Ben Bernstein: [00:00:00] This episode of Ramblin on the river is presented by BB Riverboats. What does summertime in the Ohio River Valley mean to you? From the deck of a BB Riverboat, it means a breeze on the water, lush views, and a historic cruise by the Queen City skyline. BB Riverboats offers an experience as unforgettable as childhood summers.

This season, let our crew take care of yours as you cruise the mighty Ohio River. BB Riverboats. The river is waiting.

Moderator: You're listening to the Ramblin on the River podcast, presented by BB River Boats. The Bernstein family has been a predominant name in Cincinnati's hospitality landscape since the 1960s, and this podcast will be a collection of the stories, tales, and experiences from their [00:01:00] entrepreneurial endeavors in the restaurant and excursion boat business.

Join as they take you on a A journey through the family's history in their own unique style. Now, here are your hosts, Ben Terri and Alan Bernstein.

Ben Bernstein: Hey there, everybody.

Welcome aboard and welcome to the rambling on the river podcast. My name is Ben Bernstein. I am joined here by my father, Alan. Say hello. 

Alan Bernstein: Hello. 

And my sister Terri. 

Terri Bernstein: Hi. 

Ben Bernstein: We're all very thankful that you've chosen to join us for today's episode. Today's our very first episode. We're going to cover kind of an overview, a 30, 000 foot view.

Alan Bernstein: Could be our last. 

Ben Bernstein: Could be our last as well. We'll be doing a 30, 000 foot overview of kind of what the 

coming weeks and months Are going to look like sound like [00:02:00] as we get the show off the ground now before we get started We please ask that you follow and connect with the show By giving us a like and subscribe to the show on any one of your favorite podcast platforms you can also visit us on our facebook and instagram page and by Visiting our website at ramblinontheriver.

com If you have any direct questions or comments, you can even email us the email address is podcast at bbriverboats. com I can assure you that every question and comment will be read by all three of us. Your comments are going to drive how we plan this, the, the future episodes in the show to come.

Alan Bernstein: Do you think we ought to tell them the expectation of what is it likes or people joining our podcast? Our podcast. I mean, I think we ought to reach for 20 million podcast listeners or would that be a good, yeah, we'll live, we'll live with, I mean, we 

have 

one right now. We will, we will live by 

Terri Bernstein: like 20.

[00:03:00] Okay. 

Alan Bernstein: Maybe 20. 

Ben Bernstein: We'll live with twenty, too.

Terri Bernstein: I put 

it out way before.

Alan Bernstein: I didn't know that. I did. I 

thought we ought to have very 

Terri Bernstein: specific instructions to not send it out. And I did it. 

Alan Bernstein: Got it. 

Terri Bernstein: Okay. Does I listen? Well, 

Ben Bernstein: So before we actually introduce everybody how do we come up with this idea?

Alan Bernstein: Well, I was a star of a podcast.

Terri Bernstein: It was my 

idea. I thought it was great. 

Alan Bernstein: Wait, wait, wait, wait, 

wait. It was only when I went to the invitation of the I should remember his name. So if he hears this, he. Gets credit 

Ben Bernstein: you were on the necessary entrepreneur podcast. That 

Alan Bernstein: is it. Thank you. 

Ben Bernstein: His name is Mark Perkins 

Alan Bernstein: Thank you very very much.

And You guys listened to that and went Wow, he is really good 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, Mark was great. So 

Ben Bernstein: no, no, okay So what actually so what actually happened is yes, you were on the necessary entrepreneur podcast, okay? That episode you talked about things ranging from our family's [00:04:00] history and To our businesses and even actually Taylor Taylor Swift was a big 

Alan Bernstein: number big thing 

Ben Bernstein: That show was over two hours long which doing research for this podcast we find out that's a little longer than than most Recommend to go but right I will have to admit it was it was great.

It was a great show Everybody said everybody who listened to it said how great it was. Okay, and I was sitting there in my house You I was, not you, Terri. 

Terri Bernstein: No, I totally agree with this. 

Ben Bernstein: I was sitting there, and I was like, well, we can do this. I sent a text message out to To you guys. And 

Terri Bernstein: here we are, 

Ben Bernstein: here we are rambling on the river was born.

Now for everybody listening, my father does have a ton of stories. Every time we're at any sort of public gatherings, kind of holding court and telling this story or that story stories, Terri and I've heard. Probably 7, 000 times in our, in our lifetime, 

Alan Bernstein: but they're always different. Aren't they? 

Yeah, [00:05:00] I mean, part of telling stories is embellishing what you need to say.

Ben Bernstein: Absolutely. Absolutely. So now my father's also in his seventies. You are now a cancer survivor doing very well. Also a recent recipient of a new liver. Which that is correct. As it is certainly very, very exciting. So really there was not that there was an urgency, but I think Terri and I thought, you know, we want to preserve the history of the business and the family.

And, and, and really that that's really how this came about is we wanted to get these stories on tape and what better way to do it in 2024 than craft a podcast around it? I mean, everybody. And their mother has a podcast. Why can't we have a podcast? 

Alan Bernstein: So ours is going to be better than any of the other apps.

