Topic starter
05/02/2009 8:57 pm
Greetings From New Orleans ,
Yesterday , the 4th. of February was a particular bad day for me at least for the simple reason in a matter of a few short hours I lost two old friends . First and foremost was the passing of Chieg Engineer , Denis Shenk and the second of course was the departure of the Str. Delta Queen from New Orleans . I recall when I was the First Mate , on the Str. Mississippi Queen , when the boat was still in the Jeffboat Shipyard , Denis was there with us and as much apart of the steamboat faternity as anyone . Denis was there with us " paying his dues " in the Engine Room , with all the engineering calamities and mis ques that could possibly fall on any vessel making her " Maiden Voyage " and numerous " Sea Trials " as any vessel could ever have ! Denis was there when the MQ would like on countless occassions , loose her boilers and I would leave the Pilot House to make a mad dash to the bow of the boat to drop the anchor , while Capt. Shelton would hold the wheel . Denis was there for so much more than I can recall and if anyone ever deserves the title of Chief Engineer , it was Denis Shenk ! Denis paid his dues over andand then some ! The other loss that I experienced yesterday was at about 14:15 ( 2:15 pm ) was the passing of another old friend , namly the Str. Delta Queen . At the time , I was south bound in the New Orleans harbor , on a loaded tanker , when I heard on the ship's vhf radio , the familiar voice of my old friend Capt. Finley Frasier , checking traffic in the New Orleans harbor and contacting the Coast Guard , Vessel Traffic Service and acquiring the necessary permission to depart the Perry Street Wharf and head south for the Industrial Canal Lock . I was coming down in the vicinity of the old Public Grain Elevator and did not see the Queen make her departure but when I departed the ship I was in the the New Orleans , General Anchorage , I " shang-hi'ed " the launch boat I was on and got the following pictures as the Str. Qelta Queen made her enterance into the main lock chamber of the Industrial Canal Lock . For all I know , this very well could have been the last time I see this National Treasure which has taken me on so many of my life's adventures and careers ! My only hope and prayer is that the individual that is now leaseing the Queen will take better care of her than her former owner . like so many things , Time Will Tell !
Smooth Sailing 7 God Speed , Delta Queen !
Ted davisson
06/02/2009 2:54 am
Notice the calliope is still covered in the gray tarps, I guess this means she'll make a very quiet passage to Chattanooga with no "spirited" arrival. Does anyone know if ay of the crew on board can play anyhow? Any idea as to when she'll arrive there? I'll be in that area soon and wouldn't mind detouring if the timing is right. God Speed Delta Queen!
06/02/2009 7:15 am
Phillip,
Yes, the calliope is all covered up and therefore no steamboat music.
Yes, I can assure there are at least two excellent calliope players aboard and I´m sure both would love to play it all way long to Chattanooga.
Depending on the weather conditions arrival for Chattanooga is planned between Feb 8 and 11. But I think it will be more Feb 11.
Carmen
06/02/2009 7:51 pm
Say, Carmen, which calliope-players are aboard the DQ now? I'm proud to say I was the very last one with passengers aboard.
06/02/2009 10:13 pm
What no calliope,!?!?
Phillip & Annie;; I know who one of the players are..:)
And have good idea who the other one is,,,,....
06/02/2009 10:43 pm
According to one news article they plan to have a calliope concert when she gets there so I'd say we'll hear a few notes...hehe 😉
06/02/2009 10:58 pm
THATS Good news,,:) Thanks for that Phillip .....
06/02/2009 11:14 pm
here's the article I saw it in, if you type "Delta Queen" in a news search on Google, you get this along with many others. Here's the link:
07/02/2009 12:19 am
colliope on DQ tribute?
Dave Morecraft;15578 wrote: Phillip & Annie;; I know who one of the players are..:)
And have good idea who the other one is,,,,....
Dear Mr. Morecraft;
My heart is breaking..PLEASE< PLEASE, can somebody play Dixie for me on her last trip, or at Chattonuga? It is a special , heartfelt memorial for us all, and especially for me. My beloved late Mother loved this boat as deeply as I do, and Dixie has been a part of her history, and mine. I heard it played for me on her last cruise, and I cannot tell you how deeply it touched my soul. This boat is a part of my Southern culture, and the song is just as deeply ingrained in our memory. PLEASE, even if nobody hears it, my Mamma will hear it and I will know she played it one last time for us all? Please?
With all my love,
Bettie
07/02/2009 4:27 am
Since most have lost touch with me since I left the boat, I don't know exactly who is on the boat at this time, as I wasn't told by anyone they were going on the boat. But, I sincerely hope someone plays the calliope at the towns on the Tennessee River, as they always loved the calliope when I was there. You can't play it enough up there...trust me!
Godspeed Delta Queen!
~Travis~
07/02/2009 8:32 am
It´s no secret that Bill Wiemuth is aboard and he sure can play the calliope. The other calliope player is one of the volunteers aboard.
Carmen
07/02/2009 2:08 pm
"Little Sir Echo" must assuredly be played when she gets to Chattanooga. And anything else that is played will bounce splendidly off Lookout Mountain.
