Delta Queen

By now you've all probably heard the news about the Delta Queen. I don't have anything to add except that I'll get really excited when I see the boat back on the river in 2020, assuming it happens. I may have to fight every photographer and every drone operator to get a good spot to shoot, but I'll get something, God willing.

I'm already planning my shooting spots (and hoping my contacts who can get me access to some really good ones that are off limits to the general public have not retired by then).

Who knows, I might even drag out every photo I took of the DQ in the film era, including when I squeezed every shot possible out of every roll.

Perhaps 2020 will be a good year after all.

Nightfall at the Gallipolis locks

On the way up the river today, running late for a delivery to a family member, I went through Glenwood, W.Va., and saw three boats upbound, all heading for the Gallipolis Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam. I figured with luck I would see one or two at the locks on the way back down. Which I did, just as night was falling.

The A.B. York was about to leave the locks, and I saw the Catlettsburg waiting.

Downriver, between the thriving metropolises of Bladen, Ohio, and Apple Grove, W.Va., the West Virginia was out in the channel waiting its turn.

Then it was time for the Catlettsburg to enter the lock.

One regret: The Steven J. Mason was out there, but I didn't get to see it. At least Jeff Cumptan did. He posted  photos on the Facebook page Ohio & Kanawha River Photography if you would like to see them.

The Ohio River at night

I gotta remember to carry a tripod so I don't have to do these night shots handheld.

M/V Morgan Leigh and M/V Chris

I saw the two boats today when I ran out to the store to get stuff we needed for dinner.

First, the Morgan Leigh passing under the Sixth Street Bridge as seen from Chesapeake, Ohio, with Huntington, W.Va. (America's Best Community) in the background.

And then the Chris as see from Proctorville, Ohio, again with Huntington in the background.

It was a dreary day, the kind that sucks the life out of me but gives my older son joy. He takes after his momma's side.

Happy Thanksgiving

And thank you to the loyal followers of The Ohio River Blog, both of you.

Whether you're with family or whether you're working, have a good day. Please.

Deckhand on the M/V Louise S

Getting all artsy for a day

Here with minimal comments are a few photos I got of boats and barges today.

Enjoy them if you wish

I still plan to write that piece on the M/V Tri-State sometime this week, by the way.

Two boats

Blogging isn't easy when your internet service provider goes out on Tuesday and waits until Saturday to restore service. But here we are again.

Today I headed downriver and saw a couple of boats and more. It will take some time to work through everything I got, but we have to start sometime.

First, the M/V Gene Neal at Catlettsburg, Ky.

I like seeing this boat because it is nearly identical, if not totally identical, to one of my all-time favorites on the Ohio – the former M/V Tri-State of Ashland Oil. In May 1980, I rode the Tri-State from Neale Island to South Point, Ohio, and then over to Kenova, W.Va. More on the Tri-State and the Gene Neal soon.

I caught up with the Gene Neal a few miles downriver at Ashland, Ky., but not before getting a few photos of the M/V Alan P Hall of Amherst Madison.

You have to like the old 1960s-era Dravo boats. And the older ones, too. And the newer ones. At least I  do.

Again, more later.

M/V Pride in the rain

As seen from old Ohio Route 7 in the part of Lawrence County between Miller and Crown City.

M/V Glenn A. Hendon

Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, as seen from Huntington, W.Va., with Proctorville, Ohio, in the background.

M/V Mary Ellen Jones

It looks like she dropped some barges, headed down to Merdie Boggs to get some stuff, came back with a full stomach and decided to pick up her barges again.

We got there when the sun was shining brightly. Three minutes later, when we saw the boat move away from Merdie Boggs, the sun went behind a cloud and stayed there the rest off the day.

M/V Chuck Zebula

M/V A.B York

Seen passing old Lock and Dam 27 this evening around sunset.

The tugboat and the towboat

It was a dreary first day of November, the kind that makes you want to stay in bed with the head cold that is about to over your life for a few days. But you have to get on over to Chesapeake, Ohio, because there's another tug and tow combination that's taking more pieces of that Shell chemical plant to Pennsylvania.

So you get yourself down to the river and notice that its surface is smooth and reflective. On a nicer  day, you would be, too, but not today.

You get your pictures and go home.

In case you are wondering, the tank-like things on each end of the barge are labeled "iso-butane storage billet" and the big one in the middle is labeled "ethylene buffer vessel". I looked up "billet" on both dictionary.com and thesaurus.com and didn't find a satisfactory definition, so if you're still wondering exactly what a billet is, ask your family chemical engineer.

A little while later, I caught up with the two boats at Crown City, Ohio, as they were being overtaken by the M/V Larry Drummond.

I wanted to get other photos, but darkness fell before they got to my preferred shooting spot.

To quote Forrest Gump, and that's all I've got to say about that.

Tristen and Robert Cenac

Another section of the Shell cracker plant came up the Ohio River past Huntington WV (America's  Best Community) today.

More pictures this weekend. I'm fighting the flu or something and I spent too much time this evening chasing that thing up the river.