to the Quay, the BPA gangplank is wheeled into place and firmly secured to the bulwark of the ship to facilitate safe egress.
Departure Maneuvers
Departing the berth requires careful coordination to ensure the vessel clears the Quay safely before engaging primary propulsion. While captains retain ultimate authority to determine the safest way to cast off, this Guide lays out the BPA's recommended method that is utilized by many of the captains who frequent the Port. Before a captain begins any maneuvers to cast off, they must receive departure clearance from the Control Tower, which will include the ship's designated exit route.Standard Departure Procedure
For vessels departing a berth, the crew must first cast off the secondary and bow lines, while retaining the stern line to serve as the pivot point. The captain shall then turn the rudder hard over, away from the Quay, and utilize the prevailing wind and tide to swing the bow out into the fairway. Once the bow has cleared about a 90-degree turn, the stern line is cast off, and the vessel proceeds under sail or oar out into the fairway lanes. As the vessel moves forward, the captain shall complete the remainder of the 180-degree turn. Once the captain has completely turned the ship around, it may continue to drift to the side as the captain attempts to begin more forward progress out of the Harbor. Captains should use gentle turns of the helm to correct for such drift to remain within the correct lanes of travel.Assisted Departures (Tug-Launch)
For larger vessels, such as galleons or high-tonnage merchantmen, maneuvering within the confined corridors of the harbor may present significant challenges. The Port Authority maintains a fleet of specialized tug-launches to assist these vessels. These tug-launches are oar-powered and equipped with enchanted towing ropes; while these ropes do not alter the physical mass of the vessel, they are imbued with gravitational-reduction enchantments that make the ship feel lighter, allowing the tug-launch to manipulate the vessel with the ease of a much smaller craft. Captains of large-tonnage ships are encouraged to request a tug-launch assist via their assigned sending stone well in advance of their scheduled departure time if they determine that environmental conditions or harbor traffic warrants additional support.Chapter 5: Leaving the Bay
All exit routes out of Beofalls Harbor will take the ship past one of the Sea Towers. This is by design. As a ship passes the Sea Tower, they must pass alongside a gangplank that is about level with the deck of their ship. The crew must take the colored Quay flag from where it was hanging on the ship and give it to the captain or one of the captain's mates. The captain or the mate will then, as the ship passes the Sea Tower, pass the Quay flag and the sending stone back to the Sentry on the gangplank. There is no verification process that must occur at the Sea Tower at this point, so this handoff should occur while the ship is in motion. If the ship was utilizing a Harbor Captain for navigating Beofalls Harbor, they will depart from the ship at the Sea Tower as well. Harbor Captains are trained to be able to climb onto the gangplank from the ship's moving deck or bulwark.
Chapter 6: Drydocking a Ship
If a ship is slated for the drydocks at Beofalls Harbor, there are some special procedures that apply. First, the ship will not receive a colored Quay flag upon arrival at the Sea Tower, regardless of the type of cargo it is carrying. The exception is if the ship is carrying hazardous materials that must be serviced at the Orange Quay in accordance with Beofalls' quarantine protocols. If there is structural damage to the ship such that immediate passage to a drydock is necessary before unloading hazardous materials, captains should inform the Control Tower once they receive their sending stone from the Sentry. Please note that the Orange Quay flag serves a dual purpose of identifying the ship's intended destination and marking the ship as carrying hazardous materials so that other ships in the Harbor are aware, so a Sentry will always give a ship carrying hazardous materials an Orange flag, even if the ship is heading immediately to drydock. The Control Tower must be informed so that the Customs Master can prepare a quarantine protocol at the shipyard, if necessary.
Once the ship passes the Sea Tower and the captain has their sending stone, they follow the same protocol to receive their route assignment, but instead of a berth assignment, they request their drydock assignment. Once they receive their route and drydock assignment, the ship proceeds as normal along that route.
When a drydock is ready to receive a ship, the drydock foreman will raise a green flag to half staff. This signals the captain that the locks are open and the drydock crew is standing by. A ship, upon seeing this signal, may proceed with drydocking maneuvers, unless the Control Tower notifies the ship to hold position. Because the drydock lanes are not as heavily trafficked, the 500-foot Rule does not apply to the area around the drydocks. Captains should note that the drydocks are built in parallel rows similar to the configuration of the Quays. This means that the opening of the drydocks are often parallel to the shoreline, which means that ships entering the drydock must execute a 90-degree turn. Larger ships for which this would be impossible are assigned by the Control Tower to the drydocks that have openings toward the open sea. All ships must drydock bow-first. Each drydock is equipped with Woven-Fenders that will keep the ship from drifting too far into the drydock. and will help align the ship with the supports. A captain should note that, so long as they keep the prow of their ship in line with the pole from which the green flag waves, they will be in line with the supports. Once the ship is fully inside the drydock, the drydock crew will close the locks and being the process of draining the drydock. Once the ship has fully settled into its supports and the water is completely evacuated, the drydock crew will lower a gangplank to allow for the ship's crew to disembark and any cargo to be unloaded.
