The riverboat captain is a storyteller. 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
Suddenly, that 1980’s tune by Queen, the British rock group, was driving me up the wall. Another riverboat gone — bound for the boneyard. According to a series of photos featured on social media, the river casino boat BELLE OF BATON ROGUE, hanging onto a long lead behind a tugboat with a small towboat shoving from astern, was heading to a scrapyard in Gibson, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, for dismantling.
“The riverboat sendoff shows that things are changing (for the better) in downtown Baton Rouge,” Belle of Baton Rogue Casino General Manager Richard Cannon commented. What casino management and local developers saw as a positive move forward for revitalizing the downtown Louisiana capital, boat fans mourned the loss of another irreplaceable paddlewheeler.
The BELLE of BATON ROGUE, built in 1994, was the capital city’s first casino and a local fixture for 30 years. Upstream from the BELLE’s dock, her neighbor, the WWII Destroyer USS KIDD, although absent while off to the shipyard for necessary repairs, sent this message to her permanently departing neighbor:
“So long, old friend. You’ve been a good neighbor for the past 30 years, guarding my six against wayward river traffic. I left for a little visit to the ‘spa’ (drydock), and now I find you won’t be there when I get home. The riverfront won’t be the same without you, old girl. Safe voyage, BELLE OF BATON ROGUE. Fair winds and following seas.”
Meanwhile, Louisiana Scrap Metal added their take on the BELLE OF BATON ROGUE:
“We are proud to recycle the iconic Belle of Baton Rogue riverboat, preserving its legacy through sustainability. The vessel will be dismantled… recycling over 97% of its materials. This effort supports jobs, conserves resources, and highlights our commitment to sustainability and the community.”
As a pioneer in commercially recycling aluminum cans in Greater Cincinnati and the founder and former owner of Can-Do Recycling, now Can Dew Recycling, I understand the scrap dealer’s point of view. However, as a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Master of steam and motor vessels of all gross tons, I would rather see the BELLE reused in another maritime capacity. While this relatively obscure riverboat’s fate remains sealed, several more prominent riverboats’ destinies are undecided.
Early last year, the American Queen Steamboat Company suddenly ceased operating on the Mississippi River System in the overnight passenger-boat trade. With this demise went four boats: the AMERICAN EMPRESS, AMERICAN COUNTESS, AMERICAN DUTCHESS, and the elegant AMERICAN QUEEN, the largest and possibly the most exquisite steamboat ever built on the Western Rivers. Soon after the company folded, American Cruise Line, rivals of the AQSC, bought all four boats for a total of 6.3 million dollars. At last count, the COUNTESS and DUTCHESS were “recycled” at a scrapyard owned by ACL. According to a reliable source, the AMERICAN QUEEN is “stripped of its doors, while its interior is torn down to studs and frames.” The fate of the AMERICAN EMPRESS remains unknown to at least two sources known for their inside knowledge concerning what’s astir behind the mainstream activities on the river. Additional TRIBUNE columns may attempt to penetrate this veil of silence.
The venerable Steamer DELTA QUEEN remains docked at Homa, Louisiana, awaiting future developments to bring the QUEEN to Coast Guard requirements sufficient to fire up a new set of boilers and get the steamboat cruising again. It is unimaginable that the DELTA QUEEN, once the most well-known and likely the most beloved steamboat in the world, lies primarily forgotten and moldering in a southern backwater.
Although efforts remain spirited to conserve the DELTA QUEEN, extraordinary endeavors are immediately necessary to maintain and preserve her for the future. However, with the evolution of the river cruise industry, post-COVID-19, and the absence of financially capable investors with the necessary means stepping forward to return the DELTA QUEEN to her former methods of overnight operations, perhaps it’s time to adjust our attitudes toward what success for the QUEEN looks like.
With the recent loss of the AMERICAN QUEEN, the DELTA QUEEN remains the sole link to the 214-year-old American tradition of overnight travel by steamboats. Someone must preserve the DELTA QUEEN, but we may need to adjust our expectations of what “preservation” entails. Future columns will delve deeper into potential alternatives for the DELTA QUEEN. Stay tuned and put your thinking caps on. Who knows, your idea may be a part of the solution.
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, sharing his stories of growing up in Covington and his stories of the river. Hang on for the ride — the river never looked so good.
Purchase Captain Don Sanders’ The River book here
Capt. Don Sanders The River: River Rat to steamboatman, riding ‘magic river spell’ to 65-year adventure is now available for $29.95 plus handling and applicable taxes. This beautiful, hardback, published by the Northern Kentucky Tribune, is 264-pages of riveting storytelling, replete with hundreds of pictures from Capt. Don’s collection — and reflects his meticulous journaling, unmatched storytelling, and his appreciation for detail. This historically significant book is perfect for the collections of every devotee of the river.
You may purchase your book by mail from the Northern Kentucky Tribune — or you may find the book for sale at all Roebling Books locations and at the Behringer Crawford Museum and the St. Elizabeth Healthcare gift shops.
Order your Captain Don Sanders’ ‘The River’ book here.
Honestly, I did not know the BELLE of BATON ROGUE existed. But the pictures of her on Facebook being towed away looking so forelorn was very sad. I love that you’re back keeping us updated on river/boat news as it happens. Hopefully, your comments will stir others to put on their thinking caps to come up with a person(s) who has the means to make our dreams of the rehab for the DELTA QUEEN come to life again! ❤️
Interesting thank you so much.
i am retired now but in my early years i worked on the river doing repair work on boats and barges that carried everything from coal to fuel. ive seen most every boat that was in use at the time on the ohio river but none as grand as the delta queen. i seen it pass under the ambridge bridge and as i waved at the folks in the pilot house they returned the greeting with a blast of the steam whistle. i know the history of this boat and i think it is a national treasure and should be treated as such. the money should be allocated by congress to get this back to running order because of its rich history and allow it to ply the rivers again. this is money well used instead of paying for someone elses war!
Thanks Captain Don for your article and insights. Captain Curran Streckfus personally hired me as one of the first Chief Engineers. I was there opening day/night. I remember it was not too much later after opening, we started sailing. Had to satisfy the cameras on us at the Capitol along with the state regulators that monitored them. Many fond memories of the crew and coworkers.
Sad news, indeed. For the paddle-wheeler lovers, especially the overnight steamboat ones, it’s another part of Mark Twain’s steamboat Americana that has been taken away. Here’s hoping against hope that a true steamboat-hearted visionary can bring together all the kinds of necessary capital and support to resurrect the DELTA QUEEN to her future river throne!
It’s a shame what is happening to our river boat and it’s past history. I feel somewhat to blame as I didn’t launch on to this piece of Americana history sooner. I am glad that the Belle of Louisville at least is still operating and doing daytime cruises. Maybe the Fall festival in Cincinnati will generate new interest in this historic part of our history. One can hope.
Thanks Captain Don for your article and insights. Captain Curran Streckfus personally hired me as one of the first Chief Engineers. I was there opening day/night. I remember it was not too much later after opening day, we started sailing. Had to satisfy the cameras on us at the Capitol along with the state regulators that monitored them. Many fond memories of the crew and coworkers.
I keep building up the wall around my heart, and every bit of news like this knocks the bricks out. The only news that will bring me joy will be that the Delta Queen has received enough money to run again.
American Cruise Lines still operates Mississippi river and Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises year round on 4 classic paddlewheelers. They have 21 small ships and riverboats in their 2025 fleet, including the 4 paddles, and offer river/small ship cruises all over the USA.
Unfortunately, it seems as though the days and nights of passenger riverboats in the Mississippi/Ohio Rivers system might well be coming to an end.