River and Grannie’s Update – Sep 24 2008 by Lisa

Tags -- Boat Trip

The rivers here are back to below normal. But this evening Stubby, the teens and I took a ride up to Grannie’s.

The girls wanted a ride on the river. But the river at Grannie’s is flooded and the dock we used all summer has been removed for the winter.

One nice gentlemen said we could beach the boat on his river bank and he would give us a ride BUT Stubby was not sure the boat would pull itself back off the bank so he declined.

In the end we rode up river looking for someplace to dock and eat but everything was either closed or flooded.

We did talk to the caretakers even though we didn’t actually get to see Grannie’s. I told Liz I would ride with her when she drove us up later this week.

I do not think those farmers up there will ever get their crop out even if it dries up I think it is ruined. It is so sad.

In the end we came back down river and stopped at Cheese’s place for a late dinner but the dessert was the greatest. Have we ever told you about the pies?

We brought home all the leftover pie. Lacy (Cheese’s wife) always gives us homemade whipped cream that makes your mouth cum.

Cheese came up river with us – he wanted to borrow Stubby’s little tug boat to retrieve a sailboat that was stuck up one of the creeks.

Liz wants to document its retrieval for a school project so Cheese will pick up the teens at school tomorrow. There is a dock behind the school. I might just have to tag along. More To Read...

Tugboat Hell – Part Four - Sep 10 2008 by Lisa

Tags -- Boat Trip

I heard the motors start and wondered how Stubby was going to get the barges off the bank.

He just backed out the way Captain put them in. Then he made the slow turn to port (I have no idea how he could see the front of the barge but my eyes finally adjusted enough to see the lights out front.

Fifteen minutes later we were on the way home. I asked what we were hauling because the barges seemed to be riding much lower then the first load. He never answered. He never said a word to me all the way home nor the next day.

He fucked Red but didn’t even touch me. I still did not know if I should be pissed or hurt or both.

I went into Red’s room and figured he would not be able to turn us both down but he was not there. Liz and not seen him and Captain, who was staying in town, said he had not seen him since they left the tug.

And now I am getting sick. More To Read...

Tugboat Hell – Part Three - Sep 10 2008 by Lisa

Tags -- Boat Trip

When we got to Arkansas City it seemed like the sun came out. Several overhead spotlights came on and I noticed four very small tugs waiting on the starboard side.

Captain brought us to a stop and the four tugs pushed us into a dock where many guys tied the barges up. All four of our crew went to work and we were free of the barges in about fifteen minutes.

Captain backed away and we went another three or so miles down river. Captain slowly passed about twelve barges tied up to a dock while the four crew members used high intensity lights to look them over and Stubby used another light from the wheel house.

When we got to the end Captain made a U-turn and put the boat against the barges.

In less then ten minutes all four crew members moved towards the front inspecting everything. I saw three tugs push up against the barges and their crews hooked to them.

When our guys got to the front one of them flashed his light and spoke to Captain on the radio then Captain spoke into a different radio and we gradually started moving sideways into the main channel.

When we were in the right place Captain started moving the whole assembly up river very slowly.

After a quarter mile all the smaller tugs unhooked, Captain radioed thanks and we were off.

I had no idea where we were but then I saw some lights and I heard Captain call for a ride. He put the barges into the bank but the tug ended up right at a dock.

I knew he had done this many years. About ten minutes later, Rita, the cook, Captain, Stubby and me all boarded a van that took us to downtown Arkansas City.

Captain, Stubby and I went into a restaurant that reminded me of Cheese’s wife’s place.

It was my second best meal of the day. This river people really eat well.

Many places were still open and there were quite a few people out browsing. We went into a bar where I had a whiskey but Captain and Stubby drank coffee.

Captain said we could spend the night if I wanted but the crew had voted to return tonight if it was OK. Stubby could pilot back with one of the other crew backing him.

I wondered why I didn’t get to vote. I later found out Captain or Stubby would have only voted if there was a tie. Most of the crew prefers most of Sunday off. Very seldom did they stay over.