Ben Bernstein: Absolutely. Okay. So 

Terri Bernstein: for our four likes, 

Ben Bernstein: yes, that's okay. Maybe one day, maybe one day we'll get to 40 likes and then, and then on and [00:06:00] onward and upward from there to 

Terri Bernstein: 40 million. 

Ben Bernstein: So that's really, that's really where we where we started, but really our primary goal as, as I just talked about was getting these, these kind of going through the history, getting these things on tape.

We, we really want to be successful, but we really, we don't care. You know, I think I think people are going to enjoy our stories. 

Alan Bernstein: I don't know that 

you shouldn't care. 

No, I would, I would certainly care. 

And I would hope that we entertain. 

Ben Bernstein: What I'm saying is we don't care in terms of the success of the show does not dictate 20 

million.

I'm going to be very disappointed. 

Terri Bernstein: You better be getting out there.

Ben Bernstein: So the plan is to release a new episode each week. We're going to try to stick to about an hour in length. I'm sure some will be shorter, some will be longer and it won't be strictly storytelling. We are going to really focus on, dad's stories here.

That will kind of have its own segment, but we'll add in some other, some other segments we may [00:07:00] have some guests that may come along. We'll also mix in some current events, some things that are going on rather be our business, the industry anything like that. 

So with all that said, we've given you a little taste of what the three of us talking to each other kind of sounds like. Uh, but you don't have any idea who we are now. You're going to tell everybody who we are. 

Alan Bernstein: I would be honored to tell everybody who we are. Well, I guess everybody ought to know that this is Alan Bernstein.

And I've been at this a long, long time, but I'm honored to be here a lot Oh, yeah. She'll hear a lot about. My career, but I'm here with my daughter Terri, the older daughter. The older siblings. 

Terri Bernstein: The oldest child. The oldest child, 

Alan Bernstein: yes. Yes. 

Terri Bernstein: Not really a child anymore. 

Ben Bernstein: No, no. Where are you? Like 50? 

Terri Bernstein: No, 

Alan Bernstein: almost no. Yeah, she's getting there. Anyway my [00:08:00] daughter Terri attended Western Kentucky University. Very pretty school down in the western part of the state. 

Terri Bernstein: I went to Dixie Heights High School. And 

Alan Bernstein: Dixie Heights High School, which she loved. And we liked it. How long did you spend in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

Oh. Was it a little while? 

Terri Bernstein: I came home in four years. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh. 

Ben Bernstein: Four years? Four years. You came home in four 

Terri Bernstein: years. I came home in four years. 

Ben Bernstein: What's your degree? What dates on your degree? 

Terri Bernstein: Probably two more years after I came out, but I have a diploma. 

Alan Bernstein: That's right. And that's all that really matters. So and I'm joined with my, 

Ben Bernstein: wait, hold on.

We're not done with Terri. Oh, we're not done with the other college too. 

Terri Bernstein: I did. I went to Purdue University. And you have a graduate 

Speaker 3: degree there. No, no, I got a second bachelor's degree. Oh, a second bachelor's. 

Ben Bernstein: What city is that? 

Terri Bernstein: Paralegal, 

I have no idea. 

Alan Bernstein: She thinks it's in indianapolis, I think. 

Terri Bernstein: No idea.

Ben Bernstein: She did not spend any time in West Lafayette, Indiana. 

Terri Bernstein: [00:09:00] I should have gone to my graduation because I, I graduated cum laude. 

Alan Bernstein: Yes, and I have a sticker on my car. That my daughter graduated cum laude at Purdue University. 

Ben Bernstein: It is the only cum laude that she ever had. 

Terri Bernstein: I was lucky the rest of my educational career to make something higher than this.

Alan Bernstein: I think Terri took after me at school and you must have taken after your mother. 

Ben Bernstein: The beauty of virtual classes these days. Yeah, yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: I have a wonderful daughter. 

Alan Bernstein: You do? Emma Rose? 

Terri Bernstein: Emma Rose. 

Alan Bernstein: The Rose of my life. She 

Terri Bernstein: will be 16 this year. 

Alan Bernstein: Yes. 

Ben Bernstein: You are a highly accomplished riverboat captain? Oh, 

Terri Bernstein: I am. I am.

I have a hundred ton license. Yeah, Master's license. 

Ben Bernstein: We're still waiting for her first cruise. To operator for? 

Terri Bernstein: No, I've had two. I've had two. And I actually ran a few with you 

Ben Bernstein: without me driving . Well, actually, we're still waiting on your first [00:10:00] command. 

Terri Bernstein: I honestly would do very well. Yes, you would.

But I never wanted you two to know that I could run the boat because I have to do everything else. 

Ben Bernstein: The only reason got a license is to make sure that we knew that you could get license. 

Terri Bernstein: She did not find that off on me too. If I did, she did not 

Alan Bernstein: want to take the wrath of Ben Bernstein if she had done something.

Out of the ordinary. Correct. 

Ben Bernstein: What, like, run the stacks into the brim? 

Alan Bernstein: Well, maybe. I, I, listen, I've done that a couple times. Anyway. I have, I have not. Okay. Does that finish, Ms. Teresa? 

