Guessing Game

Does anyone know what this is?

How about now?

Got it yet? If you think it's stuff piled on a dock, think again.

Do you see it now? The cut pieces of rubber tires make up the bumpers on the front of the towboat, "Maverick."

As I was walking between my office and the Wheelhouse to get coffee and lunch, I notice the Tidewater Barge Lines towboat tied up at the 14th Street pier. It's always fun to see the boats up close, and this was a rare chance to get a good look. It doesn't stay here long. The last time I spied it, it was just taking off back into the river. Usually there's no boat here at the old ferry landing.

You can see that old pieces of rubber tire are also used on the stern.

These are just bonus pictures that have nothing to do with the rubber tires. I liked the rope in different colors, although it lost some brilliance being photographed against the black of the deck.

Tidewater Barge Lines . . .

As I was leaving, I noticed another towboat, very similar, coming up the river pushing a barge. And now . . . time for coffee and lunch.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

A Towboat Called "Captain Bob"

Here on April 7th, you can see the long, low towboat Captain Bob about to pass the tanker Shropshire opposite downtown Astoria. There are a lot of "Captain Bobs" on the Web, and most are not boats, but I finally came up with some interesting links:

. A description and notation from the Tacoma Public Library that this is the second Captain Bob, the first having come to a bad end

. A photo upriver from Portland

. An interesting paragraph in a State of Washington document about towboat mishaps and spilled wheat; I also learned that Captain Bob will sometimes push five barges at a time (maybe upriver, but never here near the mouth) (Search the page for "Captain Bob" or scroll to page 15, line 21.)

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.