The riverboat captain is a storyteller. Captain Don Sanders shares the stories of his long association with the river — from discovery to a way of love and life. This a part of a long and continuing story.

By Capt. Don Sanders

Special to NKyTribune

Who remembers the catchy tune popularized back in the 1950s, “ Something’s Always happening on the River? ” Walt’s Boat Club had it on the jukebox, and whenever it played, I always felt a little extra pep in my step as it blasted over the speakers outside the headboat. As I later discovered, Captain Richard “Dick” Bissell wrote it — “Oh, the river is the only life for me…”

I met Cap’n Bissell a couple of times when the AVALON stopped in Dubuque, Iowa, his hometown. He came by the boat to see Captain Ernie Wagner and Mate Doc Hawley. I was

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