[Ted Davisson]

Greetings From Chattanooga !
A few weeks ago I made the trip to Chatanooga , Tenn. to visit an old friend , the Str. Delta Queen . The last time I had seen her was when she left New Orleans and was locking through the Industrial Canal Lock and on her way to Chattanoog via the Intercostal Waterway and the Tombigbe River .
For the most part she still looked pretty good although she just quite did not look the same especially without her Whistle and Golden Antlers .
One thing that did surprise me was the fact that a make shift dinner was served on the Forward Texas Deck and that an open flame gas grill was used to cook short ribs and other meats . I was not aware that this means of cooking was permitted but evidently it is now allowed . Go figure !
It was a real sentimental journey to come home and to pay my respects to this particular old friend and many of the memories and ghosts of the past came back to me to remind me of my early days on the river and that day and time ! For me the Str. Delta Queen truly is a Time Machine and who said that you can never go home was sadly mistaken !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson