Natchez

Tom Price;18405 wrote: I was with the P A Denny in NOLA for the Worlds fair, who are the officers now on the boats of New Orleans steamboat Co.

The Dow family, and I'm sure Matt Dow will confirm this once he gets on today.

The Master is Steve Nicoulin, who started on the boat as a deckhand in '75. His son, Steve, just got his license as well. Don Houghton is relief Master. Troy Delaney is pilot. Both Don and Troy came on in the '80's, but I'm not sure if they came before or after the Fair. Capt. Hawley still comes by on Sundays to plays the calliope. He also narrates on occasions. In the engine room, we have Chief Scotty Vieages and Juan Mandeville (spelling on that is probably wrong). Watchmen aboard are Clarence Jordan, Robbie Mitchell, and Steve Villier. The last two have also worked on the boat since the beginning, and were both Masters on the John James Audubon (previously the Bayou Jean Lafitte) before she was sold in 2007.

Hey Matt was steve Captain on the Cotton Blossom back in the 80's? He used to let me make bayou trips with him back then when I was Mate for the DQSC. He let me do a lot of steering and boat handling and even let me Lock her a few times.

Steve Nicoulin or Villier? If it was Nicoulin, I remember him telling me about some of his times on the Blossom. I never really heard Villier talk about being over there, but it's been a while, and I could have just forgotten it

NATCHEZ officers

Both Troy C. Delaney and Don Houghton were with the boat for the Worlds Fair. Don started in '82 and Troy in '83, I think. Steve N. would have been on the CB in the early 80s. Ever since I started regular visits in 1983, he has been on the NATCHEZ. Don Houghton was CB Master for several years in the late 80s/early 90s before returning to the NATCHEZ as pilot/relief master. One officer not yet mentioned, who has been there from the beginning, is Mate Bobby Heyn. He and the Steves are from the Portland area of Louisville and were among many who ventured down to the new boat in NOLA after working on the BELLE. Scotty knows the boat better than anyone, as he was on the Bergeron Shipyard crew that built her, and then followed her up into NOLA. It was his 'testimony' to the Coast Guard back in 1987 ?, which swayed them to let us take out the midship bulkhead in the dining room. Here is a picture of most of the NATCHEZ officers in April 1983. I sent it to F.Way, and since I didn't know Don's name at the time, he became the infamous 'and the watchman whose name we know not' in Capt. Way's photo description.
Steve Nicoulin, Pilot; Bobby Heyn, Mate; C.C.Hawley, Master; Rodney Richardson, Mate; Tommy Keel, Watchman, Don Houghton, Watchman.
The fact that so many of the crew have stayed with the NATCHEZ over the years speaks well for the stewardship of the Dow family.

Judy,
How could I have forgotten about Bobby! Shame on me, but you're correct. He came, "from Lousy-ville to Lousy-ana" (one of his quotes) with Doc and the others from the Belle.

Mate Heyn

Maybe because he now lives in the genteel area across the lake, and of course Bobby is rather low key...

I cant remember Steve V brother in laws name he ran the CB some

Capts. Steve Nicoulin and Steve Villier are brother-in-laws.

Amazing discovery!

I was looking for pix of Betty Blake at the '79 S&D meeting, and this photo appeared. In Capt. Roddy Hammett's handwriting: aboard COTTON BLOSSOM June 1978 first trip together. That is Capt. Steve Villier with the mike while Capt. Steve Nicoulin is at the wheel.

One hell of a find there, Judy! You should print this out and bring it to NO with you when you head back down there. I'm sure they'll love to see this

Old crew photos

Since my 1984/85 crew pix were such a hit last time, I thought I'd take more down next month Oct. 21-26, and this one will certainly be included! I'm thinking that perhaps Roddy was riding in an 'inspection' capacity, since this was the first trip the two Steves did together on the CB, and it would have been a bayou cruise.

Im thiking of a Captain named Alan, on the CB

Allen brothers

There were 2 brothers named Allen. JJ was one and I can't think of the other's first name. They haven't been with the company for years.

That was it JJ, Thanks for your help, I dont think we worked together.

I cant remember which Steve it was I just remember he was a super nice guy and I always enjoyed those Bayou trips in the pilot house.

Ok now that I saw Judys pic it was Steve Villere that I rode with on the CB.

Ok JJ actually came to work for me as a watchman on the DQ but only stayed a week and went back to the Natchez. We called his brother big Al I think. Werent they from Louisville?

Judy I think big Al's first name was Mike