And Through the Rivers

Brent Davis
Brent Davis
32,236
0
Published 2018-07-14
A crew of six pilots a 2100 horsepower tow boat pushing coal barges from Tuscaloosa to Mobile, Ala. This 1985 documentary shows what life is like for the crew as they navigate the Black Warrior, Tombigbee, and Mobile Rivers.
All Comments (21)
  • @tew-dawg9671
    "We'll cross that trail when we get there." Personifies the mindset of a southern, or hell even a yank who works hard, and is skilled in his profession. We don't fret over what if's or what a bout whens. When it's time to handle business. You handle business. Great video.
  • @edmctug8800
    Old school for sure !long before GPS Chart plotters AIS comupters Sub chapter M looks like an old decca radar in the pilot house !!!!!
  • @johng5729
    Uncle Smitty loved his job on push boats. “Anything to get some time away from your Aunt Gertrude.”
  • @MrCooky96
    I used to work at Warrior Asphalt in Tuscaloosa. The Rhett is still in service to this day. She pushes tanker barges full of Asphalt now
  • @b.p.879
    I grew up in Hueytown AL and spent a lot of time on the Black Warrior at various camps and cabins and fishing trips. I still get excited when I see and hear one of the Tow Boats!
  • @raybraud1568
    Was a petroleum surveyor on the Mississippi River, worked on tug boats through my years. Much respect for these men. Skilled professionals. Funny, the rest of the country call these men simple rednecks, they wouldn’t exist as they know it without real men like these, and could NEVER work like they do. AND, the so called well off, don’t make half the money these REAL men do.
  • @Joelontugs
    Someone did an amazing job editing this together
  • @rivercap1986
    Oliver lock still looks good in its condition at that age
  • @travisw81
    neutral to wide open reverse. got damn thats hard on the clutch
  • @robertrishel3685
    Really cool to see this! Good old days for sure. I was the last Port Captain at Warrior & Gulf Navigation (a few of their vessels seen in this video) Parker’s biggest rival on the Black Warrior for many years. It is sad to see the level of commercial barge traffic dwindle to what it has become now versus how things were in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. W&GN and Parker had tows in constant motion filling the Black Warrior river from Birmingport on the Locust Fork, Gorgas (and Port Walker) on the Mulberry fork, to Mobile. I first started as a deckhand on that river, became a pilot/captain and then went to work shoreside for many years. The time portrayed in this film is certainly a snapshot of the good old days!
  • @hatchboy1
    I know this was an old video but people don’t talk like this in Tuscaloosa anymore! They all sound like northerners even the kids that are born here! I talk like these guys do!