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
Aurora, Indiana, nestled comfortably along Mile 497 on the Middle Ohio River, has long enjoyed an intimate relationship with the broad waterway at its front door. Sometimes, the connection between the multi-spired community and the river becomes mean and sullen whenever the Ohio leaves its banks to explore the boundaries of its long-held borders. Most of the time, however, the bond between the two remains friendly, loving, and family-like.
Throughout its 200-year history, Aurora has been home to men and women with a seemingly spiritual bond with the river. As was the case in an earlier column featuring Commander Holman Vail and Quartermaster Ralph W. Rees, Aurora residents and crewmen of the U. S. Lighthouse Tender GOLDENROD during the late 1880s, such is the situation with Captains Ron Abdon and Jacob Orcutt of the present moment.
Captain Abdon, who prefers the moniker “Capt. Ron,” hails from across the river in Petersburg, Kentucky. Ron owned and operated a multi-acred campground for years on the southern side of the Ohio River opposite Aurora. Although he earned his daily bread as an airline mechanic at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, CVG, his heart belonged to the river. For years, Cap’n Ron was the “go-to” connection for assistance on the geographic center stretch of the Ohio River between Pittsburgh and Cairo.
My first acquaintanceship with Capt. Ron came through my long-time river pal, Shantyboatman Mike Fletcher. Mike and Ron played music together in a small band. Often, their spirited tunes filled the air around the Rabbit Hash General Store in the tiny, historic burg best known as “the Center of the Universe,” where the elected mayor belongs to the canine class. Rabbit Hash was also my family’s second home for many years. Twenty-nine years ago, when I assumed the Senior Captain’s role aboard the palatial casino stern paddlewheeler GRAND VICTORIA II at Rising Sun, IN, directly opposite “the Hash,” an unfounded contention arose between the two communities. In all the gossip generation during this span of misconception, the strangest comment involved me.
“Don’t trust that Captain,” some Hoosier wag supposedly said. “He’s from Rabbit Hash.”
But after 16 years of living and working in Rising Sun, where I met some of the sweetest people I’ve known, I’m doubting the authenticity of the comment allegedly directed toward me.
For several years now, Capt. Ron has lived the life I often dreamed about since boyhood. He’s taken residence on a houseboat that we aquatic residents of the Aurora Bend sector prefer to call a “shantyboat.” With me, I’ve lived many halcyon epochs onboard the various boats associated with my life on the water, but never to the extent of Cap’n Abdon’s fluvial residency. To compensate for my loss, I’ve convinced myself in believing that “shantyboating is a state of mind.”
Cap’n Ron’s inviolable virtuosity may lie in his mechanical capabilities honed by many years at the airport. He recently announced his intentions to construct a sidewheel-propelled ark utilizing an old lawnmower motor, assorted stray parts, two sizeable antique iron wheels off a farm hay rake, and a cast-off aluminum catamaran for the hull and body. Over the years, I’ve too often heard braggards boast they would do this or do that. Despite all the bravado, their dreams were merely smoke wafting in the wind. Surprisingly, just a short time after his initial announcement, Cap’n Ron invited me to his aquatic moorings to witness the launching of his new sidewheeler.
“I’ve had this idea in my head for years,” he gushed. “When I found this little 20-foot pontoon with an aluminum deck on an all-aluminum frame, I just had to start gathering parts — and this is what happened. I’m thrilled with the results.”
Ron’s sidewheeler was not only an instant success, outperforming all expectations, but it garnered the attention of an appreciative audience far beyond the Middle Ohio River community after posting a video on “The Shallow Drafters Shanty Boat Club,” a Facebook page many of us shantyboat fans follow.
Patrick E. from Appleton, Wisconsin, remarked. “I’ve been thinking of putting sternwheels on my pontoon houseboat, so seeing yours underway excites me about the possibility.”
With each passing day, winter drifts further away, and spring beckons. Soon, Cap’t. Ron will complete a cabin on his sidewheel contraption, providing more updates to report. Until then, we will visit another shantyboatman further downriver living aboard my former stern paddlewheeler, CLYDE.