Ben Bernstein: I don't know. You feel good and accomplished? 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay. Well, we're going to move on. How about me? My little schnookums. Ben.

 A graduate of the University of Kentucky 

Ben Bernstein: also went to Dixie Heights High School 

Alan Bernstein: and also went to Dixie Heights High School 

Ben Bernstein: and all of you, dozens of people listening. Let's focus in on the 

dates of, I graduated in the year 2000 from Dixie Heights High School. Okay. [00:11:00] And then graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2004. Terri is not great at math, but can you do that math? How many 

Alan Bernstein: years? I can do it. I can do that math. 

Terri Bernstein: That was only four years. It only took me 20, so.

Ben Bernstein: I don't have a, I do not have a graduate degree. I did not. Go to the University of Purdue. 

Terri Bernstein: I didn't get a graduate degree. I got a second bachelor's degree.

Alan Bernstein: I thought you were getting a master's degree. 

Terri Bernstein: No, a paralegal. You're not even a professional. I wanted to get into the law field. In case I needed a career change quickly. 

Ben Bernstein: I am by far the best boat handler in this family. Well, I think that's a very debatable item. I think your daughter would probably agree too. And your wife. Your wife would definitely agree. 

Terri Bernstein: I 100 percent agree. 

Alan Bernstein: I don't think so. 

Ben Bernstein: I am the most accomplished by Size of license

Alan Bernstein: by school. Yes by all that stuff, but that doesn't mean [00:12:00] anything Yeah, 

Ben Bernstein: maybe we should go out and we should do an obstacle. Oh, right. We could do it both the boats out You know multi million dollar vessels. We should set up an obstacle We could invite all of our fans 

Alan Bernstein: Boy anyway So, is there anything else about you? You have a 1, 600 ton inland license, which is bigger than my 1, 600 western rivers license. 

Ben Bernstein: I could run a big boat on any water of the United States. 

Terri Bernstein: That is not western rivers anymore. It's just a rivers license.

Alan Bernstein: Oh, they got rid of western rivers? See, that's terrible. Because Western Rivers is a legacy and they're getting rid of all these legacies, which I think are terrible. We'll probably talk. So not 

on this episode. No, it's not. 

Terri Bernstein: We're still on introductions. Yeah, we 

Ben Bernstein: are. We're not living up to dad's expectations.

Speaker 6: We're that, 

Ben Bernstein: we're that one horse. They keep smacking it on the ass. It still won't [00:13:00] get into the gate. 

Alan Bernstein: So what else about you a little bit about Alan Bernstein? Well, I don't know I did not attend Dixie Heights high school not I did not Graduate from college. No, and actually here and a couple of episodes or next episode I know we'll really talk about You're a 

Terri Bernstein: high schooler.

You're growing up here. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: But you went to the University of Cincinnati for a couple years. 

Alan Bernstein: I did attend the University of Cincinnati. Kind of. Kind of. I did attend.

Ben Bernstein: Loosely. That's a loose term here. 

Terri Bernstein: Kind of how I got through college, too. 

Alan Bernstein: I did do that. But most of my high school years were in Ecuador and then I came back and received a Diploma for high school at Woodward high school in Cincinnati.

I did not attend Woodward very much, but as a courtesy to families that travel overseas and all that, they gave me a high school. 

Ben Bernstein: You're a riverboat captain as well. 

Alan Bernstein: I am. I I started when they did not even [00:14:00] call it a captain. it was an operator of a motor vessel. upon the Western Rivers. And then they changed the operator to, um, something, and then they changed it to master. 

Terri Bernstein: How many renewals have you had? 

Ben Bernstein: Real cutting edge information.

Alan Bernstein: I am very close to a renewal number nine. They don't even keep numbers anymore. Yeah, they took that away too. That used to be another legacy item. What number is your license? You know, how many times? But that isn't there anymore. 

Terri Bernstein: I still have my original paper on the wall. They don't even give those anymore. 

Alan Bernstein: No, they don't even, they give you a little passport. Yeah. So, I mean, that's about my career. I mean, I've had many incidences, which I am sure we're going to get into detail over.

Ben Bernstein: [00:15:00] Incidences, lots of them. 

Terri Bernstein: You never talked about your son. 

Ben Bernstein: Oh, look at that. No, his grandfather didn't talk about, 

Terri Bernstein: no, no, I talked about Emma. Oh yeah. I did not bring up your son. 

Alan Bernstein: I did not entertain. That's right. 

Terri Bernstein: It is very easy to lose track with the two of you. 

Ben Bernstein: You didn't talk much about Emma, but yeah. You have a very special son.

He's very special. And very, very 11 year old Elim Alan Bernstein. 

Alan Bernstein: He acts like he's about 18 or 19. Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: He looks like he's 18 or 19. Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: He's taller than me now. 

Ben Bernstein: Still 11. And well, hopefully we can get Emma and Elim on. Oh, I'll probably say hi. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 

Speaker 3: No. 

Terri Bernstein: Not Emma. Emma will talk.

Yeah. Oh yeah, 

Alan Bernstein: we'll get her going. We'll, we'll, we'll get her. But anyway. But yeah. So is that about our introductions or? That's pretty good for us. Okay. 

