Message Boards - Blogs http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/ Steamboats.org forum - steamboats - paddlewheelers - river cruises - river history en Fri, 24 May 2013 15:36:56 GMT vBulletin 15 http://www.steamboats.org/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg Message Boards - Blogs http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/ New Guy Here http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/marcus-j-lynn/28887-new-guy-here.html Thu, 23 May 2013 13:47:56 GMT Hey, I'm new here, and I'm a huge steamboat fanatic. I wasn't as aware of the beauty of steamboats until a while ago when I decided to create my word press blog, River Informer, and ever sense I've never been able to resist a relaxing cruise on the river. I live about 45 minutes away from Louisville in Kentucky, so I have to travel a lot to get to the boats. I'm always lurking the forums for info, and thanks for reading!
]]> Marcus J. Lynn http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/marcus-j-lynn/28887-new-guy-here.html The Captains Log November 20th, 2003 http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/28886-captains-log-november-20th-2003.html Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:58:09 GMT A rainy night here in Florida, while digging through my archives I dropped one of my log books and it fell open to todays date, only nine years... A rainy night here in Florida, while digging through my archives I dropped one of my log books and it fell open to todays date, only nine years past... November 20, 2003
I had mamaged to get a couple of hours of light sleep when I was called as we approached Oak Alley plantation, descending the river from the north. I was wide awake in a moment, snapped to attention as I hurriedly dressed for duty. For night landings, I always kept my pants hanging on a hook next to my bunk, a pull- over sweatshirt, and my socks laying side by side, my unlaced shoes pulled open, ready for quick entry, I could be fully dressed and out the door in 45 seconds...As I ducked out of my cabin door I was greeted by a crisp, clear night. I looked up at the star filled sky just in time to see a shooting star streak across the sky. The light scent of smoke hung in the still air, the smell and the tell-tale sign of the fall ritual of burning the sugar cane fields, preparing the stalks for harvest.
As I stood by in the wheelhouse, the pilot rang a dead slow ahead on the telegraph and was answered from below; he swung the Delta Queen slowly around in a graceful turn, allowing her to fall slowly down almost abreast of the landing. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the wheelhouse, the usual sign that faithfull watchman Michael Cameron was on duty...I stepped out onto the bridgewing and paused, marveling at the fact that here I was, on an old steamboat, turning on a mile wide river at 1 in the morning, about to land at an old southern plantation, while a stalwart crew and 163 passengers slept below. For a moment I wondered what year is it, 1836? 1872? It might as well have been...I snapped back to the present went the pilot called,"All stop, Capt." The Delta Queen was just below the landing and barely creeping up the river as I took over, guiding the pilot with engine and rudder commands over the 2 way radio. The river was very low, and a large sand bar protruded from the shore, preventing me from getting the boat as close to the landing as usual. I had to gently push the bow of the boat into the shore then on a hard left rudder and a half ahead, was able to swing the bow in close enough to the shore to make the gangplank just barely reach the bank. The deckhands and mate struggled for 45 minutes to drag the 2 inch lines up the steep rocky bank. I remained patient, as we weren't in a hurry this night, and I remembered how it was to be a deckhand, the sultry hot nights, and the bitter cold winter days, dragging the heavy lines up steep banks and to distant trees. Low river is the worst for steamboat deckhands; for every foot the river falls adds ten feet farther up the hill to the tie...Sometimes I miss the deck work and the feeling of working with a close knit group of guys, doing an extremely rare job, working the deck of a glorious old steamboat through hundreds of locks, landings and departures, on a dozen different rivers, someplace different every day...daresay a million men wish they could be here now!
The mate and crew finally got all the lines secure, 2 bow lines, a tight spring line and a snug stern line, the powerfull steam capstan hishing steam as they snugged her one last time. "All fast, ring finished with engines" I called to the pilot. He slung the engine order telegraph to "Finished With Engines", and the engineer below reciprocated, the chain and gear device clanging and clicking in response.
I thanked the pilot and made my way out of the pilothouse, headed below for some rest before morning light. As I made my way down the steps, I paused and watched as the mate and 4 deckhands began building a long pathway up the hill side to the walkway at the top of the bank. They would labor for a couple of hours, using all of our extra gangways, "barrel stages", carpets and planks to build a neat safe, trail up to the top of the bank, a good watches' work indeed! At my cabin door, a quick glance at my watch told me it was almost 3 am, and the faint but tantalizing aroma of frying bacon told me the faithful chef was already at work down below in the galley.
