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 My first recollections are of life on the farm in Western Kentucky. My parents owned a farm three miles from Lola, Kentucky. Then when I was 13 they sold the farm and moved to Carrsville, Kentucky, a small river town in a bend of the Ohio River- 30 miles from Paducah, Kentucky. This was hardly city life, but at least there was no more walking 3 miles to school. In fact our new home was just one block from school.
I was hooked on the river early in life fishing and swimming in the Ohio river at "Irish Jimmy Bar and "Skip-Jack-Rock." I became fascinated by the big riverboats--many were still paddlewheelers-- They would go by and blow their whistle and mysteriously disappear around the bend, leaving me to wonder where they were bound and where they had been and whetting my appetite to be onboard.
While in high school I became even more interested in the river after reading about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn - by Mark Twain. Then Life on The Mississippi. Then I read a fascinating story, STRETCH ON THE RIVER by Richard Bissel and I was "hooked." Now all I could think about was a job on a river boat.
I became 16 in my Junior year and couldn't wait any longer, so I borrowed fifty cents from our local grocer and Minister - Mr. Will Shell -then I hitched a ride to Paducah and with one change of clothes I was off to the river-
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MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- 1959 First job as river pilot. Over the years - when I wasn't plying the rivers - I have made money in real estate, Mutual funds, Marine Consulting, writing and serving as Expert Witness and as a pilot instructor.
I have the honor of being a "Kentucky Colonel," an "Arkansas Traveler," A "Duke of Paducah," as well as a "Tennessee Squire." Oh, yeah and a Kentucky Hillbilly!
I have been presented the keys to several cities, from New Orleans to Pittsburgh; St. Louis to St. Paul,but as one mayor told me. "I'm afraid they don't open a darned thing! It ain't no lie! - 1962 Received my Masters certificate and began serving as Master of towboats and later as master on passenger boats
!986-Finally realized a boyhood dream when I pulled into Hanibal, Missouri as Master of the Steamer DELTA QUEEN and got to visit some of the places that Mark Twain had written about. - !986 - 1994 Alternated as Master of the Steamers DELTA QUEEN, The MISSISSIPPI QUEEN and the largest river overnight passenger steamer ever built, the AMERICAN QUEEN. During this time I had the honor of hosting 1 of 2 Russian Peace Cruises for 130 Russians aboard the Steamer Delta Queen.
- !995 Published my first book, HOW TO BECOME A RIVER PILOT. A book of instructions for beginning river pilots. Also quotes and jokes from other pilots and river characters.
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MY NEWS:
2004 Published my latest book ONCE UPON A RIVER-
This is a story of my romance with the river.The challenge of the Mississippi and it's tribut-aries, interesting characters and friends I have made along the way.
I have spent 40 odd years as a river pilot and master of tow-boats and passenger Steam boats - and met people from all around the world and all walks of life.
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MY FAVORITE LINKS:
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BOOKS PUBLISHED:
 ONCE UPON A RIVER
by CAPT.GARLAND C. SHEWMAKER
Photo of "SKIP JACK ROCK" at the base of "Lover's Leap."
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 HOW TO BECOME A RIVERPILOT
By CAPT.GARLAND C SHEWMAKER
A book of instructions for piloting the Lower Mississippi.
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