Topic starter
30/01/2007 6:51 am
Well, I'll be darned. I was just perusing Cruise Talks's weekly newsletter and there was an article about Princess Cruises offering a tour of Ketchikan Harbor from a genuine paddlewheeler. My interests were piqued. Three years ago when I was up that way there was no such boat. So a quick Google and I found the boat's website. It 'pears to me as if the ELIZABETH LOUISE headed north and is now offering two hour glimpses of the Last Frontier from May through September. Her new name is ALASKA QUEEN.
When she was built in California she originally had the machinery from the small towboat COP-R-LOY, but I believe that she was under powered. Her builder owner later had new machinery made for her and installed.
30/01/2007 7:32 am
Frank,
Here´s a link to the Princess shore tour
http://www.princess.com/shorex/shorexdetail.jsp?shorexId=KTN-022
and some more links of independant tour operators
http://www.bestofalaskatravel.com/alaska_day_tours/pages/k_alaska_queen.htm
http://alaskatours.com/ketchikan-alaska.htm
Carmen
30/01/2007 8:23 pm
Frank and Carmen,
I had long wondered what happened to the boat. It appears Mrs. Wilmunder sold the calliope to the boat owner and they are going to put it on the boat (at least that is what the promorional information would make one think...for the calliope was on a trailer at the time of the late owners death).
The calliope was built by Ernest J. Wilde and was his personal instrument. His widow sold it to Hal Wilmunder who kept it on the trailer and used it in promotions with the boat and the local railway museum.
I guess the company who bought the boat got it in the deal and mated them together.
Wow, in these dark days of steam in America it is heart-warming to hear of a boat being reborn. Her season will be short in Alaska...but, at least she is running!
~Travis~
16/03/2007 8:54 pm
Frank X. Prudent;3521 wrote: Well, I'll be darned. I was just perusing Cruise Talks's weekly newsletter and there was an article about Princess Cruises offering a tour of Ketchikan Harbor from a genuine paddlewheeler. My interests were piqued. Three years ago when I was up that way there was no such boat. So a quick Google and I found the boat's website. It 'pears to me as if the ELIZABETH LOUISE headed north and is now offering two hour glimpses of the Last Frontier from May through September. Her new name is ALASKA QUEEN.
When she was built in California she originally had the machinery from the small towboat COP-R-LOY, but I believe that she was under powered. Her builder owner later had new machinery made for her and installed.
Frank, the last part you write about is not quite true, unfortunately. The new machinery was never completed and therefore never installed. The engines she left Sacramento with, and that are apparently being refurbished in Seattle, are still those from the COP-R-LOY/Detroiter.
16/03/2007 9:03 pm
Travis Vasconcelos;3535 wrote: Frank and Carmen,
I had long wondered what happened to the boat. It appears Mrs. Wilmunder sold the calliope to the boat owner and they are going to put it on the boat (at least that is what the promorional information would make one think...for the calliope was on a trailer at the time of the late owners death).
The calliope was built by Ernest J. Wilde and was his personal instrument. His widow sold it to Hal Wilmunder who kept it on the trailer and used it in promotions with the boat and the local railway museum.
I guess the company who bought the boat got it in the deal and mated them together.
Wow, in these dark days of steam in America it is heart-warming to hear of a boat being reborn. Her season will be short in Alaska...but, at least she is running!
~Travis~
Yes, the calliope went with the boat when it was sold by Hal Wilmunder's son Les and Hal's widow Marie.
16/03/2007 11:49 pm
... and the hull of the COP-R-LOY/DETROITER is presently Nelson Jone's steam whistle barge, ANNA MARIE.