Description

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The rivers of America have always held a certain mystique for mankind. Perhaps they bring to mind the tales of Tom Sawyer, Huck FInn, or Mark Twain? Rafts were built to use the rivers for transportation. But it only went down river Then the great steamboats that could carry cargoes up and down the rivers. Those tasks have been taken over by modern diesel powered towboats. They cause us to look on in awe as they navigate the rivers with massive fleets of barges. They are stately, beautifully painted, and bear all manner of names by which to identify them. Well, we could stand on the river banks and watch or idly float down the rivers and marvel at these powerful modern wonders. Or if we meet the requirements we could actually travel on one of them and be well paid for our services. Have you ever looked up or down a river, and wondered what was just around the bend? River mariners can tell you, or you can sign up and look for yourself The newer towboats are spacious and elaborate compared to the boats of yesterday. I developed this book to give insight into this career field. It provides factual information and guidance to persons wanting to seek career employment. The door is open and the welcome mats are out Where else can a person earn $140K a year without a college education? See you on board Captain Cole.

About the Author

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Captain Cole began his love affair with the water paddling around upon a lake in central Florida. He moved to Panama City, Fl. in 1961 and began a career in marine construction. He was deckhand and then relief wheelman on the tugboat Silver Star. It was used to push a stiffleg derrick barge used for pile driving and construction projects. It ranged as far a Pascagoula, Ms. He moved to Apalachicola, FL. in 1964, where he married his wife Susan. He has worked on bridge construction there, and served on a couple of the company's pushboats. He has raised and repaired several barges over the years. He ran a tugboat for the State of Florida, and lastly the Shellfish Mariner for thirteen years. His seatime has been spent towing on the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Carrabelle, Fl. to Morgan City, La., and including six of the rivers including the Mississippi. At age 70 he has limited himself to conducting TOARs and writing about the way it was and has become. He is catching up a long list of honey-dos!