As a towboat captain, I have seen some wild and flimsy contraptions maneuver the currents of the mighty Mississippi River, so as I made my way to Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul to watch the “All Punx Float” flotilla set off on a 120-mile trip to Winona in early June, I hoped I…
Dropping out of Minneapolis
The first towboat to pass through the Upper St.Anthony Falls (SAF) Lock was the old Twin City Barge & Towing Savage, back in September 1963. On June 9, 2015, at about 2:30 p.m., the Becky Sue locked downstream with two loads of scrap metal, making it the last towboat to ever use the lock. A…
Last Tow Ride to the Upper Harbor
In early November, I was a guest of Captain Kelsey Rohr and his crew aboard the motor vessel Patrick Gannaway on their daily run from St. Paul to north Minneapolis. Kelsey has piloted this towboat for the last 20 years, pushing loads of sand and gravel upriver. From 1997 through 2000, I was a part…
Stayin’ Safe on the River: Big Boats and Right-of-Way
A large commercial vessel would have a hard time steering around or stopping for a fallen water-skiier. One of the most unnerving things a river pilot can see is a small pleasure boat disappearing from view in front of the bow. A rowing scull crew crossed my bow one day as I was maneuvering in…
Call Her Captain
Dawn and Andrew relax on the porch of Toad Hollow. There is a small community of live-aboards at the marinas up here in St. Paul. One of them is a tough young woman who has faced the challenges and learned to love the life and the tough times. Dawn Brodey has earned the title of…