Steamboatin" has its moments! ]]> Capt Mike http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/28886-captains-log-november-20th-2003.html Old Steamships http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/robert-davis/28885-old-steamships.html Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:24:34 GMT who can help me?Old blue prints. I found a set of 3 prints for a old ship. The chief engineer on the ship was Henry McClanahan. The name of the... who can help me?Old blue prints. I found a set of 3 prints for a old ship. The chief engineer on the ship was Henry McClanahan. The name of the ship was. " AMERICA" OPERATED BY THE RIVER EXCURSION CO. ]]> Robert Davis http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/robert-davis/28885-old-steamships.html The New Lotus, http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/john-love/28884-new-lotus.html Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:48:06 GMT We have reason to believe that A.A. Waterhouse owned and operated the "New Lotus" a stern wheel steam boat in the Atchafalaya Basin of Louisiana between about 1915 and 1925. We have a picture of the boat, but have not been able to find any more information on it. Any suggestions? ]]> john love http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/john-love/28884-new-lotus.html Steamboat HIGHLANDER of 1835 -The Model In Research http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/23026-steamboat-highlander-1835-model-research.html Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:30:42 GMT The American steamboat, whether sternwheeler or sidewheeler, were classic vessels of their times. Beautiful floating palaces that awed the... The American steamboat, whether sternwheeler or sidewheeler, were classic vessels of their times. Beautiful floating palaces that awed the imagination as they churned on our rivers and lakes.

When built in 1835, the Hudson River steamboat HIGHLANDER was one of the fastest boats in operation. She ran on the Newburgh-New York Line until the steamer THOMAS POWELL appeared in 1846.

Not many 1830 era models exist on early American steamboats. To challenge this, as both artist-historian and modelmaker, I began researching this particular vessel to study and build what appeared to be a unique and interesting boat that carried characteristics which both began and secured the design of those steamboats in northern waters which would last for nearly one hundred years.

The research would bring about six such plans of the 1830 American steamboat, beginning with HIGHLANDER. For further reading, visit Hudson River Model Steamboats. ]]> Rex Stewart http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/23026-steamboat-highlander-1835-model-research.html <![CDATA[Lots of photos from the 1920's]]> http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/lance-king/4920-lots-photos-1920s.html Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:08:40 GMT I have recently acquired a photo album that belonged to my great grandmother of Natchez, MS. I come from a long line of riverboat captains and it... I have recently acquired a photo album that belonged to my great grandmother of Natchez, MS. I come from a long line of riverboat captains and it appears they liked taking lots of pictures of riverboats. There are also pictures of the 1927 flood, I think mostly on the Yazoo River. Most of the photos are in really good shape. Anyway, I am planning on scanning them and was wondering if there is an ideal place for me to post them. Should I just add them here to my blog section? Perhaps many of you can even identify the boats. There is a great one with 5 boats in the shot. It is very clear, but the writing is so small. One boat has "US Lily", one has "Leader", one has "Grey ...something", one has "East St. Louis something Cape something" and one facing the photographer.

My great grandfather purchased "Lil Rufus" and ferried people between Natchez and Vidalia. Is anyone familiar with that boat? I've got pics of it and "Sheldon" on the Yazoo. And quite a few shots of docks.

Thanks for your time,
Lance ]]> Lance King http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/lance-king/4920-lots-photos-1920s.html Towboat AMERICA - Wood Model Collectible http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/4179-towboat-america-wood-model-collectible.html Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:48:44 GMT Rare in the collectible world of steamboats are sidewheel models that depict the early American towboats of the 19th century. AMERICA was one such... Rare in the collectible world of steamboats are sidewheel models that depict the early American towboats of the 19th century. AMERICA was one such vessel that I researched and found to be an interesting build with an interesting history.

AMERICA was built in 1852 for service between New york City and Albany, New York. She was considered to be the third largest towsteamer to operate on the Hudson River at that time -built for steamboat captain Samuel B. Schuyler for his Schuyler Line of towboats.

It was the painting by famed marine artist James Bard that inspired this model. The painting hung in the East Wing of the Albany Institute of History and Art during the mid 60s when I attended classes as an art student. Twenty years later I designed my first set of plans on this beautiful 'workhorse' of the river.

For further reading visit Hudson River Model Steamboats.
