Capt Riley Ward

[Guest]

Al please share with me @ freighterfreeks@gmail.com

[Al]

I sailed with Riley at Inland Steel. There are many Riley stories but none that I want to share here. He was a character as was his brother Lee.

[St Crapo]

Any time i look threw my older photo albums from when i became a Boatnerd as a teenager and i see the pictures i took of the Alpena back then i always think of Capt. Ward and the maney times we would talk on my ship to shore radio i remember how kind of a man he was and the maney Salutes he would blow on the Alpena's loud steam whistle to me and my family no matter what time of the day it was. I wouldn't talk to him for a long time as he navigated the Saginaw River, but always felt like i knew him and he always had kind words for me and besides the Salutes he gave he also always had a friendly wave from the pilot house window. I wish i could have met him in person and gotten to know him better while they unloaded at Lafarge but i never asked any of the guys comeing off the boat to go up the street if i could go aboard and meet him because i didnt want to bother him if he was busy with paperwork or resting. I still did consider him a friend of mine though. I will never forgett him and the Alpena on the old Saginaw River. May he rest in peace and his memory live on forever. I know i will never forget him thats for sure.
3 Long and 2 Short to one of the Lakes best Captains Ray Ward.
Dan McNeil

[Guest]

its been 13 years since you passed one of the greatest Captans on the lakes we still miss seeing you but the Alpena steams on your legend will still live on one long and two short for Capt Riley Ward
B&C