When a ship is ready to leave the drydock and the crew is on board, the drydock foreman will pull a lever to activate one of the most advanced features of the Beofalls Shipyards: the drydock turntable. Captains and crew will see at intervals along the drydock structure massive windmills. These windmills are operating heavy gears. When the foreman pulls this lever, a final gear is moved into place. The drydock turntable will begin to move, turning the ship with it. Once the ship is fully turned around, the foreman will release the lever to stop the turntable. The foreman will then give the order to begin the process of flooding the drydock. A bell will begin to ring, signaling that the locks are beginning to open.
Once the water in the drydock is level, the locks will fully open and the ship may proceed out of the drydock, after it has received clearance from the Control Tower. If the ship is slated to pick up goods or passengers in Beofalls, they must load cargo and non-crew personnel from the Quays. They will be given a colored Quay flag at the drydock, unless they already have an Orange flag. If they had an Orange flag, but they are not picking up hazardous materials, their flag color will be reassigned at the drydock. Once the ship receives clearance from the Control Tower, it may make its way out of the drydock either to the Quays or out of the Harbor, according to its schedule.
Chapter 7: The Beofalls Marina
The Grand Quays of Beofalls are designed for short-term mooring and rapid turnover. They are not designed for long-term visits to Beofalls and the Kingdom of Caelorn or the long-term storage of ships. For that, Beofalls maintains a separate Marina where ships of all sizes may moor for long-term storage. While this Marina is secure and patrolled by Port Authority Guards, neither the BPA nor the Kingdom of Caelorn assumes any liability for losses incurred through the use of the Marina.
All captains should note that, unlike the Grand Quays, the docks at the Marina are not designed for heavy cargo, so there is absolutely no loading or unloading at the Marina. Incoming ships must first moor at the Quays, load and unload cargo, passengers, and non-essential crew, and then make their way to the Marina for long-term mooring. Outbound ships must only board essential crew (e.g., captains, mates, helmsmen, etc.) from the Marina and must request a Berth Assignment at the Grand Quays for additional boarding of non-essential crew and passengers and the loading of cargo.
Current Marina Mooring Rates
| Type of Pass | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Pass | 5 gp/day (Max: 300 gp) | A standard pass is for ships that don't need continuing access to the Beofalls Marina |
| Continuing Access Pass | 800 gp/year | For shipping companies whose home port is Beofalls |
| Small Vessel Pass | 200 gp/year | For Class D vessels (e.g., fishing boats, yachts, and small recreational sailing boats) |
Chapter 8: Diplomatic Protocols
A ship with a diplomatic manifest may make use of the Diplomatic Quay, which is the only Quay at the Beofalls Harbor that allows for long-term mooring (up to 30 days). For longer mooring, ships must request and pay for mooring at the Beofalls Marina. When a ship arrives at one of the Sea Towers for its initial verification with a Tower Sentry, diplomatic vessels must present a copy of their diplomatic papers. After the Sentry has verified the diplomatic status of the ship, they will give the captain the special yellow-and-black checkered flag that designates that ship as "diplomatic" and authorizes it to dock at the Diplomatic Quay.
Passengers on a diplomatic vessel must still comply with the screening requirements of the Beofalls Customs Master, but they are eligible for priority and expedited screening, since their status is already verified by the Sovereign of their home country. Priority and expedited screening is not available to any diplomat of a foreign state which is not currently recognized by the Kingdom of Caelorn. Passengers forming part of a diplomatic envoy either to Caelorn, the Draconic Confederacy, or a neighboring nation to Caelorn, must each present their diplomatic papers and/or passport as part of the screening process. Failure to provide diplomatic papers will result in the person being screened under the standard screening process. Failure to provide any travel documents will result in deportation.
Part II: Beofalls International Airport
Chapter 1: General Provisions
The Beofalls International Airport serves all airship traffic moving through the Port. Ever since the construction of the Beofalls Airport, airship traffic has been banned from the Harbor, and no airship captain may use the Harbor as their point-of-entry.
The Beofalls Airport operates under the same general framework as the Beofalls Harbor. Unless otherwise stated in this part, captains should assume that the same rules that apply to the Harbor apply to the Airport, accounting for any variations that may be necessary when adding the vertical component of air travel.
Chapter 2: The Air Platforms
At the Beofalls Airport, the Air Platforms are the functional equivalent of the Sea Towers at the Harbor. They are the advance verification station for all airship traffic. There are four large Air Platforms located 1000 feet in the air, at which all incoming traffic must stop before making their final descent to the Airport. Similar to the Sea Towers, at the Air Platforms, a sentry will signal to a ship. However, the Air Platforms do not feature gangplanks at varying levels. Instead, the Sentries are on top of the Air Platform. All airships must navigate alongside the Platform so that their top deck is level with the top of the Platform. If desired, a captain may maneuver the ship so that the quarterdeck is level with the Air Platform. Because airships have greater maneuverability and can "hover" in one place, air captains are not required to have the ships glide past the Air Platforms or perform the ship walk required at the Sea Towers. Instead, captains simply pull the ship alongside the Air Platforms, making sure that they are close enough to perform the necessary exchange.
