These are indeed real pictures of an incident that took place at Rooster Bridge on Alabama’s Tombigbee River, April of 1979, as captured by a Linden (AL) Democrat-Reporter photographer. Of necessity, there will be some nautical terms along the way, and I’ll try to help out on those. But most of all, I think you’ll be amazed that this actually happened. (Sidebar: The Rooster Bridge, long since demolished and replaced by a clear span upriver, was a drawbridge. But of interest is how it got its name: It was so christened because proceeds from a 1919 auction of a rare breed of rooster raised in the area financed it – and both President Woodrow Wilson and France’s Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau were registered as rooster buyers. You just can’t make this stuff up, people.) These are indeed real pictures of an incident that took place at Rooster Bridge on Alabama’s Tombigbee River, April of 1979, as captured by a Linden (AL) Democrat-Reporter photographer. Of necessity, there will be some nautical terms along the way, and I’ll try to help out on those. But most of all, I think you’ll be amazed that this actually happened. (Sidebar: The Rooster Bridge, long since demolished and replaced by a clear span upriver, was a drawbridge. But of interest is how it got its name: It was so christened because proceeds from a 1919 auction of a rare breed of rooster raised in the area financed it – and both President Woodrow Wilson and France’s Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau were registered as rooster buyers. You just can’t make this stuff up, people.)

The boat in the picture is the M/V (Motor Vessel) Cathy Parker waiting upriver for her turn to go under the drawbridge. The “open pass” or channel span of the bridge was located on the left side of the river in this picture – the opposite bank from the photographer's viewpoint. During normal river flow, boats would navigate to there and steer through the opening to pass downriver still coupled with their barges without having to use the drawbridge. But this was anything but “normal river flow”. That spring, the Tombigbee was raging at a historically high level never reached before or since – resulting in treacherous currents. The boat in the picture is the M/V (Motor Vessel) Cathy Parker waiting upriver for her turn to go under the drawbridge. The “open pass” or channel span of the bridge was located on the left side of the river in this picture – the opposite bank from the photographer's viewpoint. During normal river flow, boats would navigate to there and steer through the opening to pass downriver still coupled with their barges without having to use the drawbridge. But this was anything but “normal river flow”. That spring, the Tombigbee was raging at a historically high level never reached before or since – resulting in treacherous currents.

With the water running high, it was SOP for a towboat’s captain to uncouple from their low-riding barges in that slower, open channel and let them drift downriver. And then navigate back upriver so as to then pass their too tall towboat under the bridge using the draw span. And that was Capt. Wilkerson’s, of the M/V Cahaba, plan. You can see some of the crew on the barges that are now set free (well, almost set free). They are drifting downriver while the Cahaba heads upriver to pass under the draw span, with the intent to re-couple with her barges downriver. With the water running high, it was SOP for a towboat’s captain to uncouple from their low-riding barges in that slower, open channel and let them drift downriver. And then navigate back upriver so as to then pass their too tall towboat under the bridge using the draw span. And that was Capt. Wilkerson’s, of the M/V Cahaba, plan. You can see some of the crew on the barges that are now set free (well, almost set free). They are drifting downriver while the Cahaba heads upriver to pass under the draw span, with the intent to re-couple with her barges downriver.

As the towboat is headed for the draw span, the captain learned too late that the starboard – or right side, to landlubbers – face-wire (a steel cable running from the towboat’s bow winch or capstan used to connect the tow to its barges) had NOT been uncoupled from the barge as it should have.

And so now the Cahaba is being pulled sideways, presenting her considerable draft (the part of a boat’s hull that lies below water) to the roaring river’s raging current. This is like when a canoe or kayak hits a “strainer” (a fixed obstacle in a river that will stop other objects, but still lets the current roar by) – only on a much larger scale. And so now the Cahaba is being pulled sideways, presenting her considerable draft (the part of a boat’s hull that lies below water) to the roaring river’s raging current. This is like when a canoe or kayak hits a “strainer” (a fixed obstacle in a river that will stop other objects, but still lets the current roar by) – only on a much larger scale.

She starts rolling to port, and her upstream gunwale or gunnel (top edge of a boat’s hull) is now awash (barely visible above water). Capt. Wilkerson, realizing he’s not going to be able to recover his vessel, had the presence of mind to yell over his loudspeakers to the bystanders, “All right, y’all – this ain’t no fire drill. Get off the damn bridge!” She starts rolling to port, and her upstream gunwale or gunnel (top edge of a boat’s hull) is now awash (barely visible above water). Capt. Wilkerson, realizing he’s not going to be able to recover his vessel, had the presence of mind to yell over his loudspeakers to the bystanders, “All right, y’all – this ain’t no fire drill. Get off the damn bridge!”

Question: Are boats allowed to carry flood insurance?! Question: Are boats allowed to carry flood insurance?!

Thar She Goes! Thar She Goes!

Hey, wait a second… Hey, wait a second…

This can’t be right, can it?!? This can’t be right, can it?!?

The working deck is still underwater, but notice the water pouring out of the second and pilot decks’ doors!

Water’s still pouring out, but her flag’s still flying. And also notice the river is flowing over the guardrail in the lower right of this picture … definitely above flood stage.

The Cahaba continues to right herself, The Cahaba continues to right herself,

And although still listing badly, heads toward her barges and crew – who thought she was a goner!

Notice her diesel smoke and prop wash – this tug is running again!!! Notice her diesel smoke and prop wash – this tug is running again!!!

OK – so you’re asking yourself, “How did the Cahaba and her crew manage to escape a meeting with Davy Jones’ locker?” Well, the veteran river captains interviewed attribute it to the “Joe Palooka Punching Bag” phenomena. You remember that toy as a kid that you could hit as hard as you want, and he’d automatically right himself. [1] The company that owned this vessel ballasted (weight added to improve stability) all their boats with 3–4 feet of cement on their bottoms. [2] She had just been topped off with fuel a few miles upriver. Since the fuel tank was full, there was no shifting of weight as she laid over, so she was able to right herself. OK – so you’re asking yourself, “How did the Cahaba and her crew manage to escape a meeting with Davy Jones’ locker?” Well, the veteran river captains interviewed attribute it to the “Joe Palooka Punching Bag” phenomena. You remember that toy as a kid that you could hit as hard as you want, and he’d automatically right himself. [1] The company that owned this vessel ballasted (weight added to improve stability) all their boats with 3–4 feet of cement on their bottoms. [2] She had just been topped off with fuel a few miles upriver. Since the fuel tank was full, there was no shifting of weight as she laid over, so she was able to right herself.

Hard to believe? You bet! It was for me, too. So I checked with one of the Granddaddies for ferreting out urban legends – Snopes – and it turns out to be true. See for yourself: Hard to believe? You bet! It was for me, too. So I checked with one of the Granddaddies for ferreting out urban legends – Snopes – and it turns out to be true. See for yourself: Click For Snopes TLH,MD TM