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The River: 100th column in busy week; remembering how it all started and how much more there is to say


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

This edition is the 100th “The River” weekly column I’ve scribbled since editor and veteran newspaperwoman, Judith Clabes, unexpectedly appeared in my social media chatbox and announced: “I’ve been reading your postings on Facebook about the river – how’d you like to write a column for the Northern Kentucky Tribune?”

“Duhhhh…. Okay!”

This writing stuff isn’t exactly new to me. I’ve been dabbling with scratching out a few river stories for a long time. Back in the Summer of 1965, when I first began working on the DELTA QUEEN as a Night Watchman patrolling the nooks and crannies of the steamboat from ten-pm to six in the morning, half the night was spent sitting at a round table in front of the Purser’s Office while my pard and I alternated rounds. Jane Greene, the daughter of Mrs. Letha Greene, owner, and matriarch of the Greene Line Steamers, was aboard. Jane was an early riser, and she always stopped by the round table, the only known relic of the DELTA QUEEN’s California days, where a recent story I’d fashioned between hikes around the vessel awaited her perusal.

As a DELTA QUEEN Night Watchman patrolling the nooks and crannies of the steamboat from ten-pm to six in the morning, half the night was spent sitting at a round table in front of the Purser’s Office.

 As a DELTA QUEEN Night Watchman patrolling the nooks and crannies of the steamboat from ten-pm to six in the morning, half the night was spent sitting at a round table in front of the Purser’s Office.[/caption]
The series of tales now lost to the ages, centered about a misfit steam excursion boat named the HONEYDEW modeled on the likes of the Steamer AVALON where I’d spent two wondrous seasons decking for Captain Ernest E. Wagner who’d been hired to command the DELTA QUEEN after the AVALON was sold down-river in 1962. Nearly 60 years later, the century-old steamboat still thrills river riders in the 21st Century as the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE.     

Each morning, another exploit of the wacky crew of the HONEYDEW lay on the table in the spiral notebook. Returning from my last round, I might find Ms. Greene seated at the California Transportation Company dining table absorbed in learning what follies “Cap, Ricco-the-Watchman, Jackie-the-deckhand, Shorty, Mr. Hall-the-Purser, and others,” had gotten themselves into since the previous night’s segment.

Let’s see if I can recall something…

Jane Greene, the daughter of Mrs. Letha Greene, owner, and matriarch of the Greene Line Steamers, was aboard the DELTA QUEEN

Of all the personal possessions Big Cap kept in his room on the Texas Deck, he prized the brass trophy won by the HONEYDEW after she beat a much faster steamboat in a race years before. Some say the HONEYDEW won only because of a mechanical difficulty the opposing boat experienced. Some wags went as far as saying it was sabotage, but whatever the circumstances, the DEW was declared the victor and awarded the trophy kept, ever since, in a place of honor inside the Old Man’s quarters.

Earlier at breakfast on a perfect summer morning, Big Cap asked “Cookie,” the former jockey who turned out three simple, but tasty meals in the cookhouse located ahead of the starboard high-pressure engine, if he would give the trophy a “decent shine” after he completed his kitchen chores for the day.

“It’d be my pleasure,” Cookie assured the Captain. “Just have somebody bring it down.”

A little later that morning, the deck crew of the HONEYDEW finished the final touches on the top deck after an especially rowdy and messy charter the night before. Jackie-the-Deckhand, carrying a sack of trash destined for the paddlewheel as all garbage went into the river in those days, was passing by Big Cap’s room just as the door flew open. 

The series of tales now lost to the ages, centered about a misfit steam excursion boat named the HONEYDEW modeled on the likes of the Steamer AVALON.

“Here, Jackie, On your way below, take this-here trophy down to Cookie – he’s expecting it.”

So, Jackie grabbed ahold of Cap’s prize trophy, the one laurel the skipper cherished most in the world, and headed toward the stern of the HONEYDEW some two decks above the churning, steam-driven, sixteen-ton wooden and steel paddlewheel. Raring back like the Pirate’s pitcher he’d seen at Forbes Field during the only baseball game he ever attended, Jackie let fly with his strongest arm. Instead of tossing the garbage sack into the wheel, he held tightly to it and watched horrified as Cap’s cherished trophy bounced off a bucket board and disappeared into the froth of the churning paddlewheel. 