We went to a beautiful house and met up with the cook. This was her sister’s house. We sat around, the cook, her sister and me with whiskey – Stubby and Captain with coffee.

Cook’s sister was baby sitting for a friend – two girls and a boy between 9 and 11 I’d say.
Stubby was playing with them and one of the girls really liked my hair. We played hide and seek then had strawberries and cream – damn it was good.

Stubby made a comment about me being so good with kids. He wondered how many I wanted. I gave him a funny look. He asked me directly how many kids I wanted. I looked at him and said none.

He asked why the fuck he was here if I didn’t want anymore kids. I looked at him with open mouth and a total look of shock. Then I said cause he was a good fuck.

He said something about not being good enough and he walked away.

I did not know if I should be hurt or pissed or both.

We got a ride back to the boat. Rita had already returned and was playing poker with the remaining crew. Cook and I sat down to join them. Stubby laid down for two hours while the cook, Rita and I showed the crew how to play poker. More To Read...

Tugboat Hell – Part Two - Sep 10 2008 by Lisa

Tags -- Boat Trip

I was introduced as their caretaker. I think she thought I was a whore the way she dismissed me. I noticed she was not a girl up close but time had been nice to her.

The Captain said something and Stubby agreed and Captain pushed both throttles forward. The previous noises, vibration and smells returned.

Again it was five minutes before I noticed a change in our position. Then we started moving forward but still slightly to starboard.

Captain moved the rudder and I noticed an almost immediate but very slight movement.

An hour after boarding and Captain starting the motors, we were finally in the main channel heading for the Clark bridge.

After spending two hours watching the river go by, I asked why they were serious but I guess I picked a bad time – Stubby shushed me and ignored me. I decided to explore.

Rita, the forty something wife of a crew member took me on a tour. The galley was spotless and a formerly attractive older lady was making cornbread or some kind of bread.

I also smelled meatloaf or some kind of meat. Rita asked if I wanted to walk the barges. Sure I said. She gave me a life jacket built into a harness that had about a four foot rope attached to it with a large clip on one end.

She taught me how to hook myself to the safety cable and how to move the clip past the upright pipes holding the safety cable. One hand always on the cable while the clip was open.

It took us several minutes to walk to the front. I noticed several No Smoking signs and Warning: High Pressure signs but didn’t really give it much thought.

When we got to the front I heard a pop and hiss then smelled natural gas.

I broke out in a cold sweat. I asked Rita what we were hauling. Well it was then that I realized I was on top of a very explosive cargo and could not wait to get back to the tug although it offered no real safety. The two barges at the front of the boat contained Propane.

I hate propane. I’ve seen what happens when a rail car explodes and the damage an exploding small residential tank can do to a man.

Captain offered to call Cheese and have him come get me. I declined. If others could do it, I could. Stubby apologized for shushing me but I forgave him – I wanted all his attention on those barges.

Then Stubby mentioned a vibration and Captain agreed. I broke out in a cold sweat. He called Cheese and they figure the port propeller or shaft is probably bent. I was hoping we would have to turn back. No such luck.

Rita said it has been that way for about two weeks. I asked how often she made the trip and she said every weekend. Her half sister lives in Arkansas City and she visits during the layover.

At lunch the cook brought a big tray up with three plates and silverware and serving plates and bowls in the center.

Captain said if we didn’t finish it, the cook might get mad. I was not sure if I liked the way it smelled. Meatloaf, mash potatoes, corn, carrots, green beans, big dinner rolls, cornbread and chocolate cake all with a side of sulfur from the diesel exhaust.

We three ate everything and Captain even called asking for more coffee. I told Captain she cooked better then he did. He agreed. Then he said he was teasing when he told me the cook would get mad if we didn’t eat it all.

Stubby lit a cigarette and I asked if he knew what the fuck he was doing. He told me it was safe back here. Then Captain lit a cigar and I saw the cook standing at the stern smoking.

