Topic starter
27/05/2011 4:17 pm
Greetings From Covington , La.
It is with a sad heart that I have to report to one and all that the MPI's ( Maritime Pilot Institute ) , Scaled Manned Model Facility was destroyed last night by a direct hit from a F 3 , tornado that touched down in the Covington, La. area . Fortunately there was no loss of life but the really sad part is , that just recently a new manned model ship was launched and a new covered dock was completed and installed ! The Manned Model Facilities trailer/classroom was rolled over and destroyed , and all three of the school's manned model ships were damaged and partially sunk ! MPI has slowly but surly been gaining national recognition as a world class scaled manned model institute and just recently signed contracts with other national pilot associations such as the Tampa Bay Pilots , the Houston Ship Pilots , the Lake Charles Pilots , the Louisiana Bar Pilots , the Southeast Alaskan Pilots , and of course the NOBRA Pilots , for their continuing education training ! MPI's other facility in downtown Covington which housed a state of the art , 360 degree simulator , escaped with out harm and plans are already in the works to rebuild and hopefully make this Manned Model Facility better than before !
Smooth Sailing !
Ted Davisson
NOBRA 70
27/05/2011 8:11 pm
Ted & Steamboating colleagues:
Dismal, sad the photos you showed of the latest disasters. Can't say 'thanks' due to the matter but all appreciated. Keep the great photos and postings coming. The training boat and academy you mention featured not long ago on cable TV when the new red vessel was being delivered and launched.
Question by E=Mail here today: "What would the DQ,MQ,AQ have done during all of this protracted high water, winds etc?" No doubt operations would have come to a complete halt. The AQ got stuck up here in 1997 during the long flood unable to clear any of the Cincinnati bridges. On the DQ twice eons ago I remember tying to the bank when dangerous winds were predicted to 'ride out the big blow.'
R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.
31/05/2011 4:14 am
UMR still high
Heck, the Anson Northrup, which usually travels from St. Paul's Harriet Island to Fort Snelling, had to turn around the I-35E bridge today because of high water. This is near the junction of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers near Pike Island. I can only imagine that if it's still too high up here, how bad it is further down river.