Brazos River comes alive aboard genuine sternwheeler cruise

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Spirit of the Rivers ... This genuine sternwheeler paddleboat, called the Spirit of the Rivers, sits ready to float down the Brazos River. Docked at the Lake Brazos Steakhouse, people can purchase tickets and take in the sights and sounds of Waco from a different viewpoint. Photo by Mindy Poehl

May 20, 2004 -- Floating down the Brazos with a cool breeze in your face on a hot day, while taking in the river sites and beauty of Waco, is now attainable. The "Spirit of the Rivers" (SOR) is a genuine sternwheeler paddleboat that is open for daily excursion cruises on the Brazos River.

Located at the Lake Brazos Steakhouse, on 1620 Lake Brazos Parkway, SOR is docked at the perfect location for people who wish to eat lunch or dinner in the restaurant and then enjoy a scenic outing on the river.

SOR travels down the river to the Baylor Marina, then travels up to the Confluence, where the Bosque River meets the Brazos River. A narrated excursion lasts an hour and a half and the one-hour cruise is non-narrated.

The captain and owner of the paddleboat is Cotter Stringer, who always wanted to run a boat on the river.

In the 1970's the Brazos Queen was located on the Brazos River, and Stringer worked on the original Brazos Queen.

"At the time, they were having problems with the low water dam in the most inopportune times," Stringer explained. "So, consequently, they had to cancel parties and regular events." The Brazos Queen was later sold.

In the 1980's, the F.M. Young brothers built the Brazos Queen II, which is now called the Brazos Belle.

"It was elegantly fitted on the inside," Stringer said, "but it was too much of a hassle and it was too large for such a small body of water." It is now a permanent fixture on the Brazos River and is rented out for private affairs.

"Then, I said, 'I've always wanted to do this,' in the back of my head," said Stringer.

He convinced his former employer, Roan Lacy, Jr., to find and buy a boat with him. They were limited about what they could buy, because there is only a 17 foot clearance between the water and the lowest bridge on the Brazos River.

"We went to Michigan, where we found this one, right when we were about ready to give up the search and abandon the idea," Stringer said. "It's really about the right size for the river."

The SOR was built in Michigan in 1978 and kept there until three years ago, when Stringer and Lacy purchased it.

Unlike many boats that are designed to look like paddleboats, the Spirit of the Rivers is a true paddle wheel boat and the paddle wheels actually power it. It only takes 18-24 inches of water to travel in and it is designed for shallow waters.

"Cotter forged a relationship with the Morgan's at Lake Brazos Steakhouse and they wanted to make it a formal 'Let's let everyone see it,' with its' own dock," Elizabeth Taylor, director of the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau, stated. "It's so special to be out here on the river and boat and people in the park and people driving by pull over and ask to take pictures or ask where to go to get on. Little kids or people fishing wave. It's really neat- kind of like you're on the Mississippi."

Taylor believes this will be a good year for the local audience. She has already received many phone calls about the boat.

"If you judge from the interest and inquires, it sounds like we're going to have a good year," Taylor said. "The beauty of it is, if you're on the boat, you're going to have a good time. It might be muggy on the streets, but when you come down here, the breeze coming off the river is cool."

The Convention Center handles and books the charters, but individual tickets are sold at Lake Brazos Steakhouse.

"There's a huge market, and we've just barely scratched the surface," Taylor said.

Charter groups vary from school parties, graduation parties, weddings, anniversaries, corporate parties, and church groups. Bands have played on board and Stringer also has a sound system.

"It's a unique way to celebrate special occasions," Mandy John-Spikes with the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.

For individuals, Taylor said, "It's also great for dates, because it can be romantic and it's inexpensive. Watching the sunset, in the evening, on this boat is just amazing."

Customers are the only people to make the paddleboat profitable, and Lacy and Stringer wanted to get people out on the river, so the new dock was built at the Lake Brazos Steakhouse.

"You get out here and your cares flow away," Stringer said. "It lets you see Waco from a different point of view."

Traveling down the river, toward downtown Waco, the buildings, lights and fixtures are the main sights. Moving up river, toward the Bosque River, the route is more scenic and the river is narrow.

"People haven't seen the beauty of Waco from the river side," Taylor said. "The cliffs are beautiful, there are many birds and nice houses."

Taylor thinks the boat has the potential to take on a life of its own, "and Cotter's got the personality to help do that," she said.

James Wood, the other captain on the SOR, is a unique character and is known as "World Famous James Wood." He's a Vietnam veteran, alligator wrestler, snake handler and story teller.

"He delights on taking history facts and adding them in the tour," Taylor said. "He's a narrator and entertainer. He uses the essential history, but it's not to the T."

Whether you want a fun tour with an entertaining captain or a romantic evening under the stars, the Spirit of the Rivers can provide it for you.