Ben Bernstein: On to the main topic of the day, which we call story time.

Moderator: Gather round everybody because it is [00:16:00] story time on rambling on the river.

Ben Bernstein: So story time today is how did we get here? It's our first episode way back when the. The business as a whole started. Okay. You in 1962, my grandfather, grandfather, Ben, my namesake or his name, whatever, however, 

Alan Bernstein: however it works 1962 my dad was a salesman for a parochial school dress company, which went out of business and his uncle's that was his uncle.

Well, the family, it was a family business. And his uncle passed away suddenly and the business sort of went went downhill and so dad dad had a couple of choices, but he started looking for big jobs and he actually found one with the [00:17:00] United States government we had started in the restaurant business because we used to go down to Tad's Steakhouse.

On fourth street every Sunday, it was a Sunday outing. And he met this guy named Gregory and about a year, maybe less than a year we had started Gregory's steakhouse. 

Ben Bernstein: Who was Gregory? 

Alan Bernstein: Gregory was a Greek immigrant. He had a very small family back then. And he was the manager of Tad's.

And he, 

Terri Bernstein: what was his last name? Polly 

Alan Bernstein: Orris, Gregory Polly Orris. 

Terri Bernstein: I want to say Pomodori, but that's 

Alan Bernstein: close, but it was Polly Orris. And he, he was a very nice guy, but so 

Terri Bernstein: when you were little, that grandpa was still working in the dress manufacturing business. 

Alan Bernstein: Yes. And mom and mom, but yes. Yeah.

Terri Bernstein: Grandma worked there too. And, 

Alan Bernstein: So when it went out of business, dad started looking for a job, [00:18:00] although we had started the restaurant and he landed a job with the state department and was assigned originally the country of Bolivia. And before we left the United States, he was moved to the country of Ecuador.

Which I grew up in Ecuador. My seventh grade all the way through my senior year was in in Ecuador. 

Ben Bernstein: Where at in Ecuador? 

Alan Bernstein: Quito, Ecuador, which is the capital. The capital up in high up in the mountains. Quito is at almost two miles up 11, 12, 000 feet. I guess it is more than two miles.

So but anyway a beautiful country. Absolutely. A country unlike any others, it's a part of the Andes mountain chain. And we were a family. Really enjoyed South America.

Terri Bernstein: So why was he [00:19:00] there? 

Alan Bernstein: What was his job? Okay. His job was to prepare the artisanship of the country for international sales.

So his, his purpose was to get them to make a better product that it would sell internationally. And they could export those items. 

Terri Bernstein: Wasn't that OSEPA? 

Alan Bernstein: That was OSEPA, which still exists today. It's the only program out of the four. It was originally Columbia Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Those were the four countries.

And so as we progressed that, that Dad progressed with the local Ecuadorians to get them to do that. He formed a cooperative, so all the money came into the cooperative. And I will tell you that that was not his purpose. My brother, who was there half the time I was says I'm, Just [00:20:00] totally crazy.

Ben Bernstein: It's a little spoiler alert for a future episode. I'm sure but yeah, yes Yeah, we will talk more but 

Alan Bernstein: I I believe I believe that dad was a Member of collecting intelligence About Ecuador to our CIA people here in America 

Ben Bernstein: which we'll never know. Of course 

Alan Bernstein: we dad is dead. He did not tell me ever.

I asked him many, many times because I was really interested to know, but he would always smile and he would never say, he never denied it though. He, he did. He said, Alan, you're crazy. He did not say that. Never, not once. So I, I get out of that, that he might be. , Jimmy says, well, I 

Terri Bernstein: mean, what there was else in going on.

There was a lot going on at that time. That May Well, yeah. I 

Alan Bernstein: mean, the Cuban Missile Crisis in the early sixties everybody was worried about [00:21:00] Castro and in turning everything communist in Cuba and turning everybody in South America against the us. So there was a lot going on. There was, there was a ton going on, which would make sense, but, so you went to school in Ecuador. We, I went to the eighth grade, ninth grade 10th and 11th. And when I, you understand Ecuador was in the Southern hemisphere, U. S. is in the Northern hemisphere and everything is opposite. So summer is winter there. Winter is summer, summer there. So it's all the opposite.

I came home in the middle of my senior year. And I came back to go to Woodward High School for a few months, and they basically gave me a diploma from Woodward High School. So that was sort of an interesting high school, 

Terri Bernstein: what was it like growing up there? You know, what did you do?

Alan Bernstein: There was a fairly [00:22:00] Are there other American kids there? There were other Americans there. Interestingly enough, when you ask that question, my math class was a total of eight people. And there might be eight one day, and there might be seven the next day because someone transferred out, or someone 

Terri Bernstein: Shipped off.