After verifying a ship's paperwork, a Platform Sentry will give the captain a sending stone and a Quay flag. Air captains are under the same obligations regarding the use of the sending stone as nautical captains. Beofalls Airport maintains only four Quays, as opposed to the Harbor's six Grand Quays. The Airport Quays are listed in the table below.
| Flag Color | Quay | Cargo Type |
|---|---|---|
| Red | General Cargo | Ores, timber, and other miscellaneous cargo |
| White | Granary Quay | Grains and other food or perishable items |
| Purple | Passenger Quay | All vessels primarily carrying passengers |
| Yellow-Black Checkered | Diplomatic Quay | All vessels forming part of a diplomatic envoy or mission |
Chapter 3: Final Descent
After the verification process at the Air Platform is complete, a captain must first send a message to the Airport Control Tower to receive a route and berth assignment before beginning final descent. Once the captain receives its assignments, it may begin its descent along the specified route. Upon reaching 300 ground-feet from the Airport, all airships must hold position, so as to leave the airspace clear for cross-traffic. Then, once the airship receives both the "Clear to Berth" message from the Control Tower and sees the green flag at their assigned berth, they may continue to land at their berth. The BPA requests that ships utilize a diagonal approach maneuver so that captains can maintain maximum visibility. To avoid scrapping the bottom of the ship's hull against the stone Quay, captains are permitted to drop vertically the last few feet.
Upon landing, the dock crew will wheel the specialized gangplank up to the ship and secure it to the bulwark. Cargo is inspected by the Customs Master's Office as it is being unloaded. Passengers are directed to the Customs Area of the Airport Terminal.
Chapter 4: Long-term Mooring, "Drydocking", and Diplomatic Protocols
For airships that will remain at the Beofalls Airport for a long period of time, captains or shipping companies must pay a long-term mooring fee and must move the ship, after unloading cargo, passengers, and non-essential crew at the Quays, to the Hangar. Like the Harbor's Marina, the Hangar has strict rules about bulk loading and unloading, though at the Hangar this is less due to safety and more for convenience. Ships are typically parked in tighter lines at the Hangar, and there is not a lot of room to move heavy cargo through the Hangar.
When an airship at the Hangar is ready to depart, the captain and essential crew may board from the Hangar. The ship may then move to one of the Quays, which will be assigned by the Harbormaster's Office on the ground. Non-essential crew, passengers, and cargo may then be loaded from the Quay.
Current Hangar Mooring Rates
| Type of Pass | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Pass | 5 gp/day (Max: 300 gp) | A standard pass is for airships that don't need continuing access to the Beofalls Hangar |
| Continuing Access Pass | 800 gp/year | For shipping companies whose home port is Beofalls |
| Small Vessel Pass |
When an airship is slated for maintenance at the Beofalls Airport shipyards, it utilizes specially-designed drydocks for this. The process is similar to the drydock process at the Harbor. Captains state that their destination is the drydock. If the airship is carrying passengers or cargo, they must first go to one of the Quays for unloading, unless emergency situations necessitate a direct path to the drydock. After the ship has unloaded, it may lift off again and make its way to the shipyard. The Control Tower will give the captain a drydock assignment upon request. The captain must ensure that the drydock foreman at their assigned drydock has raised the green flag. At the Airport, there is no need to utilize the half-staff, full-staff distinction from the Harbor shipyard. The captain aligns the hull of their ship with the supports at the drydock and simply directs the airship down into the supports. This ensures that the bottom of the hull is not resting on the ground so that the shipyard crews may perform proper maintenance.
A word of diplomatic protocols. These protocols are the same as they exist at the Harbor, with the understanding that diplomatic airships must follow the same rules for approach and docking as stated in the preceding chapters.
Appendix
The Beofalls Port Authority appreciates the efforts of its captains, Controllers, dock workers, foremen, and merchent partners for maintaining the safety of the Harbor and the Airport. This Guide has endeavored to lay out the specific rules and regulations laid down by the Beofalls City Council and the BPA regarding travel into and out of the Port. It has also given specific tips and tricks for captains to keep in mind as they navigate the Harbor or the Airport. Portions of this Guide gave suggestions to captains regarding maneuvers to make while in the Harbor for docking, holding position, and departing. However, these remain suggestions and captains are encouraged to utilize sound judgment of seamanship or airmanship in controlling their vessel.
The BPA also wishes to remind captains that, to the Port of Beofalls, maritime momentum is the unofficial motto. Captains are enouraged to aid the city and the BPA in maintaining this momentum so that the Port can process the heavy volumes of traffic that pass through every day. Your fellow captains will also be appreciative of your efforts to make everyone's journey a pleasent one.
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