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]]> Rex Stewart http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/4179-towboat-america-wood-model-collectible.html AQ images http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/jim-clary/153-aq-images.html Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:25:25 GMT Recent images of the Queen Recent images of the Queen
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]]> Jim Clary http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/jim-clary/153-aq-images.html New images of the AQ http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/jim-clary/152-new-images-aq.html Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:15:13 GMT Are there images of the American Queen's arrival at the Perry St. wharf? ]]> Jim Clary http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/jim-clary/152-new-images-aq.html diamond joe reynolds http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/lee-farmer/151-diamond-joe-reynolds.html Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:26:49 GMT Searching for any info of when reynolds ran cattle in colorado in the 1880s with the diamond jo cattlr brand. Our museum has the brand but little... Searching for any info of when reynolds ran cattle in colorado in the 1880s with the diamond jo cattlr brand. Our museum has the brand but little info. supposedly reynolds brought up longhorns from texas and took a big loss in 1884 due to the harsh winter. his foreman was reportedly john morrissey. ]]> lee farmer http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/lee-farmer/151-diamond-joe-reynolds.html MARY POWELL c.1861 - a rare model / Part 1/ Rex Stewart http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/150-mary-powell-c-1861-rare-model-part-1-rex-stewart.html Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:00:40 GMT MARY POWELL, the gem of New York's Hudson River, was an exciting endeavor to pursue -from a different perspective.

I already had models in collections both here in America and across the Atlantic, but this fresh commission sparked my interest to further research this prolific Northeast steamboat and present her original appearance when built at the onset of the Civil War in 1861.

For further reading visit Hudson River Model Steamboats ]]> Rex Stewart http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/rex-stewart/150-mary-powell-c-1861-rare-model-part-1-rex-stewart.html The Delta Queens Captains Log, June 2 http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/149-delta-queens-captains-log-june-2.html Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:20:38 GMT At The Army Corp dock, St. Francisville. The morning was nice and clear, the river stage at 17 feet and rising. The tours got off, the gangway was... At The Army Corp dock, St. Francisville. The morning was nice and clear, the river stage at 17 feet and rising. The tours got off, the gangway was seated nicely on the newly graveled walk/ramp. About 10:30 am, the American Queen landed alongside to debark an ill passenger, Captain Garland Shewmaker at the bridgewing controls. I had the Delta Queens engines and thruster warmed up just in case of the AQ moving us, but we never even felt it as the huge boat landed gently alongside. She was there only a couple of minutes, just long enough for paramedics to trundle the ill lady and an AQ crewmember across our bow and to the waiting ambulance. The AQ gracefully backed out and away, then headed back up river, bound for Natchez, some 98 miles up a muddy river. We were bound for Alexandria and Nachitoches, Louisiana on the Red River, and I was worried about the forecast, rather ominous, calling for torrential rains the day after tommorrow, when we were supposed to be in Nachitoches. The small narrow Red River tends to rise very quicky in reponse to heavy rain...
We got all of our tours aboard and departed on time, headed up for The Old River lock at mile 304, about 38 miles up river. The afternoon and evening were uneventful, and we locked through the 75 foot wide lock at 6:30 pm, passed through the canal and turned out and up into the Red River. The Red was near normal, just slightly high. The Red River is lined with rock dikes in many places along the shores, and many of them dont have bouys on them. The river is near normal now, so all of the low rock dikes are all visible, and easy to avoid, but when the river rises only a few feet, the dikes go under and become almost impossible to see, especially at night. I only hope the forecast is wrong!
We locked on up through locks 1 and 2 on the Red and made it to Alexandria early, in the wee hours of the morning. The newly constructed city front afforded an easy landing with good ties. The deck crew had us secured quickly, with our 2 new hands really hustling as they ran the lines up the hill.
The morning started out clear and calm, but the skys slowly darkened as the day progressed, and the weather forecast called for severe storms and heavy rain this evening. We got everyone aboard and departed on time at 5 pm, and I hoped we could get up into the Nachitoches harbor and secured before the storms hit. No such luck. At 7 pm, we were beset by 60mph winds and torrential rain, completely blanking out both radars. I stood in the pilothouse stiff and tense, extremely worried about my vessel and her precious cargo. This was the part I hated about this job, the worry, and at times the fear for my boat, guests and crew. Any Captain who says hes never been afraid out on the river is a dam liar! We couldn't stop, we had to keep moving up the channel to maintain steerage in the wind. With the radars blanked out, we could only see the river banks illuminated in ghastly white flashes of the incessant lightning. Captain Milford stood at the sticks, leaning to one side, steering the old boat up through the storm. "Just an old Red River squall, Capt Mike" he said in his Louisiana drawl. I was so happy to have an old seasoned pilot like him at the controls right then! About 30 minutes had passed of this nightmare, then the storm eased as quickly as it had come, having mercy on us just as we neared the Natchtoches Harbor. We made the very sharp turn into the Nachitoches harbor, a very small pond really with barely enough roon for us. The wind had died to nothing and the night was cool and clear after the storm as I turned the Delta Queen in the narrow harbor and laid against a single cluster/piling. Not much to tie up to, all in all a **** poor set up!
