The Fishing is Great

In the early 1980s only three species of rough fish called the section of the river passing through Minneapolis and St. Paul home but today after tremendous efforts by local, state and federal agencies to clean the river there are 29 species of fish, most are game fish. The Minnesota DNR pulled a gigantic 20-pound catfish out from under the Robert Street Bridge in July and the river is alive with fish and fishermen (and, women). Some of the fishers are big birds. We have numerous bald eagles visiting Harriet Island daily along with Peregrine Falcons, Hawks, Egrets and Great Blue Herons. Pictured here is a regular visitor to Padelford Landing who finds the fising just great. We call him "Henry Heron" because he is a big hitter on the Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul.

I Have A Mistress

Before anything appears on the internet or other public forum I feel the need to confess that I have a mistress. My lovely wife Shelley is standing by holding my hand and lending her support in this time revelation. For several decades I have been unable to resist the mystical pull of an intoxicatingly beautiful, totally seductive temptress. She is lovely beyond mortal comprehension with a soothing, melodic enchantment that captures my heart and possesses my mind. But, alas like any passionate woman she occasionally erupts with a fury that rocks and batters even the strongest among us only to quickly calm and once again cast her paralyzing spell over us mere mortals.

My mistress is the Mississippi River, and Shelley concedes that she must share my passion.

Rotarians from Peru Ride First Trip

In spite of the unusually cool, miserable spring weather the Betsey Northrup made the season's first voyage Tuesday, April 8, with a group of students from Andover, MN and five Rotary group exchange ambassadors from Peru. The visitors from Peru included a physician, veterinarian, architect, English teacher and hardward executive. They are in Minnesota for six weeks sponsored by local Rotary Clubs as part of an ongoing international cultural exchange. I truly enjoyed spending a few hours with these wonderful ambassadors of goodwill and friendship and gave them a tour of the Jonathan Padelford pilot house.

What Do You Do All Spring?

When I described what we do all winter someone looked at the weather and asked, what do you do all spring? So far, mostly try to stay warm and get the boats ready.

Who stole spring? True believers know that warm weather eventually will arrive, but it surely is difficult to convince our crew as they fight numb digits to clean and prepare the riverboats for the arrival of passengers. Mother Nature has a strange way of always letting you know who really is in charge.

The river actually is quite low this spring, but we will not pray for rain because we know from experience that you sometimes get more than want. So, the moisture is appreciated but we have had it with the cool temperatures.

BBC Travels The River

BBC correspondent Vince Hunt stopped at the Padelford Riverboats on chilly March day to talk about the Mighty Mississippi, it's steamboats and it's music. We were flattered to be included in Vince's tour from New Orleans to St. Paul (Saints to the Saint, as he noted). I brought along musical magician Dr. Tom Mega, a professor at St. Thomas University and long, long time riverboat musician with the Mississippi Minstrels, to expound on river music and all that jazz. Dr. T also is a pretty good photographer.

Vince began his six-week sojourn up the river in the Cresent city where he met with river legend Capt. Doc Hawley aboard the historic Natchez. Moving up river he stopped in Baton Rouge to see Capt. John Strekfus whose family has run the most famous riverboats in the country for nearly 200 years. He also visited with Capt. Joy Manthey and Capt. Tom Dunn in St. Louis before driving to St. Paul with a brief stop in Dubuque to visit the incredible National Rivers Hall of Fame Museum where our founder Capt. William D. Bowell, Sr. has a research library named in his honor. Before Vince headed to Chicago for meetings with a group of jazz musicians I took him to meet with Capt. Bowell. We're looking forward to hear Vince's reports from London.