The Delta Queen's paddlewheel
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November 9, 2008
November 6, 2008
Staff from the Oak Alley Foundation with Captain John Dugger on the Delta Queen
Early this morning, we slipped out for one last stroll through the beautiful grounds of Oak Alley Plantation. We roamed along the majestic row of of oaks which date back about 300 years. I’ve visited California’s great Sequoia’s and these Oaks rank right up there. What a sight. As you walk off the boat, up an over the levee, the two parallel rows of 14 oaks are one of nature’s most delightful treats. The beautiful mansion at the end dates back to the 1830s. (The oaks predate the home by more than a century, planted in there neat rows by some ambitious settler long ago.)
We held hands, savoring the beauty of the day and the scene. We went all the way back to the gift shop to enjoy a slice of the best pecan pie I’ve ever enjoyed. Oak Alley also offers another best - the best mint juleps - and one was a necessity this morning for us to share and sip on. Here’s my video version of a stroll around the grounds.
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We enjoyed having Zeb Mayhew and his staff from the Oak Alley Foundation come aboard the Delta Queen for a tour and visit with the Captain.
Just following their departure, we prepared for the Delta Queen’s final departure to head on down to New Orleans.
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November 5, 2008
USS Kidd in very low water.
Wow, the water is low. We dock near the USS Kidd and today it is sitting in its cradle with dry riverbed showing underneath. As the water rises, the Kidd floats up along a brace that holds it in place. Good design for the lower Mississippi where the river level can vary up to 60 feet in a year! That sounds like the swings of my emotions in the last few days!
- The Delta Queen pulling in to Baton Rouge.
We stood out on deck and enjoyed watching the Delta Queen come down river, make her turn back up into the current and glide gracefully over to dock next to the American Queen. My goodness, she is a beautiful boat. Here’s a little video pan down her side for your enjoyment:
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We had several media today and I was busy with interviews. It is so encouraging to see the media interest in the boat. Perhaps the only positive thing about the boat’s “retirement” is the media interest that is generating. Hopefully this coverage will help garner the civic and political support we will need to get the legislation passed.
St. Francisville, LA mayor Billy D'Aquilla and Baton Rouge mayor "Kip" Holden.
We enjoyed sharing todays Tribute Event with St. Francisville, LA mayor Billy D’Aquilla and Baton Rouge mayor “Kip” Holden. The DQ was scheduled to visit St. Francisville only once this year at the beginning of the season but the water was too high to dock there. So, we invited the mayor and some of his staff to come down and join our event in Baton Rouge. It was a lovely day and a nice event.
The DQ stayed a little later after the AQ pulled out to help the AQ guests get a more restful night’s sleep.
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November 4, 2008
Election Day in Natchez, Mississippi. We scurried off to the post office and mailed our ballots. We are voters! It feels good to reengage in the democratic process.
Natchez has always been a great riverboat town, dating back all the way to 1811 when the first steamboat docked here. We were very touched that Natchez even produced the banner shown here as a special tribute to the relationship between the boats and the city.
The good news is that Majestic has finally decided to allow American Queen guests to come aboard the Delta Queen for a visit. They had offered seven 2-hour cruises for sale at a cost of $49 each. None of them sold enough to meet the minimum to operate the trip. Somehow, people on a week-long riverboat cruise weren’t interested in paying $50 to take a two-hour riverboat cruise. But at least the company has given in and opened up the DQ for visits. I hope this will dilute some of the tensions amongst the AQ passengers this week.
The Natchez casino at sunset, just behind the AQ.
We had another nice event with the city representatives from Natchez. The boat is staying until 11pm, so a few of us slipped away for dinner at the incredible Kings Tavern restaurant. Terrific meal! On the way back, many steamboaters gathered at the famous Under The Hill Saloon for one last toast to the city. Supposedly, Mark Twain used to visit this historical pub when he served as a steamboat pilot before the Civil War. WE gathered here again before a dark time in steamboat history.
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November 4, 2008
Lovely Vicksburg. After the last two ports, it is so nice to have attractions within walking distance of the boat! Plus many are headed out on tours, most to visit the interesting Vicksburg battlefied of Civil War fame.
Laura and I ascended Vicksburg’s intimidating hills to dine once more at Walnut Hills, one of our favorite restaurants. You sit at a big round table with a spinning “lazy Susan” circular disk in the middle which is quickly filled with good, hot southern cooking! Besides the terrific meal, we also owe them a big thanks. They were kind enough to allow us to have our absentee ballots mailed there. We were so excited to get them and cast our ballots, postmarked by tomorrow’s election day. It is great to be excited to vote again!