June 3...
This morning, the tours got off on time , the tour manager in her usual nervous fluster, hustling guests off to busses like a mother duck after her hatchlings. Before she left, I took her aside and asked her to hurry the tours along, and explained my concern about the rising river and the once again ominous forecast for the evening. She was visibly angry that I would suggest she hurry her tours, and short change our guests! I was very ****ed at her attitude, but kept my cool trying to explain that if the river rose much more while we sat here we may just end up sitting here for a week waiting for the flooded river to fall, and how would that affect our guests? She stormed off without responding.
Sure enough, along about noon the weather forecast began warning of major storms approaching the region, with more high winds and torrential rains. After last nights torrents, this little river was already rising and was really going to rise now. The warnings worsened in the early afternoon, now flash flood warnings were being issued for the Red River! I called the tour leader and instructed them to cut the tours short and to return to the boat, which they did, arriving around 3:30 pm.I announced to all passengers and crew that we would be leaving early, trying to get down and out of the Red River before the dikes flooded under. Most of the guests I spoke to thought it was exciting ,but the tour manager was madder than a wet hen and a couple of musicians complained that I was cutting into their shore time! It took I all I had to control my anger as I tersely explained to them that the safety of this vessel was a hell of a lot more important than their god dam shore time! I'd like to see them talk to Capt. Ernie Wagner that way!
We got underway 45 minutes early at 4:15 pm, making a run for the big wide Mississippi River. The sky was slowing darkening again and light rain was beginning to fall. We made it down to the Alexandria bridges, one was opened and one was still closed! I had called earlier in the day to arrange to have both of the bridges open, and had been assured they would be when we arrived. We had to back full astern to stop the boat when we came around the bend and saw the closed bridge. We finally got the bridge tender on the radio, who apologised and said he forgot to get the other bridge open. We had to sit there above the bridge for a hour and tred water, backing in the increasing current until a highway emergency road crew arrived and got the bridge open. Finally, we raced on down the rising river as the rain picked up, the tops of most of the dikes just barely showing in the increasing current. We finally got down and locked through the last 2 locks that night uneventfully, and then locked on out through the Old River Lock and out into the big wide beautiful Mississippi River around noon the next day. The sky opened up and all hell broke loose, with high winds and torrential rains that lasted all day, but we were safe back out on the big muddy, headed south. We made it down to Baton Rouge at 10:15 pm, and I wanted to go in to the "paper clip" dock at the city front early to let the crew off, but, low and behold, there was a small US Navy ship right in our landing spot on the dock! We were scheduled to be there, but that of course does not matter to the Navy! I decided to try anyway. We called the vessel, The USS Blackhawk, a mine sweeper, but there was no response. We tried every channel, still no response. I had the pilot turn the Delta Queen alongside the ship, and we flashed our searchlights repeatedly on the vessel and its wheel house. No response! Even a blast on the whistle failed to rouse a single soul! This is our Navy?
I finally got in touch with the dock manager just up river at the Capital Marine Fleet barge, who agree to let us land up there for the day. We had been the before and their wharf barge makes an ideal spot to off and on load passengers. Those guys are great friends and true riverfolk! We finally got tied off on the fleet wharf barge at midnight. Several of our stalwart crewmembers headed off to the favorite crew watering hole, The Thirsty Tiger Bar...