07/02/2009 5:03 pm
Thanks for the memories of Chief Dennis and your outstanding coverage, as usual, of the New Orleans Harbor. Great pics that may be the last ones taken of the DELTA QUEEN in the NOLA district.
Personally, I'd like to know who's the crew down in the engine room, out in the firebox, on deck. Who are the ones getting three squares on the table and who is washing the dishes, pots, and pans? Everyone on this crew should be remembered, and I hope someone is keeping track... for the record.
07/02/2009 7:43 pm
Calliope is being played
Just missed a phone call from one of the volunteers on board, but they left a long message and indicated that yes, the calliope is being played. They did a 360 in the Mobile area and played, and apparently there are people along the TennTom and the calliope is being played for them. Incidentally, when Carmen first used the word 'volunteer', I suspect several readers thought to themselves: Heck I would have volunteered if I had known I could... I can't speak for the crew or former crew on board, how they were chosen, but the 'volunteers' to whom Carmen referred were invited by Capt. Phillips. There was no open volunteering for positions.
07/02/2009 10:35 pm
Ok, I'm extremely happy for the invited volunteers, they deserve it, matter of fact there are three volunteers that deserve this final ride more than all of us together...We ARE talking pictures, right?... us uninvited are gonna need pictures, lots!
But can you spell Green? I mean does anybody have a clue how much I have fixed/improved/modified/tightened the boat every time Deb and I are onboard, yes it's a Bruno thing, Deb thinks I've got a sickness. And I am the King of Hoovers...and I gotta believe there was something mechanical I could have accomplished...yeah, I know, all sounds like sour grapes...
Yes, I'm very happy for the lucky ones, they deserve it especially one of them, much more than me, but...
Volunteered? Hell, I would have PAID...just like any cruise, right?
08/02/2009 3:02 am
Bettie-
You can hear DIXIE on this video I posted on Vimeo. It was shot on Oct. 30, 2008 at memphis. Delta Queen's last night with passengers on Vimeo
I've never heard a better rendition of the song. It follows the Tennessee Waltz.
-Jim Herron
08/02/2009 3:33 am
That's a great video, Jim. Thanks for linking to it. Bettie, that was longtime (now retired) Capt. Gabe Chengery playing the calliope on this occasion, and he is one of the very best.
03/03/2009 10:36 am
My Dear Jim;
I cannot see to well for the tears, my head is splitting as well as my heart. I am crying so hard that my blood presure shot sky high. Thank you so very much for showing me this. I cannot help but cry. The Tennasee Waltz was my mothers favorite waltz to dance as she was a proffecianal dancer before the horrible crippling diseas of multiple sclerosis robbed her of ever walking or dancing again. She and I would sit together by her bed and she would sing the Tennasee waltz to me and we would sing Dixie together. My Mamma always said that the two songs should be sung slowly, and tenderly as they are actually love songs. We long for our old Southern home again. But, this time, it is so sad to hear her play them....The poor old girl, Her Majisty the Queen, sounded indeed truely mournful for home.. as if she were loosing her identity and home. Her slow mournful whistle sounds like a cry....but, she held her head up like a Southern Lady should and had good carriage and grace as she slowly left her familiar waterways of home. May Almighty God entrust within the minds and hearts of ALL the future children of the United States of America the true nature of the paddlewheel steamboat, and the proud and PATRIOTIC Part they played in the Old South, and in the very success of this nation of ours. They must be allowed to continue to serve the people of a proud Nation again and continue to teach the living truth of our American Heritage.! Amen
May God Bless you allfor loving "my" boat and thank you for taking such good care of her. Mr. Jim, may I please make a copy of this to keep to show my granddaughter? Now she will never have a chance to go onto her, but, she knows the two songs on the boat as she leaves at dawn for the last time, and it is a tear jerking, heart breaking sight that I will cherish forever. Thank you for taking it. The two songs were sung to me in my cradle, and on my mamma's lap as a little one as she taught me about the steamboats, and the Delta Queen. Tragicly, she died a cripple in bed, unable to ride her, but my dear husband gave me a lifelong fullfillment as a gift to ride on her last Great Race, and go to the kentucky derby with my Mamma's Sterling silver goblet and ride the beloved Delta Queen to the race. I cried so hard to walk off that gangplank, and continue to this day.. my little granddaughter will never be able to share her heritage of the Old South as I was . Now she must see it in museums or a hotel..May God help us . And may He guid and protect them all while we are apart from them. Angles watch above and below and surround them all with heavenly hosts to protect them. With heartfelt thanks and tears, I thank you again for this vidio shot.
Bettie
03/03/2009 12:47 pm
Bettie-
I'm glad you like the video. I agree with you that those two tunes go well together. In fact, throw in "My Old Kentucky Home" as well. I went to high school with one of the sons of the author of the "Tennessee Waltz" Pee Wee King so I've seen him perform the song, too but the playing of it that evening in Memphis on the Delta Queen calliope by Captain Gabe is just about the most expressive version I've ever heard.
-Jim Herron