NATCHEZ progress report

To whomever is relaying info to Capt. Bernstein and the COLONEL crew: I was just reading his blog about the NATCHEZ making 12mph and thinking they'd catch the COLONEL. Don't know where that came from, as they were making 8 mph until they hit the high water late last night and were down to 6 mph, so obviously there never was any possibility of catching up. You're safe! It is interesting to watch the lock page and see the progress of the various boats enroute to Cincy, and the captain's blogs are certainly interesting. Please pass my thanks on to him for doing this.

I talked with Captain Don Houghton on the NATCHEZ this morning at about 3am and the were approaching Cave In Rock IL. He is on the Midnight to 6am watch. Captain Finley (hope I spelled that right) was on watch with him and it was good to hear his voice as well. Don was hoping to be in Cincy in the wee morning hours on Monday. They will probably be there before I get of watch at 6:30am. As Judy mentioned due to the high water they are not stopping for supplies or water and since they are using water for the crew and boilers as well (yes she is a condensing engine but there is still some loss) they are taking water from ballast tanks witch have fresh water in them. So she will have to take lots of water when they arrive to fill the potable, boiler feed water and ballasts tanks. Don told me that they had a little trouble with the condensate pump packing glad and were for a while using there back up steam condensate pump. Apparently they had a problem with the packing gland but when I talked to him they were back on the electric pump. For those who may not know, after the steam is exhausted from the steam engines into the condenser (which is cooled by river water) the condensate pump then pumps that water (condensed steam) out of the condenser to be filtered and preheater before being pumped back into the boilers again. But they are doing well and thanks for the progress report Don. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Is Scotty Chief? The NATCHEZ is in the Meyer pool now, and the GENERAL JACKSON is now on the Ohio too, passing through Smithland at 4 this morning.

I didn't ask as we lost our phone connection but I feel sure that he is. If I don't talk to Don Tonight I will talk to him Sunday night as he is going to let me know when he passes Lawrenceburg and I'll come out on deck of the Argosy riverboat Casino. I'll ask him then and post. I feel sure that Scotty and Juan are both onboard. They are both very good engineers. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Sunday morning 10 EDT

Looks like there might be a "Parade Lap" going on now in the Louisville harbor... The NATCHEZ locked through McAlpine at 9:45 and the BELLE was scheduled to leave at 9:30. I can just about hear Calliope Keith right now, and Franz and Carmen, JoAnn Schoen, Pat Carr, Pat Traynor and others snapping away the photo memories. I suspect this makes the airfare from Munich worth it already for our webmasters!

Is Scotty the Chief??? If so how can I contact him and Don. Im from the P.A. Denny when we were in NOLA in 84 (Worlds Fair ) and would love to say HI

I'm taking my laptop along tomorrow, so if you'll email me, I'll send cell phone nos. to contact them in Cincy.

The Final Report from the UMR

As I get ready to pack up my laptop, the NATCHEZ is an hour or two away from Cincinnati (midnight Sunday). They cleared the last lock, Markland, at 6:49PM. I'm sure the crew is ready for some real beds and showers after 8 days nonstop onboard. A report from Keith was that the BELLE had left her wharf this morning and was proceeding upriver when the NATCHEZ appeared out of the canal. After the NATCHEZ slowed to pick up Michael Blaser midstream, she resumed full ahead and caught up to the BELLE in short time. Whistle salutes and much picture-taking as she passed, and she was off into the distance... It was a beautiful day and safe to say a few good shots were gotten by the photogs...