The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders will be sharing the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life. This a part of a long and continuing story.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
“What do you do now,” someone asked recently, “that you’re retired off the river?” Their inquiry only caused me to remember how much I was never too fond of the thought of retirement. Retire from what, the river – the only place on the planet I’ve ever been delighted? And to what – spending most of my days posting stories and pictures on social media about where I’d rather be – the river? It doesn’t make sense.
The Steamer AVALON at Wheeling, West Virginia.
With a few rare exceptions, the days and years I invested in the river as a professional riverman, never seemed like “work” through the labor was sometimes excruciating. There was the time one early morning when the Steamer AVALON lay moored at Wheeling, West Virginia, near a multi-storied parking garage. Captain Doc Hawley had his deck crew, of which I was a member, cleaning up around the riverbank in preparation for the afternoon boat ride. Around us, smartly-dressed office workers emerged from the garage as they walked to their places of employment uptown in tall buildings.
Turning to a boatman swatting weeds closest to me, I noted, “I’m sure glad I don’t have to go to work.” Looking askance my way while cocking his head to one side, my buddy replied, “Where in the hell do you think you are now?”
Honestly, I hadn’t thought of steamboat chores as “work.”
Although Winter still has another month to hang around the Ohio River Valley, the thoughts of Spring are in the minds of most boaters. Whenever I stop by the big box store in Lawrenceburg, the sight of shelves stocked full of paint and caulk, and all the enticing displays of hand and power tools get me itching to start working on my paddlewheeler CLYDE.
All the enticing displays of hand and power tools get me itching to start working on my paddlewheeler CLYDE.
Although my boat’s for sale, I continue making as many improvements as possible before she sells, and someone else gets to have all the fun of fussing around on that lovely sternwheeler. If she goes, I don’t know what I will do for entertainment.
If I was younger and my Merchant Mariner’s Master’s License was active, I would be back where there is no shortage of jobs in the overnight passenger boat business on the inland waters. Recently, the American Queen Steamboat Company introduced the latest of four riverboats the New Albany, Indiana-based company is operating, the AMERICAN COUNTESS. Scheduled to embark on the 5th of April, the COUNTESS promises visits to exotic ports of call along the Rivers of America, according to the company patter.
Besides the AQ company, other outfits are offering overnight accommodations on the Mississippi system of rivers and scattered about on the waters of the continental U. S. One, the American Cruise Line, operates some twelve river cruisers and small ships. From specific sources, I’ve heard that a couple of European tourist boat concerns have their sights set on entering the river cruising fray, too.
The AMERICAN COUNTESS. Scheduled to embark on the 5th of April 2020, the COUNTESS promises visits to exotic ports.
Why? There is a market – especially from the aging baby boomers born after the Second World War who “have the time, ability, and interest in exploring U. S. sites” by riverboats, according to a recent blog in the Washington Post posted by Madison Berry.
Madison lives in Paducah and is, with a few exceptions, the most informed person I know following the passenger vessel trade on the inland rivers. When the boats are cruising in season, Madison tracks each one online and knows to the nearest inflated dollar the cost the high-rollers pay to be on board. He even knows the menu in the fancy dining rooms besides having a talent with the camera whenever the paddlewheelers stop at Paducah on the lower end of the Ohio River, less than 50-miles above the confluence with the Mississippi.
Former gambling boats are finding a new life as tourist tour-boats, as is the case of the AMERICAN COUNTESS and AMERICAN DUCHESS. About a quarter-century ago, the introduction of the “gamblin’ boats” was a bonanza for the ailing inland passenger boat industry and the languishing shipbuilding yards on the river system. Though the casino boats were, as one wag quipped,” a flash in the pan,” the short-lived gamblers added the impetus both divisions of the inland waterways needed at the same time. Now, several individual ex-gambling boats revamped into overnighters and dinner boats did so much quicker and faster than building them from the keel up.
Capt. Josh Lakin, who recently upgraded his U. S. Coast Guard license to a Master of 100-ton passenger-carrying riverboats.
One of the most lovely and gracious gambling sternwheelers was the CASINO ROCK ISLAND (CRI) built at Leevac Shipyard, Jennings, Louisiana, in 1991 for Jumer’s Casino in Rock Island, Illinois across the Mississippi from when I started on the DIAMOND LADY a couple of years later. By 2008, the CRI found itself laid-up after the gambling operation moved ashore. Recently, the New Orleans Steamboat Company yearned for another paddlewheeler to complement their famous Steamer NATCHEZ.
According to Captain Matt Dow, “We immediately fell in love with the CRI and knew we could not only bring her back to her former glory but well beyond that.” The CRI, now extensively rebuilt, is the picturesque excursion dinner boat, the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS offering sit-down meals to empower the NATCHEZ to focus on tourists enjoying a harbor cruise on the outer decks of the steamboat.
The future on the river remains optimistic for any young men and women who would rather have an adventurous career rather than a job. Captains Alex Schuchter and Josh Lakin, who recently upgraded his U. S. Coast Guard license to a Master of 100-ton passenger-carrying riverboats, for example, have both the time and the credentials to go as far in the river industry as they want to go. They are not the only ones with the opportunities for advancement on the inland waterways. Many thousands of jobs in the coming years, will be available for those eager for equal-opportunity, adventure, and better pay than usually found ashore.
As I said earlier, if Father Time was on my side, I know where I would be, and that’s back on the river. If any young folks are interested in a river career, now is the time of year to get started.
The CASINO ROCK ISLAND (CRI) built at Leevac Shipyard, Jennings, Louisiana, in 1991.
The CRI, now extensively rebuilt, is the picturesque excursion dinner boat, the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Captain Don Sanders is a river man. He has been a riverboat captain with the Delta Queen Steamboat Company and with Rising Star Casino. He learned to fly an airplane before he learned to drive a “machine” and became a captain in the USAF. He is an adventurer, a historian, and a storyteller. Now, he is a columnist for the NKyTribune and will share his stories of growing up in Covington and his stories of the river. Hang on for the ride — the river never looked so good.
“He’s just a feller worked all on the River all his life by a Paddlewheel…”
Encouraging news, Cap’t Don. Let’s just hope younger, well heeled folks take as much of a liking to the River Cruising life as their Boomer parents and grandparents, and the sound of packet-like boats whistling to pass each other rings between the banks more frequently, here when we thought it might be fading away forever.
Another wonderful story. I am so excited that there are young folks interested in a career in the passenger vessel industry today. May be if I were younger, or could start over, my career path might have been different, as I was one of those that parked in the garage and went up over the hill to the office buildings to work.
Like Captain Don, I had alternatives to the Sea. After Kings Point, I was lucky to get a job on the Great Lakes which being single, allowed me to accumulate a good stake. Instead went Back to deep sea with Grace Lines. I enjoyed going to sea. ‘Find a Job you Love, and You’ll never Work a Day in your Life.’ Unfortunately, once married, I was subject to constant Nagging, I’m so Lonely, etc. Took a boy executive job ashore with a New Orleans Steamship Company for, after raises, less than I get in Social Security now. After 3 years, back to sea till I retired, on the Union Pension.
Thanks for the comments, friends. Interest in overnight riverboats has not been higher in the past half-century than it is now. Besides the increased number of tourists wanting the “Mark Twain” experience, job opportunities have not been more exciting since I started my own adventures on “Old Man River.”
The best comment in this article and it verifies the head line.
“Turning to a boatman swatting weeds closest to me, I noted, “I’m sure glad I don’t have to go to work.” Looking askance my way while cocking his head to one side, my buddy replied, “Where in the hell do you think you are now?”