Anyway, that’s the gist of one of the HONEYDEW tales, although the original manuscript was far fresher and more spontaneous, I wanted to illustrate that I’ve dabbled in putting words to paper before. Over the years, several more stories came to light, were stowed in yellow manila envelopes, and forgotten. More should have gone down from memory but didn’t because of my affinity for dithering. “I’ll wait twenty years,” I reminded myself.  

Instead of tossing the garbage sack into the wheel, he held tightly to it and watched horrified as Cap’s cherished trophy bounced off a bucket board and disappeared into the froth of the churning paddlewheel. (Sketch by Daniel McKay)


But, 20 years quickly passed, and another 20 more years flew by without me sitting down to focus on the thoughts rambling about in my head. Word processing programs on the computer, by then, replaced pencils, pens, and paper tables as manual writing tools became passe. Though I “hunt and peck” two-fingered-style on the keyboard, the computer far outshines the pen and paper methods since Ms. Clabes set me adrift upon an endless sea of words. 

As I’ve told Judy, since I started writing for both the Tribune and several Facebook river-related pages, Grammarly, an online “app that automatically detects potential grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in writing, following common linguistic prescription,” says they have checked 3,193,041 words since I started using the popular program. Without Mrs. Clabes’ encouragement, my verbiage meter would register in the neighborhood of sub-zero. Thanks again. 

This last Wednesday, Judith hosted the Tribune’s annual “Newsmakers Event,” the non-profit newspaper’s biggest fundraiser that she graciously invited me to attend.


This last Wednesday, Judith hosted the Tribune’s annual “Newsmakers Event,” the non-profit newspaper’s biggest fundraiser that she graciously invited me to attend. Following the impressive gathering of Northern Kentucky’s leadership, honoring several of the region’s newsworthy honchos, I talked to my editor face-to-face for the first time since last year’s gathering. In a few words, I described the direction I’d like for this column to venture, and she promised support. Judy’s the kind of person I enjoy working around. In many ways, she’s got the same style grit as “Cap’n Betty” Blake, the legendary mistress of the Steamer DELTA QUEEN. If Judy ever wants a gig in another line, steamboatin’ might be her new calling. 

After the festivities adjourned, I needed a glimpse of the river on the way home, so I followed the bustling Northern Kentucky highway system to KY 18 and drove down the twisty, winding route to Lower River Road and slipped aboard the LUCKY LADY ferry from Rabbit Hash to Rising Sun. Captain Josh Larkin was in the wheelhouse, and I thought I could steal across the river undetected as getting up early for an 11:30 luncheon took a toll on this old fellow. But, no sooner had the ferryboat straightened itself out. I heard my name shouted, 

“HEY, CAPTAIN DON! HOW YA DOIN’?”   
It was satisfying that my friend, Captain Larkin, acknowledged my presence aboard his vessel. That’s the way the tight-knit river community is, and I am content to be a lifelong member. 

After all, didn’t Mark Twain call us river rats a “different race of people,” or something like that?  

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.

Captain Josh Larkin was in the wheelhouse, and I thought I could steal across the river undetected as getting up early for an 11:30 luncheon took a toll on this old fellow.

Capt. Josh Larkin_Lucky Lady Ferry – Captain Larkin, acknowledged my presence aboard his vessel, the LUCKY LADY ferry.


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7 Comments

  1. Heidi English says:

    I truly love reading this jolly Captain’s river stories!
    Keep them coming!!

  2. Ginnie Rhynders says:

    Read and enjoyed almost all of the previous stories and looking forward to the next 100.

  3. Good stuff! he Captain and my Dad, Capt Harry Louden worked together on the Delta Queen. Turns out, we’re cousins on my Mom’s side. Love the stories, Cap..good stuff!

  4. A shame that Capt. Don’s previous scriblings were lost to prosperity. When i was Cadet on the SS Santa Cecilia, a passenger carrying freighter, I kept somewhat strange hours, and got to know the Night Watchman. With Capt. Don it would be interesting to see the difference the years of experience have made in his most readable writings.

  5. Capt Don says:

    Thanks for the comments, folks. Much appreciated. My advice to anyone considering writing: “Stop dithering – start scribbling…”

  6. Angie Way says:

    I’m still thinking about what it must have been like telling the captain about his trophy…..I’d rather die, I think. As usual, I greatly enjoyed your “scribblings”

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