Alan Bernstein: Shipped off, or they went to another country, or whatever. So the class has always changed, even in the middle of the year. We would have six, we'd have eight then we'd have four, five and it was an interesting dynamic because the teachers who were American teachers had to adjust some of their programs and some of , their teachings so that 

Terri Bernstein: So does the U. S. set those schools up for you to go to while you're 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I There's gotta be some sort of Mr. Ronca, for example, and all of you will learn about Mr. Ronca over this show. But, for [00:23:00] example, Mr. Ronca worked for the Education Department of the State Department. And there are American schools, the United States, and there are American schools in Tokyo, and all, maybe every other major country, so, and that's called foreign teaching, and they send teachers all over the world. And Mr. Ronca, Got Ecuador and we met and became great 

Terri Bernstein: friends. Did he do that his whole life? He traveled all over? 

Alan Bernstein: Or was he was a teacher in the United States, and then he said he wanted to Go to foreign teaching and it it's something that you have to want to do and he did it he was in Japan he was in Ecuador , and by the way, Mr. Ronca is still alive. 

Ben Bernstein: He's 

Alan Bernstein: 102. 

Ben Bernstein: 102. 

Alan Bernstein: He lives in what, Connecticut? In Connecticut. Yeah. 102, he's still alive. Now, my claim to fame in story time is this he was our [00:24:00] math teacher. He was both my brother's teacher and my teacher. And he would regularly tell my dad at dinner. Jimmy, my brother Jim, was the most talented student he ever had.

And of course my what would you call it? Dossier was, Alan was his worst student he ever taught. So that gives you the, Jimmy's aspiration was to become an astronaut and go into the aerospace industry. And my aspiration was to be a bus, is to be a bus assistant on one of the buses in Ecuador.

So that sort of gives you the, now, that's a little tongue in cheek, but that's, that's a good description. Anyway so Mr. Ronca, who became a dear friend and , Jimmy and I have both visited not regularly, but we [00:25:00] visited him. And he's come here several times. He has come here several times, absolutely.

The fact that he outlived my mother was quite a, 

Terri Bernstein: So back to my original question. Okay. What did you do in, I mean, What did you do? Well, we, we met, 

Alan Bernstein: I met kids from the American, I mean, Did they 

Terri Bernstein: just let you run amuck? Like, you were just, 

Alan Bernstein: Well, , Ecuador at the time was the second most underdeveloped country in the world.

Haiti has been number one on the list for years and years, has not gotten off of that. And Haiti has a lot of turmoil right now. 

Terri Bernstein: You don't remember. 

Alan Bernstein: No, I do remember. We had, I had a lot of American friends. One in particular. Who was a young girl when they left Ecuador, her father was a colonel in the Air Force. And there was a big Air Force contingency there and a big Army contingency, but the military played an another [00:26:00] role in Ecuador, but we became very good friends. Not boyfriend and girlfriend because we weren't, well I guess we were at that age 

Terri Bernstein: did you play sports? Did you do anything?

Alan Bernstein: No, we didn't play sports. Let's see. There wasn't, I wasn't good at soccer. Kick a milk carton around the street? We did do some unusual things. We would go to a farm not far from Quito. And we would play in the, in the streams and listen to music. 

Terri Bernstein: You had a fairly big compound that you lived in.

Alan Bernstein: Yes , our house was a compound. And, I assume it was guarded? Yeah, not, not by armed guards. Ecuador was not dangerous then. Ecuador was a friendly American country. And, no, we did not have armed guards, but we did have it was a stone fence around the entire compound and we had a little house out in the [00:27:00] backyard. We called the Casita and that's where Jimmy and Mr. Ronca live. And then mom and dad and I lived in the main house. we had some very nice amenities in the. In the house, we had a cook, which was great, and we did have the, the government gave mom a, what do you call that, a vat, what, what is a lady that not there's a name. For the kids help of the kid. No, it wasn't for kids. It was really for mom. She, Suzanne helped my mother in many things. So dad did not have a valet, but dad had a lot of government people from Ecuador. that he worked with. They, they all spoke English. Dad was very bad with Spanish.

My, my dad could not grasp Spanish, Spanish and I will have to digress for a second and tell you a funny [00:28:00] story. Dad was asked to give a speech to the General Assembly of Ecuador. So he got up and, he tried very hard to speak Spanish, 

but yeah, but anyway, what he wanted to say at the general assembly is that he had concerns about the program to see if it was going to be successful or not.

And so the word for fear In Spanish is miedo. That's fear. The word for shit is mierda. And so Dan getting confused like he did he wanted to say, I have fear that we're not gonna get this done. And what he said is, [00:29:00] I am full of shit. One of his famous moments in Ecuador, because everybody got up after the speech and said, that is the best speech we have ever heard in a long time.

So anyway, 

Terri Bernstein: you are a chip off the old. Oh 

Alan Bernstein: yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I came home from Ecuador in 1969. 

Ben Bernstein: Why did you guys leave? Is he had a tour? 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah, it was a term. It was a four year which is like the president. So anyway so we came home, his, his tour was over. Dad and mom came home about six months prior to when I could come home because of school. 

Ben Bernstein: So you did school in Ecuador. You came home. Woodward gave you the diploma. 

