[Ted Davisson]

I believe it was the winter of either 81' or possibly 82' , we got ice in the Lower Mississippi River as far south as Baton Rouge . The ice was so bad that the Str. Mississippi Queen had to alter her schedule and instead of going north from New Orleans and into the ice in Baton Rouge , the powers that be dramatically altered her schedule and iteniary to go south to Pilot Town . Myself and Capt. Bill Grusiche , a Crescent River Port Pilot , piloted the Queen to Pilot Town and back with stops in Fort Jackson and Empire , La. The concern was that the ice in the river in Baton Rouge would cause severe damage to the Queen's paddlewheel and as was with the case with heavy drift , damage the Paddlewheel Bar windows from ice getting tossed by the wheel into them . When I use to drive Tow Boats on the Illinois River , we would get ice almost every winter and the toughest ice issues was with ice gorges in the lock chambers that we would lock through . Most of the locks had a hydrolic and compressed air system that they would attempt to flush the ice out with but as I recall this system had its limitations and was not a very reliable system . Another problem area on the Illinois was Peoria Lake . The ice would get so bad there that we would string the tow out behind us and then literally pull or tow the tow from behind the Tow Boat and this system of towing in the ice was referred to as " Mule Training " the tow . The sound of ice rumbling under the hull of the boat was almost deafening at times and I remember waking up one night because it became quiet , something that we had not experienced in quite a while . I also recall the last time I crew changed off a Tow Boat , it was just below Lock & Dam 27 on the Upper and the ice was so bad we literally climed off the stern of the boat and then actually walked on the river to the shore . I remember one year when the Str. Delta Queen was in Winter lay-Up , I took a job at the Columbia Marine Service in Cincinnatti . I remember the ice was so bad on the Ohio that the M/V City Of Pittsburg had to literally come to a stop in the Cincinnatti harbor because people were actually walking on the ice accross the river in front of this Tow . I just sat in amazement that someone could be so foolish to walk across the river , on ice , with families and children ! I also remember hearing the Tow Boat Pilot call the Marine Operator ( this was well before cell phones ) to both the Cincinnatti and Covington police departments complaining of this situation and then both departments telling this Tow Boat Pilot that they did not have juristicition in the middle of the Ohio River . Hey ! Just another example of your tax dollars at work !! Having said all this I personally know that Ice in the river can be a formible opponent and something of a pain to deal with .
Smoothe sailing !
Ted Davisson

Originally Posted by Keith Norrington

Although it's 50+ degrees and sunny here in the "Gateway to the South" city of Louisville, Kentucky today, I thought this photo of ice in the river at St. Louis would be of interest, as it was taken on a frigid February day in 1969. In view across the river from left to right toward the Eads Bridge are the Str. BECKY THATCHER, GOLDENROD SHOWBOAT and excursion steamer ADMIRAL. Think SPRING!