Video Journalist Bill Cortez hopped aboard a Tidewater Tow Boat to see what life is like on the river. Photography, writing & Editing by Bill Cortez KOIN-TV Portland, Oregon
My Dad worked on these for over 20 years. Retired as a Chief Engineer. Started as a Deck Hand. Could have been a pilot, but would have to have taken a cut in pay. I remember spending Christmas, in the galley, on a tied up boat. Had a lot of fun! Lost him 6 years ago. Love you and miss you Dad!
@@enriquezechariah3660 Here's "tip" for you too; F--k Off & stay off this page. Kaldostream is a site that steals your data. F--k you again, the world has enough problems & people are suffering enough without bullshit scammers and their slimy lies in comment sections.
I worked for M/G transport Services in Cincinnati for almost 14 years. It was the greatest adventure of my young life. Started in 4/77 and broke my leg 9/6/86-----off to heal for a couple years---nothing was ever as good as being out on the tug boats. The memories I have can never be replaced.......best years of my life------should write a book, not enough time or space here to describe my experiences of that period-----just all good karma for me, but you can never go back........its a sad reality we can't travel in time.........
@@anakinyork5249 Good things: does not require a college degree but certification is required. Bad: can be strenuous when you're just starting out. Good: If you like travel you go places. Bad: You're away from home. Usually you work a shift on a boat for 24 hours a day, usually equal days on and off. So, 7 days on the boat 24 hours a day, and 7 days off. While you're on the boat, your room and board is included. You're given a shift to work, like 12 hours on, 12 hours off. 12 hours off, you sleep, exercise, and relax. 12 hours on you're on call, working the deck, tying ships. There are usually 3 areas to work: deck - tying up, anything on the deck, engine room - working downstairs maintaining the engines, bridge - captain. Average salary for a deckhand, $56,000-98,000 engineer - $60,000-200,000 captains $115,000 - $200,000 . Takes years to make captain and get certification. My numbers are best estimates and others will probably say more or less. On the whole, I was good at it and I would have liked it. If you really wish it, ladder yourself up to the top positions. Get a Merchant Marine certification, then get an AB ticket, then decide whether you want to go for bigger things. Good luck!
Back in the 1960's when I was young, my uncle had a houseboat anchored on the Mississippi, on the back porch were automobile bench seats to sit on to fish the river. I spent many hours watching those barges pass by but never pursued a career doing that. Sounds like you have a wonderful vantage point where you live. Living near Indianapolis, I sure miss those afternoons and evenings along the river!
I always loved tugboat and I used to make big barges at Gunderson and I use to make tugboats at Foss in Rainier Oregon and I used to have a little tugboat name the Crystal that my dad bought it at the Astoria Oregon. I wish I could find someone who would help me get back in the water. Keep up the great job
Bunk rooms are disgusting as some sailors have no shame in cleanliness. I developed a great deal of allergies from the amount of dust that everyone is too lazy to clean.
Yeah, do you know why it is a 66 schedule? I am a long haul truck driver, and I often drive for up to 11 hours, with 12 hours of work, at a time. I would rather have a 1212 schedule. But maybe the work is just so demanding that people can’t do it for 12.
Wow… thanks for the video, ironically, I just applied for a deck mechanic apprentice job position at this exact company… I currently work in a shipyard, so I have some maritime experience But this video gave me a more in-depth view of what the day to day Life is like a aboard one of these vessels Thanks again for the video I appreciate it ✌️😎
Worked o the Hudson, Saint Lawrence, Great lakes, what a job. Moved people and ore,coal,atone, miss it. Even ran the Eris and Oswego Canals.I wish I had a time machine.
Worked on a tow boat to pay for my college education. I received a geographic education by traversing all the inland waters ways in the Mississippi River system: Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Upper Mississippi, Illinois, Yazoo, Cumberland, Missouri, Monongahela and, Allegheny. When I graduated I owed $150.00. Seems now I may be paying for the education of students I do not know. My how things have changed!
I use to work in gulf the biggest fire fighting tugboat boat belong to belgium flag during the iraq iran war stand by to siri island some times towing Batches lashing wonderful work hard work as a Deck hand now i am sixty eight age 🙏🙏👍👍
I Always wanted to be Tug Boat Captain...But I guess it Depends where You're working....But the Columbia is one I Picked First...then Sacramento River and Alaska....
There’s for the most part two types of inland push boats. Line boats which are the long boats you see that are generally rated at 2-3000 horsepower and push large 10-30 barge tows. There are also fleet boats which is what that one would be considered. They’re rated at 800-2000 horsepower and on the Mississippi are used to build tow and in this case used to transport a few barges though not many. On the east coast we use the fleet boats to move at max two barges at a time. The fleet boats have to go through smaller locks and run a different river so they’re designed with that in mind
You know what I used to say when I was riding on them boats and barges was we went under bridges you see a car go by at night time oh look real people real people because you don't never seen nobody other than document and other your other people when you wake him up and you're going to sleep
Interesting video. Yes it can be very dangerous. I know of some people who have died on the river. I had an incident in the locks long ago that nearly was fatal. Spent a lot of time in the hospital and can still feel the effects today from 40 years ago.
@@lookingbehind6335 even with life jacket/vests?? I always assumed anyone who fell overboard always had a life jacket/vest due to the requirements & strict regulations in this line of work
I don't believe they stop for winter on the Columbia River. I think the only inland navigation that shuts down due to freezing would be the upper Mississippi River north of Alton, Illinois.
We were lucky to have a deckhand help us paint during his time off, his schedule was month on month off, he was just about ready to retire with 25 yrs put in, pretty sure he said he was union and was ready to start collecting a pension until they did a random drug test and he failed it, pot in his system, he lost everything, he thinks someone ratted him out, sooo sad.
i applied for a deckhands job. never hired. my dad was a skipper of a tug in NY harbor. i have epilepsy and lived in denial of my disability. my grandfather was also in the business. but.....
@@douglaskasten4630 if you live on the Mississippi as long as I have you call them a tugboat, just like we call it soda and people in the south call it pop. But if you live on the Mississippi tugboats transport barges down river and up river.Thank you