Alan Bernstein: I didn't study much at Woodward. It's a courtesy they give all military and all U. S. citizens. If you [00:30:00] are at that point in your school work, you get a sort of a courtesy graduation. So you probably would have needed I probably went because of my grades. Yeah 

Ben Bernstein: Now graduating was a very key day of your love for the river. That's correct. It was my very first day actually. Yeah and at graduation there was you know, everybody assigned a cap and gown and all you know Everybody was sort of excited the rehearsal and the rehearsals and all that stuff and on the day of rehearsal I heard that the delta queen was coming to Cincinnati for the first time as it does every year. It would go to the, the deep South, New Orleans, Natchez. Until it got warm enough up here. Right. And then, and the Kentucky Derby was always that day or that week, you know? And so on Monday of the week of Derby, the Delta Queen would come up and there was a [00:31:00] big ceremony every year. I met Betty Blake there. I met Captain Wagner and a lot of, a lot of great people. And I fell in love with this big boat and I really wanted to work on it. And so I finally asked who do I talk to about working on it? And I met the chief steward. His name was Franklin Miles. I will never forget him. Six foot eight. Perfectly chiseled, chiseled. That's a good word. Body very strong. And I said I hear you're the guy that I can talk to about a job and He said well, what do you do? And I told him that we were in the restaurant business and I could bus tables, or I could do that. I could also deck hand. We had a boat and, and he said, okay, if you can be here at five o'clock [00:32:00] tonight, we're going to New Orleans after we stop in Louisville, we're going to stop in Louisville and then we're headed to New Orleans. So. I said, great. And I got my car and I ran home and I said, mom and dad, mom and dad, and mom and dad weren't there. So I called the restaurant. I didn't just 

Terri Bernstein: pick up your cell phone and call them. 

Alan Bernstein: There's no, no, this was quite a time before cell phones. So I called the restaurant and they said, Oh, your mom and dad are at important meeting. And I said, well, okay, I hung up and I got a pencil and paper out. And I said, dear mom and dad, I got a job on the Delta queen.

And I will call you in two weeks when I get to New Orleans. 

Ben Bernstein: Could you imagine if you would have done that? My daughter 

Terri Bernstein: did that to me today. I would kill her. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, my mother was about ready to kill me, even though I did it. My father thought it was pretty good, pretty, you know, pretty entertaining [00:33:00] I was able to get a job and that I, I guess, took it upon myself to do that. When I called mom from New Orleans, she answered the phone and I said, mom, this was your little baby Al and was quiet for 15 seconds. And she said, Alan, get your ass home right now. And I said, mom, I can't this is, this is too great to pass up. And now I had already traveled internationally. It's not like Emma write you a note today and says, I'm going somewhere, you knew what you were doing. I mean, I had no fear of getting on this boat and going up and down the river. Yeah, and I don't think my mother and father did either. They just, it wasn't a really good way for me to say.

Terri Bernstein: It sounds awesome. I wish I would've done it. 

Alan Bernstein: So anyway, that is my actual [00:34:00] start 1970. It was the year I graduated from high school. I got to see all of the Mississippi river, all of the Ohio river, the Tennessee river, and the Cumberland river that year. 

Ben Bernstein: Which we'll actually get into. It's actually gonna be the next episode.

Oh, okay. We, that's where're talk about the Delta Queens. That's where we're gonna go from here. Okay. 

Alan Bernstein: So you wanna stay tuned for that story next week. Yeah. But a little teaser for 'em. Oh, little teaser tease. Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: Leave them wanting more , 

Alan Bernstein: Which are probably the four rivers that if you are a person that loves the river.

I would recommend anybody the Mississippi, the Ohio, Tennessee and Cumberland are really just outstanding rivers. Yeah. 

Terri Bernstein: Is the Cumberland where we went through Wilson Lock and Dam? 

Alan Bernstein: No, no, that's Tennessee. That was the 

Terri Bernstein: neatest lock and dam I had ever been through. 

Alan Bernstein: 108 feet they raise you [00:35:00] 108. Now under Ohio, the biggest raise is like 50.

So it's double that. But yes, that's in Muscle Shoals. Area right below, right above Muscle Shoals is Wilson Lock and Dam. 

Ben Bernstein: Those of you who don't know what a lock chamber is, just picture an elevator on the river. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: Raises you up. 

Alan Bernstein: The door opens. The water goes in. 

Ben Bernstein: You have to go through elevation changes. In order for there to be , enough water or deep enough water for boats to travel on. So they'll put a dam across the river to hold the water back. 

Alan Bernstein: What was the history? 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Is that in the early days boats had to wait wherever they were, would drive the river to come back to dry up here, right outside our door.

That's right. That's 

Ben Bernstein: right. Used to be able to walk across it. 

Alan Bernstein: And so they then decided they would build these manmade locks. That's called canalization. That's correct. Yes. And we have a monument here in Cincinnati. We do. 

Terri Bernstein: Listen to how smart he is. 

Alan Bernstein: Who? [00:36:00] She didn't know anyone. I guess he studied up because he wasn't this smart before.

Ben Bernstein: I have the greatest sightseeing commentary on this side of Mississippi River. 

Alan Bernstein: It is so boring I fell asleep. But anyway, are we going to get into a lock and dam and all that stuff? No, not right now. No, not right now. Okay, alright. So you get off the Delta Queen. I get off the Delta Queen and I start at the University of Cincinnati.

