Three more boats

A short trip down to the river turned into a long one -- particularly when I should have been home doing other things -- when I saw three boats, including one of my favorites.

First, there was the Holy Angel.

Then there was the O. Nelson Jones.

Finally, there was the Mary Ellen Jones.

While the O. Nelson Jones was passing, there was a pleasure boat out in the channel. It was pulling something that looked like a dock segment. Towing it, if you prefer, when a real towboat went by.

Another view on changes in the coal industry

As coal is the dominant commodity moved on the Ohio River, changes in the coal industry affect river traffic. I've written about this before. For another take on what's going on in the coal industry, check out this article.

A sample from the article:

     Industry advocates are often quick to blame Obama administration rules and environmentalists for the troubles. Greens, for their part, point to the international markets and what they see as coal's inevitable decline. But the truth lies somewhere in between, relying on a complex set of factors that are largely absent from the current debate over whether there is a "war on coal."