Topic starter
22/07/2008 11:37 pm
For those on the July 17th late night "Riverlorian" talk by Mary, she advised that due to being way ahead of the revised schedule we would be stopping somewhere on the river to "choke a stump". We ended up stopping what turned out to be about 5 hours travel before the Rome boat ramp. Sorry for not getting a closer mark.
It was a great show for those on the bow, as the seachlight slowly scanned the shore for the victim tree. After spotting a likely spot, the captain carefully approached the shore where the stage was lifted and a few volunteers jumped on land to tie us up for the night.
first 3 photos of us approaching the shore
Topic starter
22/07/2008 11:41 pm
More from chok'n a stump
A few more views with the stage about to be set
Topic starter
23/07/2008 12:05 am
One more of the antlers and a full moon
After we tied up the pilot house interior lights came on, resulting in a yellow glow on the antlers.
23/07/2008 12:11 am
Richard, great pictures especially the antlers, now copied into my future desktop picture folder if you don't mind.
Yeah, I'm envious...
Have anymore of the trip, or want to embellish with particulars?
23/07/2008 4:48 am
At #3 you holler, "What about the snakes?" Or a comment about Poison Ivy! 🙂
I wish they'd choke a stump more often, I don't like to miss seeing any part of the river, although watcing the searchlights checking for bouys, etc. is interesting too.
S'
David D.
23/07/2008 1:06 pm
Prime example of how easy it is for the DELTA to land and off load whenever necessary. Not that it would ever be necessary with all the SAFETY FEATURES SHE IS EQUIPPED WITH!!!!
23/07/2008 3:05 pm
Contributor Jim Reising was a deckhand on the Belle of Louisville one night when we decided to choke a stump opposite Aurora, Indiana. He asked if he could run the operation. I told him, "Sure, and left him on the wing bridge." Big Jim Marshal, who was not noted for brains, took the headline ashore. Reising told him to take the line around the tree and bring the bitter end back to the boat. The idea was to be ready for a quick departure in the morning without having a man on shore.
Big Jim jumped off the stage and disappeared into the horseweeds and came back with the end of the line, which was made fast to the bitts. Jim called for the boat to back. The line didn't move. So for about a half hour the Belle backed and came ahead to the tune of lots of advice from the rest of the crew. Finally Jim yelled, "Is Alan down there?"
After a short war conference we decided to get out the sternline and a springline and go to bed. The next morning we backed and again the line held fast, causing much dismay.
Reising finally found out from Big Jim that he had gone around the tree a full turn and a half and the mystery was solved. Reising's final comment was, "Now I see why mates get up mad every morning!"
My apologies, Jim. It wasn't your fault.
Topic starter
23/07/2008 9:08 pm
Will try to post more when I have time, wish we could take another trip this year
Bruno:
Thanks..I was trying out a new camera with ultra high ISO (3200) settings, glad you liked the antlers. Use the photos as you see fit. I'm back at work so will try to post more photos and reports later...Work gets in the way of too many things.
Maybe we can show Oberstar's minions the photos of the DQ landing just about anywhere, even at night, to prove a point, but I think he is beyond having an open mind by now.
Our trip was fun, but sad at the same time. We really meant it when we told the crew "see you next year", but everyone is starting to have the same uneasy feeling. Hardest part was getting off the boat without shedding too many tears.
Bruno Krause;11680 wrote: Richard, great pictures especially the antlers, now copied into my future desktop picture folder if you don't mind.
Yeah, I'm envious...
Have anymore of the trip, or want to embellish with particulars?
24/07/2008 1:12 am
show Oberstar's minions? I'll bet a pack of Sam Adams Sir James wouldn't recognize the Delta Queen if it jumped up and bit him in the butt!
I suspect he has never even looked at pictures of the old gal, let alone seen her in person...beneath him...
thanks again for the pics...Deb and I were a mess getting off her July 8th, very misty...
24/07/2008 7:42 pm
Many times we watched the DQ choke a stump late a night. Two I'll never forget. Once some armed good ol' boys came out of the woods. The other time, with shotguns aimed at us, guards from Angola Prison told us to "SHOVE OFF"! Both times the DQ made a hasty retreat!
24/07/2008 7:56 pm
You're not a rivernan until you've dragged a heavy headline off the stage, up the hill at a dead run, to a tree at 3 AM on a chilly, foggy morning, fighting through horseweeds eight feet high, wondering where the snakes are, falling into holes and itching from the stickers and burs.
24/07/2008 8:22 pm
Alan Bates;11725 wrote: You're not a rivernan until you've dragged a heavy headline off the stage, up the hill at a dead run, to a tree at 3 AM on a chilly, foggy morning, fighting through horseweeds eight feet high, wondering where the snakes are, falling into holes and itching from the stickers and burs.
Just livin' the dream, eh Alan?
:O)
Paul
24/07/2008 9:31 pm
Robert Sykes and the Stump
Go to this link for how Seventies deckhand, Robert "Bob" Sykes, Memphis, handled a problem stump:
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World
Bob Sykes on '72 Brochure:
Willie and Buster's Whirlwind Tour of the World