Ben Bernstein: Yeah, you went to the University of Cincinnati. Grandma's happy you're home. 

Alan Bernstein: Grandma's very happy I'm home. Yep.

Terri Bernstein: How long were you there? 

Alan Bernstein: I was only there two years. 

Terri Bernstein: Oh, you made it two years. 

Alan Bernstein: I did make it two years. Two full years. When my father came to me and said, Alan, you're wasting my money and you are wasting your own time. Your ass is going to work. 

Terri Bernstein: I'm shocked. I didn't get that same conversation. 

Alan Bernstein: It was probably, it was probably very close, very close, very close. [00:37:00] But anyway, you're going to come into the family business and that's it. So I left school and I'm a college dropout is what I am. 

Ben Bernstein: So at that time, I guess we only had Gregory Steakhouse.

Alan Bernstein: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 1970. We had El Greco in 1968. 

Terri Bernstein: What was Gregory Steakhouse? 

Alan Bernstein: What? It was a Bonanza Ponderosa concept. 

Ben Bernstein: 99 cents steak dinner. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. 90 When? When I started it was 98 cents. You got a T-bone steak. Big one T-Bone steak Baked potato. And a garlic bread and a salad.

That was 89 

Terri Bernstein: a glass of water in a restaurant for 99. 

Alan Bernstein: No, no. And if you wanted a drink, you had to pay extra for the drink. So it was lemonade, iced tea, coffee, a soft drink or whatever. So 89 cents. And then we got to 99 cents. And I remember the day [00:38:00] that Gregory and my dad were sitting down and dad said, I think we need to go to a dollar one. And Gregory said, I don't think we can break that dollar threshold. I think anything more than a dollar, we're going to lose business. Well, I don't need to tell you. We went to a dollar one, dollar 11, dollar 20, you know, 

Terri Bernstein: how many did you have more than one? 

Alan Bernstein: We did, but when we split up with Gregory, there were four steakhouses, Erlanger, Middletown, Cincinnati, and el Greco was going to be number four. Thank you for reminding me. But they didn't do that, so we basically had three Gregory's Steakhouse. And, So, 

Terri Bernstein: did you go into El Greco with Gregory? 

Alan Bernstein: No, no. But we went in with the intention of making it a Gregory's Steakhouse. So My dad and [00:39:00] Gregory split I don't know probably the whole story. I was pretty young. and They split up 

Terri Bernstein: split or a bad split? 

Alan Bernstein: Well, I would say maybe average. I don't, I 

Terri Bernstein: remember meeting him. I think it was a bad, 

Alan Bernstein: I think the, the, the reason was bad. We split and El Greco was ours and mom and dad decided that El Greco was too nice of a restaurant to make a steakhouse. So we we start That was my favorite restaurant. Yeah, it was All of our restaurants, that was my favorite. Anybody that remembers El Greco it, it really was a Sort of a culmination of mom's recipes. My mother was a fabulous cook and the motto of the restaurant was the Italian, the Italian rest. You know what, Terri 

Terri Bernstein: restaurant with the Spanish name, 

Alan Bernstein: [00:40:00] but I think there was a Greek partner in there. So I think maybe. 

Terri Bernstein: It is in the 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah, I So he was So he did originally He was originally in, and I think that was the split. We were going to keep El Greco and he was going to take the steakhouses. That Now that I can remember that's probably what it was. But And there's probably gonna be a lot of that in this podcast. Yeah, you're probably, I'm probably gonna go back Italian restaurant, about eight weeks. I'm gonna go back and say, well, you know that first podcast, 

Terri Bernstein: it's the Italian restaurant with the Spanish name hosted by the Jewish couple. With the Greek partner. Yep. Yep. Featuring American steaks, French onion soup, Ecuadorian Vici, and Swiss fondue. 

Alan Bernstein: There you go. 

Ben Bernstein: I don't ever remember any Swiss fondue though. 

Alan Bernstein: Well yeah, and it was all the, in all the times and not one time. It was a great item on the menu, but it was very, very dangerous. And what I'm saying is you had to take a pot of hot oil [00:41:00] through a busy restaurant to get to the table. And there were a couple of bad accidents. One of them was on an employee. And she was severely burned. So anyway Where 

Terri Bernstein: we went on from El Greco. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh from El Greco We went to the Mike Mike 

Ben Bernstein: Fink. Yep, Mike Fink, which was 1976 

Alan Bernstein: Yes 1977 

Terri Bernstein: The year after I was born. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah, that's right. You were born in 1977 and We didn't know a thing about the Ohio River. Not a thing. And we bought it from the Beatys. Captain Beatty and his wife they were great people, but Dad and Captain Beatty didn't get along. Captain Beatty wanted his way and Dad wanted his way and the two didn't mix. Mike Fink was probably the restaurant that put us On the map. Yeah. El Greco was great. We had a [00:42:00] great run with El Greco. Mike Fink probably put us on the map.

