Topic starter
18/01/2008 7:43 pm
I have yet to see this type of request on the board, so here it goes:
After several DQ cruises and one more planned for July, I want to suppliment my photo collection with some some shots taken of the DQ by "chasing" it during one or more of the planned river cruising days this year. For example, the April New Orleans - Cincinnati trip has a weekend Memphis - Paducah all day river cruising agenda. So, how do I get APPROXIMATE times past key cities or points en-route? Is there any place or site (even it is posted the day before) which estimates where it will be at dawn or passing say Caruthersville, MO, as an example? I fully understand delays can happen at locks, due to other tow traffic, weather, etc, but there must be some target for passing certain points.
Also, I understand that DQ departure times from ports are earlier and arrival times later this year, when compared to previous years. Is there at least a way to get such information? I also have a scanner radio to listen in on river traffic, but have found much of the conversation is about various girl friends, not about where a boat might be at a particular time.
Thanks in advance for any help...This is something I had planned for several years, but with the current DQ situation, it will be now or never.
Note that this is not unique to riverboats. The rail enthusiast community has entire website sections devoted to timing locations for special steam locomotive runs. Estimated times past various stations are often posted weeks in advance.
18/01/2008 8:48 pm
Well, I think its safe to say no one on this board has chased the DQ/MQ/AQ/Belle/Natchez more than I, nor photgraphed them from more angles and hills and vales... Here are some starters: Unless the river is high, figure 8 mph to insure you don't get to a spot late. On the lower river, you'll just have to use that between cities/stops and that can get pretty inaccurate. The best bet is finding a boat on the Ohio or Upper Miss where there are lock systems. Here is the page to locate the vessel in question: http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/omni/webrpts/omni_vl/river_lock.cfm?
This is quite accurate, assuming the lockmaster enters it in a timely manner. Again, figure 8 mph from a lock to your point. If you are several locks away, add a half hour per lockage. I monitor channel 14, as this is the one used to call the locks. You will hear the boat's eta and the situation at the lock re: vessels ahead awaiting locking(DQ has priority over all but US govt. boats, and usually towboat captains will cooperate with a passenger vessel on a time schedule). Vessels use channel 13 for passing. For more details, please email me: [email protected]
19/01/2008 5:56 pm
Richard,
I just found this on the new German agency (and therfore the text is German). It´s a schedule including dates and scheduled port times
http://www.unlimited-cruises.com/AQ_Internet_2008.pdf for the AQ
http://www.unlimited-cruises.com/DQ_Internet_2008.pdf for the DQ
Sure a scheduled arrival at 8 am doesn´t mean the boats arrive by this time. Usually they do arrive somewhen during the night. But you can use the departure times and Judy´s instructions to figure out when one of the boats may pass a certain spot. It´s still tricky and believe me - as we don´t have a radio - we sat there for hours in our car until the DQ passed by. Once we waited for hours just to learn later that we were already late and had missed her.
Good luck chasing the DQ!
Carmen
19/01/2008 6:58 pm
Of course, one way to not miss the boat is to be there to film the departure and then you have plenty of time to drive up/downriver for shots underway. That way you'll get a variety of angles. I film them leaving Oneida St., hop in the car across the Govt. Bridge and get them entering, and leaving, the lock. The lock is just across the river from the landing...amazing how much you can snap with proper traffic conditions...