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
Like swallows returning to Capistrano, numerous riverboats are winding their watery way to Cincinnati for this week’s America’s River Roots Festival. They’re coming from the furthest stretches of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers — from Pittsburgh, Louisville, Moline, St. Paul, Memphis, and, of course, New Orleans.
As I write from my loft overlooking Aurora Bend, Mile 497 on the Middle Ohio River, nearly exactly halfway between Pittsburgh and Cairo, IL, where the Ohio River joins the Mississippi, the steam-powered, New Orleans-based, sternwheeler NATCHEZ struggles against the swift current on the lower river below Carruthersville, Missouri.
Still, with all the might that the Father of Waters is throwing against the NATCHEZ, she’s making a satisfying eight mph against the torrent. Lesser boats would be fortunate to make three. Considering eight miles per hour as a triumph of speed may seem strange, but when it comes to steamboats upbound on the Mississippi River, eight mph is cooking.
The last time I checked the ship-finder app, the NATCHEZ was well beyond Owl Hoot, Tennessee, and hard-charging while passing Lee Towhead. She’ll be entering the lower end of New Madrid Bend before I finish this column. There are endless stretches of golden sand and tall cottonwoods along that route, but to a lover of the Lower Mississippi River, it’s almost heaven. What I’d give to be there instead of just following from afar.
It is still exciting to follow those fortunate few crew members posting on social media, with the whistle-blowing and Captain Matt Dow and Watchman Chris Heard, belting out old river tunes on the steam calliope, including my favorite, “Avalon.” Nothing could have been more thrilling than the NATCHEZ’s recent passage of its namesake city, Natchez, Mississippi.
Even Mayor Dan Gibson got into the act after receiving a surprise call from Cap’n Matt, who informed him that the NATCHEZ was heading his way. As the steamer passed its namesake city, the mayor narrated a video from atop the bluff, accompanied by the calliope in the background as he spoke:
“Many of you have been to New Orleans and seen the historic steamboat NATCHEZ,” he said. “It is actually the oldest steamboat — 116 years old– the oldest steamboat in operation on the Mississippi River.”
I like this guy. He makes Natchez sound like a fun place to be. Maybe we’ll move back.
This NATCHEZ is the 9th steamboat to proudly wear the name of the town situated on the tall, clay bluff above the Mississippi River. Captain Thomas Paul Leathers, a native of my hometown, Covington, Kentucky, and a lifelong resident of Natchez, commissioned the first steamer named in honor of his adopted community in 1846.
The first seven vessels came off the marine ways at Cincinnati boatyards for Cap’n Leathers. His sixth boat was the famed racer that challenged the ROBT. E. LEE in 1970 for the immortal race between New Orleans and St. Louis. The LEE won with a yet unbroken time of three days, eighteen hours, and fourteen minutes.
The 8th NATCHEZ was a Howard Shipyard, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, built sternwheeler commanded by his daughter-in-law, Captain Blance Leathers. The latest steamer bearing the proud name was constructed in Braithwaite, Louisiana, in 1975, with the legendary steamboatman Captain Clarke C. “Doc” Hawley at the Master’s helm for many years. The only event I’m planning to attend at River Roots is the induction ceremony for Cap’n Doc into the National Rivers Hall of Fame aboard the NATCHEZ, this coming Thursday at 9 a.m.
The BELLE OF LOUISVILLE has but a hundred-some miles to go to reach Roots. They’re in no particular hurry to arrive early. In fact, the BELLE still has more public excursions before everyone packs up for the trip to Cincy. Hopefully, she will pass through Aurora Bend during daylight and give a toot on her old iron, baby-waking whistle as she steams by.
She’s the first steamboat I worked on when “AVALON” was her name. According to rumors, I am the only known surviving member of AVALON’s deck or engineering crew. Hopefully, Roots may unearth another of my comrades from the last tramp steamboat on the Western Rivers. I’d sure like to see Jackie Armstrong or Leroy Batteau again.
Coming down the Upper Mississippi River are the excursion passenger motor vessels ANSON NORTHRUP from St. Paul, Minnesota, and the CELEBRATION BELLE from Moline, Illinois, in the Quad Cities area of Moline, Rock Island, Davenport, and Bettendorf. My first casino sternwheeler, the DIAMOND LADY, was the sister boat to the EMERALD LADY, now called the BELLE OF CINCINNATI, the flagship of BB Riverboats, also a River Roots participant.
From Pittsburgh, the colorful THREE RIVERS QUEEN should brighten the event. From Memphis, look for the ISLAND QUEEN and the BELLE OF MEMPHIS. These boats bring to mind the late Captain Jake Meanly, a friend dating back to my days on the Steamer AVALON and the DELTA QUEEN. Jake, then a young riverman, was a close friend of Captain Ernest E. Wagner’s, who came by to visit Cap and usually stayed for lunch or dinner. I’m sorry that we won’t be able to say hello while his family’s boats are in town.
Aurora Bend will also field its own favorite son at River Roots this week. Captain Ron Abdon just announced the completion of his sidewheeler, L’IL ATTABOY, named for the paddlewheel ATTABOY, best remembered for towing the Showboat MAJESTIC for many years.
According to Cap’n Ron, he started building the sidewheel pontoon boat about this time last year. I also know that he’s been pushing himself especially hard to get his unusual craft ready to take to Roots. Just in the past several hours, Ron released a photo of his paddleboat, complete with steamboat filigree, with her name proudly flaunted on the exterior cabin bulkhead. She’s a peach.
Hopefully, the beautiful October weather holds out for this week’s fluvial festivities on the Ohio River, and River Roots is a huge success. Stop by and take a look at all the boats that have come from far and wide. Take a ride and enjoy the river from any one of them. River Roots’ future possibilities depend on the outcome of what transpires this coming week. I’d like to see you there.
(PS: The Steamer NATCHEZ was well within New Madrid Bend before I finished this column. She’s not called “The Racehorse of the River” for nothing.)
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
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.
Click here to order your Captain Don Sanders’ ‘The River’ now.