[Jazzou Jones]

Beneath warm, sunny skies and cool, starry nights punctuated with picture postcard sunsets and sunrises, the legendary Delta Queen hosted 60 former passengers and crew for a five day/four night reunion event in Chattanooga that was overwhelmingly successful in bringing back Those Good Ol' Riverboat Days! Though the scenery never changed because the Delta Queen never left her landing, what did change were those fearful feelings of so many that the Steamboatin' experience was over for good. Folks, the Steamboatin' spirit is alive and well. Charlene Corris of Custom Travel Concepts worked in conjunction with Leah Ann and Randy Ingram and their dynamic and dedicated staff aboard our beloved Delta Queen and made this incredible reunion a reality.

Captain Gabe Chengery and his wife Cindy (Songbird of the Delta Queen, aka The Divine Miss Unrein), Captain Mike Williams and his wife Myra (former Chief Purser), Cruise Directors Bob Schad (banjo), Bob Stevens (banjo), me (piano & calliope), musician Tony Martin (drummer from 1977 to 1999), Jennifer Lemmon (Shore Tours Manager) represented crew, and together we enjoyed the company of some 45 passengers. It was thrilling to truly bring back those good ol' riverboat days with the activities, good food and entertainment that passengers remember so well. There were daily issues of the Steamboatin' Times, Bingo, Trivia, Sing Along (complete with a special tribute to the Armed Forces on Veterans Day), Picnic on the Texas Deck Bow, evening shows (including the hilarious Haywire Hoedown), and on Sunday morning there was the traditional Steamboat Devotion Service. How fortunate we were to have Reverend Jim Nutt and his wife, Martha aboard. Jim is the minister who has supplied us with a wonderful collection of river and steamboat-themed sermons that we have long used in our Sunday devotions, and he so graciously agreed to bring us all a special, inspirational message on this particular Sunday gathering.

Charlene worked with us for months planning everything, and she included some neat surprises. One of them was an evening dinner cruise aboard the Southern Belle, and another was the appearance of Captain Mike and Myra Williams. Charlene also included two fundraising events for the Delta Queen Preservation fund and through the generosity of the passengers, and the charismatic auctioneering skills of Bob Schad, we raised around $1100 to contribute to the fund!

When departure time rolled around on Sunday, there was a feeling of renewed bonding among everyone, and instead of "Good-bye," you heard "See you next time." And, yes, there is a next time!! Charlene has already planned the next one - Bring Back Those Good Ol' Riverboat Days II, and it takes place March 30 - April 3, 2011. We'll all be back, and in addition we'll have Toots Maloy and Mike Gentry. The time to sign up is now - you will not be disappointed. If you wait too long, you may not get the type of accommodation you want. Contact Charlene Corris at Custom Travel Concepts - via email Histours@aol.com or call her toll free (866) 956-4440.

So, I've just returned home from being aboard the boat for the first time in nearly four years, and I admit to having felt the same apprehension and skepticism that Keith Norrington expressed about going to the Delta Queen now that she is permanently moored. I'm happy to report that I, too, am feeling much better about the whole situation. The trip far surpassed my expectations and left me feeling confident that I'm in the company of a good many whose hopes and dreams for the future of our beloved Delta Queen have been fortified and renewed.

Just prior to the Reunion, they held the Rally on the River and The Great DQ Steam Up and the excitement and energy created by this auspicious event was still being felt when the reunion gang arrived. I encourage you to read or reread the accounts of Keith Norrington, Travis Vasconcelos, and others who have posted their thoughts from experiencing the Rally on the River and The Great DQ Steam Up. I certainly could not express it any better than they have.

Rally on the River and The Great DQ Steam Up

Hope to see you on the Delta Queen next spring!