The best laugh came the next morning came when I called and woke the tour manager at 6 am, and told her that our landing location had changed slightly during the night and told her she would have to tell the tour busses where we had moved to. She was extremely angry that I hadnt' called her the night before, but I explained that she wouldn't have been able to contact the bus drivers at midnight anyway, besides, we were only upriver a mile from the dock and within plain sight of the road. Oh well, as the crew is fond of saying, "As the Paddlewheel Turns!". ]]> Capt Mike http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/149-delta-queens-captains-log-june-2.html The Delta Queens Captains Log...Monday, November 24 http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/148-delta-queens-captains-log-monday-november-24.html Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:49:01 GMT I arose at 6 am after a few hours rest,and my usual peek out the door confirmed that for once, the weather man was right! The wind was now blowing... I arose at 6 am after a few hours rest,and my usual peek out the door confirmed that for once, the weather man was right! The wind was now blowing from the north at about 30 miles per hour, and the temperature was about 30 degrees. Bitter cold with the wind chill! I put on long johns and an extra coat, yanked my ball cap down tight on my head and stepped out into the cold. The morning was crystal clear and crisp, typical weather after the passing of a winter cold front. The pilot and I discussed the plans for the day as I had my first cup of coffee. We would get underway at 7:30 am, proceed up past Morgan City and through the bridges above. The Atchafalaya River stage was 1.6 today, plenty low enough for us to clear the lowest bridge. At 4 feet on the Morgan City gauge, there wouldn't be enough clearance for our 52 feet, even with the radars, masts and smokestack down. Although we had no clearance worries today, I admit to being concerned about the forecast river stages for the next couple of days. There had been heavy rains in the upper Red River Valley, the main tributary to the Atchafalaya River. Once up into the river, we would still have a few bridges and suspended pipelines to pass under to get to the Old River Lock, where we would re enter the Mississippi River. I would just have to hope for the best!
At 7:30 am, I gave the order to get underway, and the pilot backed the Delta Queen away from the bank and headed her up the channel towards the Morgan City bridges. We contacted the Coast Guard traffic control system, who gave us clearance to continue on up through the bridges. We had made a slight turn and were full ahead on the engines just about to pass through the first bridge when a large oil rig supply boat quickly backed away from the shore and started down stream through the bridges! We hurriedly called the boat and told him we were committed and couldn"t stop, he quickly realized his mistake and pulled over to the side of the channel between the 2 bridges and stopped, and we passed him on the port side only 20 feet off, narrowly missing a collision! Dam it! Some of these idiots don't pay attention!, He had gotten underway, turned south bound into the bridges without traffic control permission and hadn"t bothered to look over his shoulder!
We quickly cleared the last bridge, with about 4 feet of space from the top of the pilothouse to the underside of the bridge. I breathed a sigh of relief to be leaving the congested intercoastal waterway behind, and I took a seat on the bench to relax for a while. Here above Morgan City, the Atchafalaya River splits into dozens of different bayous and side channels, and can be confusing to a pilot. There are very few bouys on this river, so it caught my attention when I spotted one in the distance, off our port bow. I looked at the bouy in the binoculars, it was a red one. Hmmm... it was on the wrong side of the bow for our upstream course, surely he"ll (the pilot) will change course soon. We got closer to the bouy, and the pilot was still steering to the wrong side of it! I paused a moment. Closer, and I could now see clearly he was heading in the wrong direction! I spoke up quickly. "Captain, we better turn left and leave that bouy on our starboard side!" "What?" he asked, startled. I pointed at the bushes sticking up out of the water where he was headed. "You're gonna to run aground, change course to port now!" He quickly looked at the bouy through his binoculars, and said "SH*t!, and steered the boat hard to port clearing the bouy with about 20 feet to spare!
Neither of us said anything as we continued on up the channel. Even the best pilot will make a mistake occassionally, thats why we always have 2 people in the pilot house while we are underway.
The rest of the morning and afternoon passed uneventfully. About 1:30 pm I slowed the boat down and eased her bow gently into the bank at mile 88. This was the sight of a crumbling old cabin, where Harold and Mertle Bigler had lived many years ago. They had been a couple who had lived their entire lives out here in this immense swamp, in this very spot. As we held the Delta Queens bow against the shore, our guest Cajun Lecturer Greg Guirard told the story of the Biglers, and of how they had lived their lives in peace here, far away from the madness of the civilized world.
After about a half hour, the lecture was finished, and the passengers stood on the forward Texas deck bow as I backed the boat slowly away from the bank and the silent old cabin. As we turned the Delta Queen out into the river and came ahead full on the engines, we all watched in quiet thought as the old cabin slipped slowly away from sight, and the solitude of the swamp once again embraced the old home and the spirits of the Biglers...
I made my evening rounds of the vessel rounding each deck, looking into each lower compartment, passing through the crew holds. In the mid crew hold, a door was open revealing 3 of our waiters having a church meeting. I stopped briefly and said good evening, the went on my way, not wanting to intrude. I passed through the midship water tight door to the aft hold, where I nearly collided with a band member and his shiny saxaphone, hustling out of his cabin door enroute to the Orleans room above for the evening show. Up the steps and into the crew mess, I poured a glass of milk and paused for a moment. 3 deckhands and a bar tender stood transfixed watching a football game, and didn't even notice me there. Good, that's the way I like it. I headed back up towards my cabin, sensing that the boat was telling me that all was well, as the paddle wheel made her waterfall song... ]]> Capt Mike http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/148-delta-queens-captains-log-monday-november-24.html The Delta Queens Captains Log, Friday, November 21, 2003 http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/147-delta-queens-captains-log-friday-november-21-2003.html Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:31:56 GMT Secure at Robin St. Wharf, New Orleans I rested well, as only a captain can when he knows his vessel is tied up securely in a safe port. I arose at... Secure at Robin St. Wharf, New Orleans
I rested well, as only a captain can when he knows his vessel is tied up securely in a safe port. I arose at 7 am and prepared for the day and the beginning of a new cruise. I hoped to spend the morning reviewing the upcoming cruises on the Intercoastal Waterway, and to call all the ports and locks along our route to let them know we were coming. The morning was clear and warm as I made my way into the office to confer with my boss in the Marine Operations department. I submitted my preferred work schedule for next season, and was surprised when he said he had one made up for me already. I dreaded looking at it! Since I am one of the Captains with the least senority, I usually got stuck with the most difficult and least desirable cruises. As I looked down the schedule at my on-off dates, I began to smile, it was great! I was scheduled to be off when I wanted to be and on the times that I preferred to be! I told my boss thank you very much, and he replied that it was purely coincidental that I got a work schedule that I wanted. He just leaned back in his chair and smiled...
The rest of the day was totally uneventful. My only concern was that we had taken on fuel by barge during the day and I knew that the extra weight would plant us further down in the mud along the wharf; I would find out at departure time, might have to do some "mud washing" with the paddle wheel to get her away from the wharf...
The wonderful crew went about their routine tasks of seeing departing guests off, taking on supplies, cleanig and preparing the boat for the next cruise. This trip would take us along the beautiful but narrow and congested intercoastal waterway to the Port of New Iberia, along the southern Louisiana coast, then back up the Atchafalaya River, and finally back out into the Mississippi River through the Old River Lock, some 74 miles north of Baton Rouge. Because of the narrow channel and the high volume of towboat traffic, this was always a stressful trip for me. We will be meeting and passing literally hundreds of boats on this voyage along this narrow canal, passing most no more than 15 feet apart! There are several locks and swing bridges to negotiate as well, adding to the challenge. I take comfort that I have 2 very competent and experienced pilots aboard, and hope for light winds and fair weather.
About a half an hour before departure time, I went out on the wharf and walked down alongside the boat, checking her draft marks, navigation lights, and general appearance. Even at 76 years, the old steamboat is an impressive sight, laying there against the wharf, her decks softly glowing from the small overhead deck lamps. Her tall slender smokestack emits a shimmering haze, hinting at the fire in her boilers below. Our new passengers walk around the decks, exploring their home for the next 7 days. The long, braided mooring ropes stretch and reach up to the wharf, adding to the old boats' lines and texture, I pause for a few moments and realize what a special place and time I am in right now, this very special moment, standing on a wharf in New Orleans, looking at an old steamboat aglow and preparing for a river journey. It is a moment and a scene experienced undoubtedly by many people before and long ago along these historical old wharves, but this moment and vision are mine forever! ]]> Capt Mike http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/capt-mike/147-delta-queens-captains-log-friday-november-21-2003.html John Hartford http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/sheila-nichols/146-john-hartford.html Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:23:36 GMT My name is Sheila Nichols and I am a co-producer of a documentary film on the life and music of John Hartford titled: JOHN HARTFORD "OH YEAH" I am looking for information on how to contact the current owner of the Julia Belle Swain. I am also looking to see if anyone has a copy of the tape that was created when John Hartford had his back to several steamboats and could name the boat by listening to the whistles.....
if you can help me on either of these issues...It would be most helpful. If you wish to know more about my project visit TwangCentral and please sign our guestbook with a story about JOHN...
thanks, Sheila nichols
mile marker 604 on the Scenic Ohio River ]]> sheila nichols http://www.steamboats.org/forum/blogs/sheila-nichols/146-john-hartford.html