Record #:

8001

Author(s):

Gigley, Chris

Abstract:

On the Dan River in the 1800s, the bateau was the choice of residents for shipping and receiving goods. The bateau, a double-ended, flat-bottomed vessel with a wide hull, can measure up to 60 feet with a capacity for carrying 10,000 pounds of cargo. Propulsion is man-powered by a crew of three. One sits in the back and works the tiller, while the other two plunge long poles down to the river bottom, push their weight against them, and walk from one end of the bateau to the other. The first bateau appeared on the Dan in 1792. Three Rivers Outfitters of Eden has revived this relic of the 19th-century. The company's 40-foot replica takes passengers on a one-mile voyage from Eden Wildlife Access to Leaksville Landing. Gigley recounts his experiences on the voyage.

Source:

Our State (NoCar F 251 S77), Vol. 74 Issue 3, Aug 2006, p174-176, 178, il

Subject(s):

Inland waterway vessels