I took one of Stubby’s and joined her. She has to be one of the nicest ladies I had ever met.

She had worked for Cheese since his first boat – 20 years. Didn’t start cooking until five year ago when she demonstrated it would be cheaper for her to cook then for Cheese to pay food allowances to his crew.

Now guys fight to get on one of her trips. Sometimes she cooks for many more and the tugs meet up on the river for her food and a break. I understood why.

We went back for more coffee and back out for another smoke. More To Read...

Tugboat Hell – Part One - Sep 10 2008 by Lisa

Tags -- Boat Trip

I took my first tug boat ride Saturday/Sunday. Probably my last.


Saturday morning Cheese called needing Captain to pilot a tug with six barges down to Arkansas on a normal Saturday trip. Captain agreed if he could bring Stubby along as co-pilot. Cheese said that was exactly what he wanted.

I told them I was going too but Stubby tried to warn me I would probably not enjoy it. I asked how many women would be on board. Captain said the cook was an old friend but he had never sampled her ‘good cooking’.

He thought that one of the crew’s wives usually tagged along but he didn’t know her well.

I figured if other women could do it, I could do it. I called Red to tell her I could not baby sit and suggested she call Liz. I grabbed a few things in a duffle bag and we were off.

My first perceptions of the tug boat were correct. This was not a pleasure boat. This was a dirty, stinky working boat with real river rats on it.

I had assumed Stubby would be working the barges or around the tug or something. Instead he just offered Captain what he saw. He also spelled Captain for ten or fifteen minutes each hour.

Their first move made me wonder if they knew what the fuck they were doing. Captain talked on a walkie-talkie and I saw someone on the front barge wave a flag or something.

Then nothing happened for several minutes and Captain said no starboard current. Stubby agreed.

I saw Captain push the left stick of two sticks forward about half way. I smelled the diesel, then felt vibrations, heard the exhaust then saw the white water at the stern.

Then he pulled the right stick back more then halfway. That motor smoked more then the left one.

The white water would have been really rough for a raft ride. But we didn’t move. I scanned the port side for mooring ropes but we were free.

I heard the cables stretch then saw the drums on the bow, if you can call it that, strain and watched the cables tighten.

I heard radio cackle from Captain’s head and heard him say ‘Roger’.

He pushed one throttle farther forward and pulled the other farther back. The diesels blew more dark smoke, the white water was splashing on board and it was so loud we could not have a conversation.

I wondered what they called this test. Then after maybe five minutes I noticed the slightest movement of the barges all the way to the front.

Actually the whole rig was turning ever so slightly to the starboard. It took three or four minutes for the front port barge to move about four feet from the bank.

The Captain backed the engines off to almost idle. After another foot he brought the starboard to idle then held a latch in and pushed it forward just a touch.

Over the next five minutes he gradually moved the starboard throttle farther forward more then the port.

The front of the barge was still moving to starboard but the tug had barely moved from the dock.

During this entire time he had never touched the rudder. I could not figure out what he was doing.

Then I saw the guys on the front of the barge walking towards us and I saw four guys and one girl standing on the dock.

When the guys were about half way to the tug, the people on the dock sort of jumped on the tug and two other guys popped out of a door at the front of the tug.

When the two guys up front reached the tug the other two joined them and I heard them say something into a pipe and Captain said good job and the four jumped off.

Two of the new four starting working their way to the front of the barges checking the cables and winches. One of the other two said something and Captain said welcome aboard and something I could not hear then Captain idled the motors.

I asked Stubby what was happening. He told me that crew had worked all night loading the barges and they were going home.

The new guys would sail down with us and unhook these barges and hook up our new load and come back with us tomorrow.

Then the girl I saw came into the room and said hi to Captain and Stubby. The girl asked permission to make the trip with the boat. Cook would vouch for her.

Captain said no need – he had seen her around before. He told if she ran around naked he could not guarantee her safety. Stubby pointed at me and told her especially if I was around. More To Read...