Small Ship cruise next month!

*BLOUNT'S 'Small Ship Adventures*
Steamboating colleagues:
Hello, Jason. Interesting reading above RE: your 'Small Ship/BLOUNT Adventure' cruise you are booked. Yes, I had experience with then BLOUNT small ships back some years ago aboard their then smaller M/V MOUNT HOPE sailing from Warren, RI to New York city, up the Hudson River, through the New York State Barge Canal down the St. Lawrence River to Montreal and thence on down to Lake Champlain again to the Hudson around and back to Warren--some 15 days in all. Luther Blount, now deceased, head of his then new cruise line along with managing his family commercial shipyard. Luther reminded me very much of our late Capt. John Beatty here on the Ohio River: rough, tough, professional but fair and kind. Nobody messed with Luther Blount. One old salt cookie and expert. BLOUNT has moved on growing their passenger fleet with larger vessels. All well done, relaxed atmosphere. I 'think' possibly a few others on Steamboats.org and in S&D of Pioneer Rivermen have also traveled with the company who could add more. The MOUNT HOPE then their prototype vessel as they were experimenting with their new company, finding their way. She was small for sure but comfortable, adequate. Things with them have changed much since then. The crew, other than nuclear officers, staff, worked by then college students.

BLOUNT has expanded with more vessels with more passenger cabin space and amentities than what I experienced back then having to walk down the deck to the men's shower rooms etc. Food was great served family style with the young lady cooking and all hands serving at table along with their other jobs aboard. No doubt this has changed in recent years. I believe Luther's daughter and family now involved with the company. They invited me to park my car on their family property in Rhode Island and to say I was WOWED! with the beaufiful home putting it mildly.

Just returned late yesterday from a 4,000 mile + sea voyage from California to Central/South America, Panama Canal, Caribbean returing via Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. While in Florida yesterday morning I did see one of the now much larger BLOUNT mini-cruise liners docked close and was very impressed. Remember, Lake Michigan [And the Great Lakes in general] can kick up nearly as bad as the ocean in winds or a storm so be prepared. Those of us here sailing on the larger steamship SS BADGER can testify to that. Aboard the MOUNT HOPE we hit rough waters in the Atlantic before we sailed behind sheltering Fisher Island and then Long Island and it was rough--really rough--with nearly all going down sea sick for a time. Enjoy and keep us posted. Are you sailing out of Chicago and up to Mackinac Island and return or on to Detroit or Cleveland, Ohio, Buffalo, NY? Being away some weeks I'm just cathching up on my E=Mails, U.S. Mail and phone recordings. Again, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Old Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati