Topic starter
29/05/2010 6:32 pm
The former Clinton Iowa gambling boat MISSISSIPPI BELLE II has been at the Celebration Cruise Line dock in Moline undergoing a transformation into a dinner boat. This has been done under the supervision of the Schadlers, Capts. Joe and Scott. She is leaving Moline tomorrow morning, Sunday May 30th, to head to New Orleans where she will undergo her 5 year hull inspection and have an elevator installed. This will be done at Bollinger Shipyard - I presume in one of their drydocks in Algiers just across from the NATCHEZ' wharf (conveniently I'm going to be in NOLA in 2 weeks!). When the yardwork is done, she will be taken by her new owner via the Intracostal Waterway to her new home in Philadelphia, where she will run as a dinner boat. Following are some pictures of her during her final day at the Schadlers' place. Hopefully I'll be able to catch her heading downriver tomorrow - it will sure be nice to see a big boat plying the Mississippi again.
30/05/2010 6:04 am
I'm wondering if they will replace those slotted wheel buckets with solid planks. Shurly won't make much headway with those.
~ Frank~
Topic starter
30/05/2010 10:41 am
paddlewheel
The wheel is purely decoration at this point - it doesn't even hit the water now that the slot machines and heavy gambling devices are off of it. Assuming it will be in the water later, it won't be for propulsion though. She has powerful diesel props.
30/05/2010 11:22 am
I think I see her leaving L&D 15 right now. Webcam LD2
Topic starter
30/05/2010 12:14 pm
MISSISSIPPI BELLE's delivery trip is underway
Yes, Suzanne did see her in the lock about 6:15AM. Here are shots of her passing the Rock Island/Davenport levees, backing under the Centennial Bridge (a la the DQ and the Greenville bridge in the 1960s), and heading downriver past my 480 UMR spot with the I-280 bridge(formerly blue and yellow) in the distance.
1)She is heading downriver between the downtowns
2 and 3) She is swinging around to back under the Centennial. This pirouetting shortly after sunrise brought back my memories of watching the 3 QUEENS glide into the Oneida St. Landing in Davenport...sigh....
Topic starter
30/05/2010 12:19 pm
more pix
As you can see, she had plenty of clearance under the Centennial. Two crewmen were standing on the roof of the pilothouse and didn't touch the bridge superstructure.
Topic starter
30/05/2010 12:25 pm
the final shots
My final views of the MISSISSIPPI BELLE II on the UMR - ironically I can't chase her further as I'm giving a talk at Sunday School this morning about my river life, including chasing boats! Both newspapers had articles in today about the MBII departure, much to my surprise. Mississippi Belle II leaves Sunday
Mississippi Belle II paddles off to new home in Philadelphia - Quad Cities Online
30/05/2010 8:44 pm
One Saved
A blessing that this former casino boat was given a new start. So many of them are rotting away in backwater fleets or otherwise destroyed. A few years from now they will all be gone and forgotten. Some really fine boats were built and great crews were assembled. Too bad for a fledgling industry that is still only less than 20 years old.
My gamlin' boats:
DIAMOND LADY
EMERALD LADY
PLAYER'S RIVERBOAT CASINO I
GRAND VICTORIA I
GRAND VICTORIA II
31/05/2010 4:54 am
The paddle wheel on the Mississippi Belle II was never a means of propulsion. Like most of Bob Kehl's boats, the original Mississippi Belle II ( Celebration Belle), the West Virginia Belle (before the paddle wheel was cut off for the casino business), the Mississippi Belle II (Philadelphia Belle) has hydraulic rams which adjust how far the paddle wheel sits in the water, so the amount of drag can be adjusted. And I agree with you Shipyard, it is nice to see another one saved.
04/06/2010 2:31 am
Mississippi Belle II past Marathon Dock, appox. M. 139 LMR, S/B, about an hour ago. At dusk, lit up, looking good.
Topic starter
04/06/2010 12:53 pm
MBII progress
She's averaging about 10 mph, assuming she hasn't stopped anywhere. She made it through our lock system in 36 hours and it took 4 more days to pass Fred's location last night. I imagine the river is high down there?
04/06/2010 2:32 pm
They were doing a lot better than 10 on the Lower. They came by me below Helena, and I was doing about 11. River down here is 13.2 and steady at NOLA, 34 ft at Baton Rouge, very slow fall.
29/09/2010 7:28 pm
There is a little video of the boat within another video on the United States Conservancy website. This is only a couple of weeks old and the MISSISSIPPI BELLE looks great up at the cruise ship docks in Philly. Look for her at about minute marker 2:30-3:20 on the video....here's a link to it. Video: SS United States Conservancy Supporters Cruise the Delaware River | SS United States Conservancy S.O.S. News Blog