. . Thanks chaps, that photo was taken back in 1979 so some details have leaked out of my brain...
Back then I didn't have a spot meter, so it was intuition based on lots of experience.
The night was sharp, clear, and absolutely still, so a tripod was in order.
A hot harbour light to the left was a concern, so I chose a scene where the white areas were less likely to blow out.
Notice that there's a man coiling some rope on the dock at the far left edge.
I probably used f:11~16 (or so) at about 3~ 5 seconds (or so) and processed normally in my favorite developer: UFG at ±66% dilution.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it...
That's a detailed memory, despite your protestations. Yes, thanks! There's a flashing neon light downtown here of a bowling pin I've been thinking about trying to shoot (at night, of course). If I ever get around to it, I'll use your notes here as a starting place.