Saturday, October 16, 1999

Captains grab chance to socialize

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Comrades on river find few times to meet

BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer

James Gilmer, right, captain of the Island Queen, leads other boat captains off the American Queen. (Yoni Pozner photo) | ZOOM |

        Even as crowds gathered along the riverfront in Cincinnati, the Delta Queen made its way downriver Friday morning, followed by pleasure boats and accompanied by a light mist that rose off the river as it headed toward the Port of Cincinnati.

        It carried more than a dozen riverboat captains for the short morning cruise, a break from the hard work aboard their own boats. Capt. James Gilmer brought the Island Queen up from Memphis, Tenn., about 600 miles, with some tramping included, a trip that took 14 days and encountered some fog that pushed the Island Queen close to the riverbanks.

        Capt. Gilmer stood on the deck of the Delta Queen and watched as the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky shorelines slipped by.

        “It was a good trip,” the captain recalled. “A few foggy times, and going through the locks (on the Ohio River) was interesting.”

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        He has worked for the Memphis Queen Line for 16 years, starting out as a deckhand — “Tying lines, cleaning up boats, maintenance work, that kind of thing,” he said — then working his way up. He became a captain about two years ago.

        This was the longest cruise he has personally piloted, although the Island Queen, an 85-foot stern-wheeler, has made all four Tall Stacks appearances.

        “He has a sweet spirit,” said Capt. Dale Meanley Lozier, president of the Memphis Queen III, of Capt. Gilmer as she relaxed on the deck of the Delta Queen. “He's an excellent captain. You don't think I'd turn him loose on my boat without his being an excellent one.”

        “I really care about him. His brother, too,” she said, referring to Capt. Charles Gilmer who also works for Memphis Queen Line.

        As the Delta Queen passed St. Rose Church, with Mount Adams coming into view from the bend, the riverboat captains gathered on the deck.

        They don't get many opportunities to socialize, and some — such as Captains Ken Moran, of the Majestic (out of Pittsburgh), Gary Desnoyer, of the Tom Sawyer (out of St. Louis), Paul Stinson, of the Music City Queen (out of Nashville) and Gilmer — had never met before Tall Stacks '99.

        “Excursion boats operate out of our own cities and don't see much of other boats,” said Capt. Moran, the only one of the four making his second Tall Stacks appearance.

Showing off
        But visits with one another in port do take place. The crew of the Belle of Louisville — the oldest riverboat — and the crew of the Majestic, in port alongside, visit one another.

        “We were amazed at the old-time technology on that boat,” said Capt. Moran. “Not too many modern conveniences on that boat. They've been good neighbors for us.”

        “We talked about how business was doing in each city,” said Capt. Desnoyer, “...how long it took to get here.”

        “About racing one another and how slow everyone else is,” said Capt. Moran.

        All agreed being in port is a busy time, 12 hours on and 12 off, catching some sleep during off-hours, juggling schedules for the harbor, lunch and dinner and moonlight cruises throughout the five days of Tall Stacks '99.

        “I haven't even had a chance to see the city,” said Capt. Desnoyer, and all agreed.

        “When you're not working, you're sleeping,” said Capt. Moran. “But it's not often that you get to do something like this.”

        “The cruise schedule is a challenge,” said Capt. Stinson.

        “And you learn some new maneuvers,” said Capt. Gilmer. “You think, "I didn't know the boat could do that.'”

        “The wind is the worst for us,” said Capt. Moran. “A lot of people think because these boats are so big and heavy, nothing affects them. But we're only drafting four or five feet of water, so it's like being one big 'ol sail ...”

        “Heavy rain, too, messes up visibility,” said Capt. Gilmer, as the Delta Queen began to pass under the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, Cincinnati's crowded riverfront spread before it.

Bernstein's dream
        A driving force behind this Tall Stacks, as with the previous three, including the Tall Stacks that was part of the Bicentennial gala in 1988, has been Alan Bernstein, a riverboat captain himself from Northern Kentucky. He helped bring these riverboat people together.

        Most thought it an unworkable idea, Mr. Bernstein said Friday as he sat along the Serpentine Wall by the Jonathan Padelford. “Dumb idea,” they told him. Why would riverboats leave their home ports, sacrifice income and travel hundreds of miles in some cases to attend a tenuous event?

        Mr. Bernstein helped convince them that people would flock to the Public Landing to see riverboats. The Bicentennial Commission put up the money — more than $1 million — to pay their expenses.

        Yet, he held his breath. “I was plenty nervous,” he said. “I staked my reputation and friendship (with riverboat people from around the country) on this. I really didn't know what to expect.”

        Fourteen riverboats showed up, as did boatloads of people to board them for cruises. Tall Stacks became a main event of the Bicentennial celebration.

        “Just look at that,” he continued as the Majestic glided by, its decks laden with passengers. “Look at that boat. It's just magnificent.

        “The captains love the river, and they're here to run their boats. And what you see today is that people love to see boats.”

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