Just Another " Thats Steamboat'n " Story !

Greetings From New Orleans ,
Every once in a great while I think back on my life and times on board the steamboats and with out fail an old incident or mishap conjures up and usually but not always , a smile comes to my face and I think back to those long ago days and those unique people I shared those priceless times with on those glorious old steamboats !
I believe it was the spring of 74' , the river was up , when Gabe Chengary was the Master of the Str. Delta Queen and I and Captain Oren Russell were the two pilots . We were at our landing in Natchez , Mississippi and were preparing to make our scheduled departure for Vicksburg when something totally unexpected and totally unforeseen came up and in all likely hood has never been repeated again ! Captain Gabe was out on the starb'd wing bridge and I was between the " sticks " inside the Pilot House of the DQ . As was the common practice before getting underway , I had checked the steering system , the whistle and the Engine Order Telegraph with the engine room and at the time everything seemed to be in good working order .
After all the DQ's mooring lines had been brought in and secured , Capt. Gabe gave the order to me for the DQ's rudders to be " Hard To Starb'd " ( hard right ) in order to steer the stern of the DQ out into the channel of the river . At this point everything seemed to be both routine and normal but little did we know that this was would be the last time we would experience anything else both routine and normal for this particular Natchez , Mississippi departure . Then , as was the " normal and routine " thing to do Capt. Gabe gave me the order for " Dead Slow Ahead " on the DQ's , Engine Order Telegraph and I complied and rang the telegraph to the " Dead Slow Ahead " position on the telegraph .
What happened next was totally unexpected and was totally beyond belief ! Instead of the DQ's stern being steered out into the river's channel , with a " Hard To Starb'd " rudder , the DQ started getting stern way and reacting the exact opposite of what Capt. Gabe and I expected the boat to do . At this point , Capt. Gabe then ordered a " Slow Ahead " bell in order to compensate for the DQ's stern way and once again both he and I were amazed that not only did this not slow or stop the stern way of the DQ , but it actually increased the speed of the DQ going astern . To further complicate the rising crisis at hand we were both closing and gaining speed towards the up river side of the Natchez , Mississippi Hwy. Bridge ! At this point Capt. Gabe and I looked at one another in total amazement and it was then I realized that although the DQ's , Engine Order Telegraph was now in the " Slow Ahead " position , the DQ's, Revolution Counter was indicating that the engine was being operated in the astern position ! I called this to Capt. Gabe's attention and he immediately called the Engine Room on the Pilot House phone and rather " colorfully " informed the Chief Engineer that the DQ's engine and wheel was being operated in the wrong direction ! I then rang " All Stop " on the Engine Order Telegraph and then immediately rang the " Full Ahead Bell " and prayed that this time the engine would be operated in the right speed and direction ! Well , our prayers were answered , we finally received the speed and direction that was needed , but it was then a matter of too little and too late !
At this point Capt. Gabe quickly realized and I concurred that there was just no chance of stopping the DQ from killing her stern way before the Natchez Hwy. Bridge , so we both agreed our only chance was to steer the Str. Delta Queen , stern first through the tiny alternate span of the bridge ! To the best of my knowledge this had never been done before but our options were certainly limited and fortunately with the assistance of the Bow Thruster and the " Full Ahead " bell on the engines we were able to maintain the boat's proper profile in the river and literally steer the DQ , stern first through the Natchez Hwy. Bridge !
I would just have to imagine that in some near disaster incidents , there is some ray of humor in all this and on this day , at this time and under these circumstances , there was just that ! A totally unforeseen and totally unscripted and totally unexpected secondary event took place that just made everything else that Capt. Gabe and I experienced seem distant and of very little significance ! Without warning or fanfare , Capt. Oren Russell appeared out on the starb'd side of the Sun Deck , scantly clothed only in a half open bath robe and proceeded to give Capt. Gabe and I an ear full and instructed us that in no uncertain terms , that we should NOT go stern first under the Natchez Hwy. Bridge ! Now of course , Capt. Russell was totally oblivious to what had just happened in both the DQ's , Pilot House and Engine Room and had no idea that our options were limited and that this was the best course of action under these rather dire circumstances !
To this day , I am not sure if it is some form of a post tramatic syndrome or what , but the sight of Capt. Oren Russell , an elderly gentleman at the time , only in an open bath robe , surrounded by passengers , in broad daylight , barking out orders , as we passed stern first through the Natchez Hwy. Bridge , was such a surreal event that I and Capt. Gabe often look back at this event with a shake of the head and a broad smile !
This and other similar events that I and others encountered while working on the steamboats is why we now cherish those early days and memories and will one day take them to the grave with us !
Like The Man Said , " Thats Steamboat'n " !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson