The AMERICAN QUEEN is home!

*HAIL! to the AQ and Elizabeth II*

Hi, Travis,
Thanks for keeping us posted on the long awaited arrival of the AMERICAN QUEEN to revive the steamboat experience dating back to the year 1811 and the first NEW ORLEANS. I wish the AQ and all her crew well.

Being something of an Anglophile family, I well remember as a kid in school Princess Elizabeth's proclamation as queen following the death of King George VI. Though in ill health his death a shock. TV at our house a big Black/White MOTOROLA then with everybody watching her later coronation. Technology in tele-communications rather primitive by today's standards. The films were rushed by military jets to the U.S. for viewing on major networks.

Certainly not steamboats as such, but in later years a literary collegaue of mine here was on the surgical staff in London at the time King George had his surgery. He was the last monarch to be operated on in the salon of Buckingham Palace in a portable operating room. Today these people go to the hospital like any others. Dr. Louden recounted in his heavy Scotch brogue the medical personnel tending the ailing king and seeing a common large laundry bag hanging on the king's bedroom door simply stamped in black letters 'KING.'

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

Do you have any opinions on how AQ & QOTM will do.

AQ ETA NOLA

According to the AIS, her ETA for New Orleans is tomorrow evening - she's making 6 mph or so, which is about 19 hours underway from the sea buoy. So perhaps she's going to choke a stump tonight? Hopefully she'll come through the harbor while the NATCHEZ is underway and she can get the whistle salute, and maybe even a calliope welcome from her steamboat cousin! This is so much better than 2008 news!

Pointe a la Hache

She just passed the Pointe a la Hache ferry, so she's halfway or so up from the sea buoy - she's passing real river traffic now!

She´s just above Belle Chasse Middle School. She is accompanied by the tug Miriam W Cooper. I´m pretty sure she´s arriving prior to 6 pm!

Carmen

She´s just making the turn to dock at Perry Street Wharf. She should be visible on the Nola.com Bridge Cam during daylight. I saw her on the River Cam passing by Algiers Point.

Carmen

AQ at Perry St.

The AIS shows her at Perry St. but the lighting on River Cam doesn't allow her to be seen - remember even though Perry St. is on the Westbank, the cam is looking east into the sunrise! But Hallelujah, a steamboat is at Perry St. to be readied to operate again!

I don't see it on the NOLA cam. Can't wait for somebody to snap a pic and post it.

AQ at upper Perry St.

Unfortunately the Bridge Cam has been zoomed in from its original setting and now only shows the lower portion of the Perry St. wharf (which is where the MQ was for so long). This lower end is empty, so presumably the AQ is tied off on the upper end of the wharf out of camera range. Darn.

Hmmm...

Maybe one reason we can't see the AQ at Perry St. is because she isn't there?
A report from NOLA says she's at the Robin St. wharf facing downstream. It doesn't really matter, Perry or Robin, but its so nice to have something steamboaty to puzzle over! One thing is certain, she's there safely in New Orleans above the bridges.

If she is at Robin Street she really is home, and I like that! I heard that is where she will be operating out of when she is in New Orleans.

According to Marinetraffic she´s at the upper end of Perry Street Wharf.

I thought that Robin Street is now part of the Mardi Gras World? Can they still use it as a cruise terminal? The last departures were out of Julia Street Terminal.

Carmen

Robin Street

Yes, Robin Street is now Mardi Gras World with tours of the floatmaking facility. All of the DQ 'patio' stuff on the wharf was stripped away. I've heard the idea of the AQ using it too, but last week Doc mentioned the former casino boat dock just upriver. It had been renovated greatly and included, and still has, a 'plantation home' in it, through which the gamblers walked and emerged on the dock to drop their cash on the boats. I never was inside as it was only operative less than 3 months, but it would be a very nice welcome to steamboating for those waiting to board. There is a very nice boulevarded roadway leading to it off of Tchopitoulas, which was built for the gambling operation back in 1995, and there is parking available. Back when the DQ relocated to New Orleans, many office people were wary because the infamous St. Thomas housing project was only a few blocks away. But that has been long gone and made into new apartments, condos, and a WalMart so the area is now rather pleasant.

I heard that the base of operations for the AQ when in New Orleans will be Robin Street. The price that Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World is charging to use their landing is a pittance compared to other landings. It will probably be a win win situation for both. I know next time I step foot on the AQ, if she is indeed at Robin Street, I'd be interested in taking the $16.00 tour of MGW too.

Mission accomplished!

When a question arises about the NOLA harbor, we can ask the recon. boat to check it out. I'm awaiting the pictures taken by the NATCHEZ crew when they did a passby today on the 11:30 trip. The AQ is at the upper end of Perry St., across the river from Robin St., and they said she looks great. Paddlewheel parts are on the wharf, and there is an abundance of people on and around the boat. I think it safe to say there will be enough security there to avoid the 'disappearing act' that happened to the MQ at Perry St.