Between the Levees

Joining me from the wheelhouse of the M/V MARK STAAB on the lower end of Memphis, Captain David Raines shares stories about life on a boat, his 33-year career, family, training, Mother Nature, and Old Man River. As night falls on the boat, we discuss his transitions to new companies over the years, the positive change of culture he's seen over the last seven, and the importance of morale and g...

Growing up in New Orleans and chasing a career in car stereo sales and installation, Matt Lagarde found himself aboard a yacht as a deckhand on the Tombigbee River. That first step into the industry gave his life an order he hadn't known before. We hear about his ascent to the wheelhouse, running the New Orleans Harbor, and eventually coming shoreside where a whole new world of opportunity ope...

Growing up in East Texas and chasing a dream of professional baseball, Clark Todd met another student athlete at UT Austin who just so happened to be a blonde girl from New Orleans whose father owned a little company called Blessey Marine. Retiring early from professional baseball after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs, Clark rose through the ranks at Blessey after training in every aspect of the...

Born in industrial Pittsburgh, Del Wilkins grew up to join the ranks of Dravo Corporation as a 3rd-generation employee. We discuss the origins of his family connection to Dravo with his grandfather and great uncle in the late 1800s, his journey against the odds from deck to wheelhouse, and a jump to shoreside roles that led him to executive teams of some well-known barge lines, his involvement ove...

I sit down with Retired Captain Hank Pouliot to chat through the usual questions and hear more about a 40 year career on the water.

Captain Kory Cafaro joins me on the show to chat about his upbringing in Mississippi and on the West Coast, his introduction to the industry and his journey to the wheelhouse, experiences with Kenny Brown and the Maritime Throwdown, and his appreciation for the opportunities the river provided him. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor: https://www.riverviewboatstore.com/

Noel Anderson, Fleeting Director for Zito's Mile 95 (Algiers) and 105 (Huey P) fleets, joins me on the show to share a bunch of stories about his life on the river and beyond. From the mid-80s to today, he's been on deck, in shipyards, dispatch, and fleet management, and through hurricanes, rescues, and salvage jobs in the Greater New Orleans area, and we close the episode discussing his b...

I'm joined on this episode by April-Hope Wareham, an eager young professional that dove into the world of grain about a decade ago. From an internship fresh out of college to plant management, production supervision, stevedoring, and now a role as Continuous Improvement Lead, and from the Midwest to New Orleans, then the Northwest to the Twin Cities, she's taken every available opportunity to lear...

Mr. Frank Morton joins me on the show for a third time to share what he knows of the history of the barging industry in the US, the development of the grain export market over the last 50 years, and a number of mergers and acquisitions that shaped the industry of today. Mentioned in this episode: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0595142109/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A27EK23NIPUXRO&psc=1 https...

In this episode, I'm joined by Chuck Sanford, a now-retired mechanical sampling cargo inspector that spent a great deal of his career in the Greater New Orleans area working between Baton Rouge and Myrtle Grove. The eldest of seven children, he keeps busy in his retirement by... well... working... when he feels like it.

In this episode, I'm joined by Deb Calhoun, the Senior Vice President of Waterways Council, Inc. We talk through her upbringing, her path into the industry, the mission and history of WCI, and a brief update on Bayou Sorrel Lock. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor: https://waterwayscouncil.org/ And as always... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whereyatstudios

In this episode, I'm joined by Kim Bockman, a woman whose life was changed by the inland rivers maritime industry. She signed on as a cook with Ingram some seventeen years ago. We talk through the usual questions, chat about her experiences on the job, and conclude with what the industry has provided her. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor: https://opentug.com/levees And I&#...

In this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined finally by Mr. Bud Osbourne. We talk briefly about his grandfather's time on the river, his father's industry career, and time on vessels as a young child. Bud jumped into the industry immediately after college and stuck with it for 51 years in an array of roles with a number of companies. He came recommended by Mr. Stephen Rauch https://youtu.be/q...

Captain Ben Henson joins me to talk through a bit about his childhood and a maritime career that developed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We share a few laughs throughout, and finish with some commentary about the industry from his perspective. Maybe we'll do this again one day. To support this podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whereyatstudios

In this special episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by HR and Recruiting Generalist, Jake Carter. We chat about the show, his introduction to the industry, a two-year career (thus far) with ACBL, and the state of recruiting and retention on the marine side. Mentioned in this episode: https://youtu.be/qqsc3aeld70 https://youtu.be/zFphL9pMojk https://youtu.be/VkzN3s6njbQ And if you are so...

Captain Travis Valence and I talk through his childhood with a father in the wheelhouse and the immediate interest he took in following in his father's footsteps. We discuss the late Captain Skippy Valence, an 18-year journey through the industry with ACBL in marine and shoreside roles, and his take on the personnel issues the industry faces. Mentioned in this episode: - Jeff Kindl https://youtu.b...

Holly Normand joins me to talk through her childhood, a career spanning 17 years thus far with Ingram, family, and industry. She was President of WIMOs and is involved with Riverworks Discovery and Mississippi Valley as well. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor: https://www.wimos.org/ Or there's always a cup of coffee... https://www.buymeacoffee.com/whereyatstudios

Two-time Maritime Throwdown Champ, Anthony Pettry, joins me on the show to chat about the usual stuff. He's a proud riverman that decked for 15 years and recently received his Mate Pilot license. We chat about hard work, family, line handling, and the state of the industry today. Company men like this are rare. Enjoy the show! @MaritimeThrowdown @marktwained , the championship might be yours n...

Mike Benson joins me from New Jersey to discuss his time growing up on recreational vessels and what led him to a career on the water. He chats about his current roles in and around New York Harbor as a Boom Boat Pilot and as the Assistant Captain at Rutgers University, and we make a few pit stops to touch on salmon fishing in Alaska and sailing the ICW. He is eager to advance his career in the ma...

In this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Margo Brock, President and COO of Mercury Resources. We discuss her time at SUNY Maritime College, a career in bulk commodities and maritime supply chain management, and her fascination with the inland rivers maritime industry. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor: www.wimos.org And if you are so inclined, please feel free t...

In this special episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Roxane Crawford, the older sister of Shawn Pucheu, one of the three fellow mariners we lost on the morning of January, 26, 2020, following an avoidable incident in the Greater New Orleans area. I read through a series of articles about the incident to start the episode, talk through a few details with Captain Trey Urban, and wrap up...

In this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Jared Ward. He earned honorable mention in the James Edwards episode (S1:E52) as a driven young deckhand that got into the engine room after a year on the water. We discuss his childhood, professional interests, two-year career, and his personal life. The industry could use a few more like him.

In this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Captain Jeremiah "Birdman" Beauregard. We chat through the usual questions and go over a number of issues facing the industry and a few others focused on the east and west canals where he's spent his career. Mentioned in this episode: Joe O'Gwynn - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Et5pxHvbVrhoX4BOfvKRQ?si=c618b665c3674948...

On this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Captain Richard Leese, a former Law Enforcement Officer that survived a tough upbringing. A happenstance conversation led him to what was intended to be a short stint in the industry to make a little money. Nearly two decades later, he's in the wheelhouse and active in community outreach to promote the industry that gave him a life he co...

On this episode of Between the Levees, I'm joined by Mr. Ryan Phillips. He grew up in the country milking cows and bailing hay with his uncle, followed his dad into law enforcement, did a stint in the Army National Guard, and found his way into the industry 17 years ago. He was my boss at ACBL for a couple of years before my jump to Ingram. To support this podcast, please check out our sponsor...