Captain Luke Moore

Captain Luke Moore has steered the Mary Evelyn boat for more than thirty years, going up and down the Mississippi River from Minneapolis-St Paul to New Orleans countless times.

The Mary Ellen pushes numerous barges, tied together. They are called the tow. The boat and its tow move non-stop —
during the day, at night, in the fog, through rain and snow, because of the economic value of the cargo, which must be transported. Satellite/GPS data as well as tremendously powerful headlights aid Captain Moore.

Three time-lapse videos shot by Captain Moore give a unique perspective on the navigational experience of the Mississippi River.
* Mary Evelyn departing Winona MN arriving at Lock 5 April 2022
https://uofi.box.com/s/h0rb4w5e4hbzjl7v77n33hna8mvb83or
* Mary Evelyn passing through Clinton IA RR bridge April 2022
https://uofi.box.com/s/jc8rtvnnpy99dwvxn1wfnf220t5bsltu
* Mary Evelyn Lock 15 Rock Island April 2022 https://uofi.box.com/s/5ckwptc2qut1l7ycgxhrabh02cmjt8c0

The density of commercial shipping on the Mississippi River is visible in this shot of the river in the New Orleans area, a testament to the skill of Captain Moore in guiding his valuable cargo.

This raw audio is provided in anticipation of the edited, filmed version of our interview with Captain Luke Moore (April 28, 2022) in which he explains his job and recalls the cultural and technological history of the Mississippi River as well as its mythic nature – the inspiration for our project’s name.