Less than a year ago, Captain Jacob “Jake” Orcutt, a licensed towboater piloting for McGinnis, Inc., rescued the CLYDE from inevitable corruption and spoliation. The spunky sternwheeler languished for four years with little attention given to its wooden exterior, although the interior received a total gutting and rebuilding with the vision of converting it into an Airbnb. However, with the failure of that illusion, the boat was soon cast ashore, sans its wheelhouse, original museum-quality wooden paddlewheel, and tall stacks to languish until Cap’n Jake brought the renamed paddlewheeler back to its original moorings on Laughery Creek in the Aurora Bend neighborhood.
Once home again, Cap’n Jake soon restored the craft’s historic name, CLYDE. High on his vessel’s must-do list, the youthful, zealous skipper pledged to rebuild the CLYDE’s historically accurate wooden paddlewheel” just like when you had it,” he emphasized.
When I wondered how he was first attracted to the CLYDE, Jacob responded:
“In 2019, while strolling at the yacht club, I stumbled upon something extraordinary — the CLYDE. There she was, floating effortlessly in the water, radiating elegance and charm. That day, her stunning presence captivated me completely. It was as if she was whispering a promise of adventure and freedom, igniting a dream deep within me: the dream of owning her someday.”
“At the time, I had just begun my journey as a deckhand, navigating the learning curves of the maritime world. Little did I know that discovering the CLYDE would jump-start a profound love for her and the lifestyle of being part of such majestic vessels. From that moment on, she became more than just a boat; she embodied my aspirations, a symbol of the journey I wanted to embark upon, filled with sunsets and endless possibilities on the horizon.”
Like Cap’n Ron, Captain Jake has much to do once the weather begins warming as spring looms closer. Like all other dedicated riverboat nerds, they will enthusiastically tackle the maritime chores awaiting them. Once the captains progress in their endeavors afloat, I will respond by dutifully reporting their progress. Until then, the comforts of hearth and home should suffice my craving for the river.
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.
What an awesome story about my little pontoon conversion an what’s to come with the cabin project and the story of the legendary Clyde and my River Rat friend capt Jake he is going to do wonders with the Belle as he’s renamed if I’m not mistaken he’s a great friend as is Capt Don Sanders his Book The River is awesome reading and his story in the Tribune is very interesting and amazing Thank you Capt Don for the great story and kind words Happy n Safe boating to all my river rat friends till next time capt Ron
I love that the Clyde has found an owner that respects and honors the past. Thanks for the update. Looking forward to many more
I wanna thank the nkytribune for having such a talented and amazing writer and appreciate the kind words and support that he shared with the readers of the tribune an everyone he definitely is a amazing writer and person so thank you nkytribune n capt Don Sanders for writing such an inspiring story till next time capt Ron
WOW! Rebuild the Wheel! That almost brought a tear to this older dreamer’s eye, who once spent many a happy hour in the wheel of the DQ with either a big socket wrench or bucket of red paint in hand…
You GO Cap’t Jake!
“What goes around comes around” is usually not a good thing, but in the case of the returned CLYDE, it’s just a splendid thing! A full-throated whistle salute to Cap’n Jake for rescuing a dying boat on the hard. As an aside… a boat with tow knees has gotta push something sometime… perhaps a small party flat (barge) and I propose its name: THE RAFT!
Thanks, everyone for responding on the TRIBUNE’s page. I’d say dozens of Facebook participants commented on their individual pages, while more than 100 readers “liked” the story.
As always Capt Don brings the river,her fantastic people & boats to life. Thank you NKyTribune for giving him this wonderful opportunity to relate his life & experiences & introduce us to the young men following in his wake! Much praise to Capt Abdon for following his sidewheel dream. Prayers of gratitude to Capt Orcutt got rescuing The Clyde. I’m looking Forward to your progress as Capt Don reports it . So cool that she has two such great men to love her.