The River: Finding wealth of history, perspective in a stack of faded papers called Breakfast Serial
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 column first appeared in July 2021.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
While rummaging through a box of river-related papers, recently, a stack of faded bluish-green papers filled with type-written text caught...
The River: Shantyboatin’ is a state of mind. . .and my shantyboat dreaming takes me to amazing places
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. This story first appeared in March 2021.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
“What’d you want to do with your life you never got to do.”
“I wanted to be a shantyboat...
The River: Life and death on the waterways can be but moments apart, but I don’t regret my choices
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. This story first appeared in May 2022.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
“I’m going to walk right down to that river and keep on going.”
The river has been a personal...
The River: A tribute to Capt. Colin Washknock, a true river pilot, who mentored and taught the real way
(Capt. Don Sanders, our regular columnist, is giving way this week to Capt. Pete McMahan for this tribute to Capt. Colin Washknock.)
By Capt. Pete McMahan
Special to NKyTribune
A river pilot can be best described as one with exceptional local knowledge of a very particular waterway.
I cannot think of anyone other than Captain Colin Washknock, of Florence, Kentucky, with more knowledge and skill of...
The River: Cranking it up, moving it out as steamboat leaves the dock as a calliope pierces the jaunty air
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 story first appeared in April, 2022.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
“Let’s crank up this here old boat and get on outta here,” the Captain mentioned to the Mate in an unusually gentle tone as they stood...
The River: Finding night watchman’s job after college, meeting characters and gathering up stories
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. This story first appeared in April, 2019.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Captain Ernest E. Wagner found an opening for me aboard the DELTA QUEEN as a relief night watchman...
The River: Camp Day and first excursion onto forbidden Licking River; glorious summer ahead
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. This column first appeared on May 19, 2019.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Forgive me if I repeat myself if I talk about “Camp Day” remembered every May the 19th as...
The River: Recycling makes the junkyard respectable and biz was good, but the call of water was stronger
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. The is a part of a long and continuing story. The story first appeared in April, 2021. This month marks the 42nd anniversary of the Captain’s recycling experience.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Thankfully,...
The River: Tarzan, Lester, a snake, an ill-conceived prank marked the AVALON’s trip to Bayou Sara
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. The is a part of a long and continuing story. The story first appeared in April, 2018.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
On one typical hot and humid afternoon between excursions, a fellow deckhand, everyone called...
The River: When the Ohio River leaves its banks, it can claim every inch between the hills around it
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. This column first appears in February, 2020, but since the river ir rising . . .
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Every inch of ground between the hills lining the valley...
The River: Dream on, if you yearn for paddlewheeler (there’s much to love), but know they are work
The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders shares 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. This column first appeared in February 2019.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Everybody thinks they want a paddlewheeler.
“They’re so cute,” someone gushed. Or: “When I win...
The River: Big boats are great, but small boats are wonders; hoping for those still hankering to build one
The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders shares 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. This column first appeared in June, 2019.
By Capt. Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Of all the many jonboats I’ve seen in my nearly 70 years on the river, the best looking was the wooden...
The River: ‘A’learin’ to be a pilot’ from Capt. Embry Haynes, as told by Capt. Michael Gore
The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders shares the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Captain Don’s note: For several months, personal issues have stymied my creative capabilities for new and thrilling accounts of my adventures on The River. Graciously, Editor Clabes...
The River: How to make a handy rope bumper in less than five minutes; just follow these directions
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. This column first appeared in February 2019.
By Captain Don Sanders
Special to NKyTribune
Devices used to cushion the blow between a boat’s hull and a dock, lock wall, or another...
The River: Plenty of tales to tell in whispered tones — some about how to be rid of troublemakers
(The riverboat captain is a storyteller, and Captain Don Sanders shares 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
“I killed a couple roustabouts,” the old pilot began with no prompting.
The pilothouse, otherwise hushed except for an occasional vibration...