The Vicksburg event went great and the mayor had some very nice words to share.
Unfortunately, tensions are increasing amongst AQ guests. We are in port all day each day this cruise and so far the folks on the port side have their view blocked all day by the Delta Queen. Now, I would consider this a treat, but many do not. Not only is the view blocked, but the exhausts are loud and the diesel smell is very strong. Even worse, the docking for port except Oak Alley Plantation on the last day will keep the Delta Queen on the same side. People are getting cranky. Nerves are on edge. I know ours are. Up at the Calliope Bar a guest was complaining to Laura. (Even though we’re not staff, guests think anyone below 50 must be, so we always get plenty of feedback.) The gentlemen was so angry about the DQ situation that he said, “They should just sink it!” My sweet, tender Laura just burst into tears as he stormed away. She said later that his words felt like a knife cutting into her heart.
To help with the problem, after the American Queen departs, the Delta Queen will remain at Vicksburg until until very late to give the AQ port side some quiet time to sleep. The DQ will join us in Natchez in the morning.
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November 2, 2008
Greenville VIPs with Captain John Dugger.
Greenville on a Sunday is quieter than a feather falling on pile of cotton balls. Our morning stroll reveals that the downtown road are under construction for miles and you can count the remaining downtown shops on one hand. Much like Helena yesterday, the shore tour is the only attraction to today’s stop. But we did have an opportunity to visit with Mayor Heather Hudson and several visitors from the city. They enjoyed their tour of the Delta Queen and we had a nice ceremony for the dozens gathered along the waterfront.
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November 1, 2008
No admittance to the Delta Queen
Posted by Bill under Life Onboard, Uncategorized | Tags: Delta Queen |No Comments
Well, there is an uproar among the passengers of the American Queen. There is a large group aboard that had arranged with Majestic America Line to have some receptions and even dinners aboard the Delta Queen. But Majestic has decided not to allow the other American Queen guests to visit the Delta Queen while the two boats are tied together in port. Instead Majestic is offering seven opportunities throughout this cruise for American Queen guests to purchase a $49 opportunity to ride the Delta Queen on a two hour cruise. I hope some of the guests will get a chance to see the lovely interior of this boat this week. Wow!
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November 1, 2008
Helena, Arkansas is almost a ghost town on a good day. The Civil War soldiers stationed here nicknamed it with an alternate pronunciation: “Hell-in Arkansas” and the nickname is still pretty accurate. This is one of those river communities that has struggled with terrible economic challenges. They do offer a very nice shore tour here and (other than a chance to stretch the legs) that is the primary reason for the stop.
We were so pleased to have Mayor Valley and several community representatives join us for the Tribute Event. He expressed very kind and sincere words about the significance of the Delta Queen’s economic benefit to the city.
Here’s a shot of the Delta Queen tied up alongside the American Queen in Helena:
- A view of the DQ
Helena has a little harbor we pull in to and both boats were a tight squeeze. Backing out is quite a feat, expertly handled by the Captain and Pilots. Here is the DQ backing out around the point:
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October 31, 2008
It was eerily quite around the boat during this morning’s disembarkation. Usually, this time is bustling and busy and noisy and guests prepare to return home. But today, guests sat visiting with each other quietly, waiting for their assigned bus to be announced ready for boarding. Many roamed around the boat taking some last photographs. There was a pall of sadness hovering over us all. Any yet, we all looked at each other, hugged, and bid farewell with the connection and bond of having shared something very special together. I will miss our cruise guests. They have been delightful and entertaining. I wouldn’t trade for the stories and experiences we’ve shared together.
We roamed around and visited with other crew members who also were preparing to depart as we watched the bustling boat grow more still and quiet. I have often expressed the belief that it is the steam engine that gives the Delta Queen its life, but I realize now it is even more so her guests. These ardent fans, passionate travelers, and returning friends are the heart of this precious experience. I will miss them all.
The boat finally grew so quiet that it became disturbing, and so Laura and I began to gather our things and laboriously haul them over to the American Queen. Both boats will go down together, but due to passenger restrictions, we will ride in a stateroom aboard the AQ. At the cities along the lower river, we will continue to conduct Tribute Events to thank the towns for the years of support.
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October 31, 2008
Laura and Bill and a beautiful river sunset
This is Laura Sable writing this post (unbeknownst to Bill!) and I wanted to say a big thank you to Bill. He has worked tirelessly on the Delta Queen this year. He has brought so much joy to the guests and crew with his talks, music, card tricks, enthusiasm and overall passion for this boat. So, thank you, my love. You are my hero!
Laura
