Topic starter
01/02/2009 2:23 pm
It was 8 degrees Saturday morning as I awaited my ride to the Quad Cities International Airport, and it was 64 as I stood on the roof of the NATCHEZ and narrated in the afternoon. We did just the 2:30 day trip and the dinner trip. Unless there are groups scheduled, she is basically just doing the 2:30 day cruise and Friday and Saturday night dinner trips. As we approached the lower end of the harbor, we saw the River Explorer nosed in below the Algiers Canal. She was awaiting entrance to the lock, apparently to take the Intracostal over to her Beaumont layup destination. The DQ was all lit up last night and has had steam up for a day or two. We're going to go up and pass Perry Street on this afternoon's trip. I'll be narrating, but I'll have the mike in one hand and a camera in the other. The 'beach' which was showing when I was here in November has been covered with water again, but with the river around 4 feet, its beginning to emerge again. I had a first in my narrating career - when I signed off yesterday, a large section of the portside passengers applauded - but I don't know if that was in appreciation for what I told them, or for me stopping the talk... I'm about to head to the golf course for a quick round this morning. Got to take advantage of the warmer weather and snowless/iceless terrain while I can.
Topic starter
02/02/2009 4:34 am
Good Evening from NOLA
So much for the old adage of "Practice makes Perfect". I walked onto the golf course not having taken a swing since last here in November, and I shot the second lowest 9 hole total in my career...after this enjoyable activity, I narrated the 2:30 NATCHEZ cruise. We went above the bridges past Perry St. and the two vessels docked there, let's see what are their names??? Oh yes, the MQ - she was there, best leave it at that. But the DQ, she looked resplendently white and shiny, with her wheel rolling slowly and steadily! As we passed by close enough for me to throw some doubloons had I had any, 7 or 8 crew members came out to watch us. I did not recognize anyone, and I asked over the mike if Jammerjaws was there, but got no response. They had 3 or 4 cabin doors open on both the Texas and Sun Decks. They had plywood halfway up the dining room windows, for the Mississippi Sound, I presume. Engineering is a foreign language to me, but it seems if the wheel is rolling, the fuel must be getting to the boilers and steam must be getting to the engines??? I'll post pix when I get home, I have no scanner here.
Topic starter
03/02/2009 2:19 pm
A final word from NOLA
My flight isn't until 4:30 this afternoon, but I won't be able to catch the NATCHEZ again as she's just doing the 2:30 today. We had a nice crowd aboard yesterday, most huddled in the dining room as it was breezy and in the high 50s. The crowd was a result of a conference on soil conservation in town. The tourist business is fine when there are conferences and conventions scheduled, its the individual family travel segment that is hurting so much. We didn't get up to Perry St. due to the constant downbound traffic there, but I could see the DQ's wheel was silent. The forecast for Wednesday is for a cold front to move through, with seas of 4-7 ft. Whether that means out in the Mississippi Sound or not, I don't know.
I always drive out to the same corner in the lower 9th to compare conditions. I was amazed to see about 20 new houses built in the 16 or so square block area which was completely demolished by the rushing water from the Industrial Canal breach. They must be using new hurricane-proof methods, as these are some unusual looking buildings, and they are all built at least 5 feet or so above the ground. But where there aren't these new places, the remnants of the concrete foundations of the old homes still litter the landscape. Just outside the 'ground zero' area, about half the homes are rehabbed and inhabited. Most of the others look like they are not going to be rehabbed, they were gutted and that is it. But there is a brand new Family Dollar Store in the area as well as quite a few returning businesses along St. Claude Avenue. It certainly is different than that first visit in February '06, when there was not one sign of life from the Industrial Canal down to the Chalmette Refinery.
Its a cool but sunny day here, but everything is relative - its 3 right now in Rock Island, so I imagine it will be below zero by the time I get in tonight.
Here's hoping for a timely departure tomorrow and a safe journey for the old DELTA and her crew!
03/02/2009 5:55 pm
hey Judy hope your trip is a safe one. Thanks for the info on the ninth ward as I lived down there back in the day and grew up in the quarter. went to high school at 3800 St.Claude and at one time lived on the corner of St. Roche and St. Claude. and lived in St. Bernard Parish as well.
Topic starter
03/02/2009 6:10 pm
That high school is open, can't remember its new name. The old St. Roch fish market is still standing, but is a shambles.
03/02/2009 6:24 pm
Wow yeah I remember the fish market. The school was Francis T Nicholls but they changed it years ago to Fredrick Douglas. Oh and it was the Corner of Rampart and St. Roche that I lived at, a block off St. Claude back in the days I was fresh out of high school and working at Cafe' Du Monde. I also lived at 1325 Magazine, 7800 St. Charles, 714 Royal, 916 Orleans(my parents house), and on Franklin Ave. between Claiborne and St. Claude. All before I got on the MQ in early '77.