Terri Bernstein: The romance of river boat dining. Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: That's how we started the romance of riverboat dining. So everybody thought it was a boat. Well, the Mike Fink was built 

Ben Bernstein: on the John W Hubbard. Yes. Which was, I mean, it was a real steam boat, which was a steam stern wheel Towboat. Boat, that's right. That operated up and down This river pushed coal barges 

Alan Bernstein: and it actually held the record for a long time. Pushing the amount of coal that it pushed. The John W. Hubbard became the Mike Fink and really the rest the Mike Fink story is well, the Mike Fink story leads into BB riverboats. That's right. And the reason was the logo or the, the saying was the romance of riverboat dining. So. People that heard that or saw that, well, that must be a boat. What time does the boat leave? What time does it get back? And, but in fact, it doesn't never left. It was a [00:43:00] stationary old relic steamboat that never moved.

Ben Bernstein: So after, after enough of those comments, your father said, we got to buy it. 

Alan Bernstein: I don't know this to be factual, but I'd like to take claim for it. I said, dad, we get enough of these calls. I'll bet you. We could do well with a boat was right, but boy was it a rocky road to get here.

Terri Bernstein: Yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Anyway then came BB. 1980. 1980. Cousin Carl, you'll remember. Do you remember Cousin Carl? I remember. 

Terri Bernstein: Who can forget Cousin Carl? 

Alan Bernstein: Well, that's, I don't know Ben if you knew Cousin Carl or not. But cousin Carl , decided to spin off a catering company. It was his idea to do catering. And everybody said, Carl, you're crazy. This is way before catering was popular way before, but I shouldn't say that cause there were a lot of [00:44:00] caterers, but we, we started food that you wouldn't expect out of a caterer. That's how we became famous. So Which that at the time was Benson's Catering. It was, yes, it was. It was always Benson's Catering. Because our company, the main company was called Benson's Incorporated. Which is 

Ben Bernstein: Ben and Son, your father, Ben. That's correct. Ben and Sons. And nowadays, we have gone through a rebrand that's now called Current Catering.

Yes. Yes. But it has been when did when did catering begin when did our catering come? Had to be in the 80s So be it was 1980s probably. 

Alan Bernstein: Well, we started 

Terri Bernstein: in 1979. I think it was 84 Maybe 

Alan Bernstein: not that far, but I might have been 83. We did the party for P& G. It was back in the early 80s That was 

Terri Bernstein: our, yeah, I 

Ben Bernstein: will tell you, I used to always say it was 1979, but our oldest employee, as you like to [00:45:00] call her Terri Voet, who resides in the office next to us, , the incorporation documents say 1980, do they really do?

Terri Bernstein: I thought we started it in 79, but our first, until incorporated until 

Ben Bernstein: 1980. 

Alan Bernstein: What, really? Yes. Well, that's very interesting. Now, see, I've been lying to a lot of people. We've all been lying. And I 

Terri Bernstein: think every piece of our literature says 1979. Yeah, 

Ben Bernstein: but I mean, that's, that's, those are just stories too. 

Alan Bernstein: No, no. You don't have to be. It was an honest mistake if it's really a mistake. But anyway 

Ben Bernstein: caterings a couple years later. Yep. Yep, and Crockett's probably 

Alan Bernstein: Rockets came next rocket and the river cafe river cafe Sloppy Joe, and I 

Terri Bernstein: worked at Crockett's for years. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. Yeah, 

Terri Bernstein: that's it was a popular That's where I learned how to hostess with the mostess.

Ben Bernstein: Oh, okay. There was Benjamins and Shirley's Yeah, that's later on [00:46:00] Benjamins 

Terri Bernstein: Shirley's spent a lot of time there too, and I learned how to make Good Fettuccine Alfredo. 

Ben Bernstein: You made a killer cinnamon toast. 

Terri Bernstein: That was at Mike 

Alan Bernstein: Fink. Yeah, now wait a minute. But I 

Terri Bernstein: spent a lot of time with my grandmother. She wouldn't let me work on the riverboats.

Alan Bernstein: We do have to go back on on Weezzee's history because she started her real first job was cinnamon toast at Mike Fink. I know, but I think I was actually working before that. I worked in the kitchen in the summertime, but yes, I got cinnamon toast. So Benjamin Shirley's as we're downtown Garfield place. Yep. A little bit ahead of that time. Covington landing, which was 91. Covington landing 91. Dad passed away. Right after the opening. I think the opening was in August and dad passed away in January. Yes, exactly. Yep. 

Ben Bernstein: It was gathered. We gathered all the kids. He was, he [00:47:00] was upstairs and he would not go to a hospital. Yep. No, he didn't want to go to a hospital. 

Alan Bernstein: Nurses came to him. Yep. We, everybody was there and he passed away in his sleep. And what better way to pass away? Anyway Coming to Landing, there were other 

Ben Bernstein: some, there were some joint ventures along with that. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh sure, Howl at the Moon was born. 

Terri Bernstein: Chuck E. Cheese. Chuck 

Ben Bernstein: E. Cheese. No, that wasn't Covington Landing, that was TGI Fridays. Oh, I thought you were talking about other. TGI Fridays. That's right. I thought you 

Terri Bernstein: were talking about other. 

Ben Bernstein: No, that's right. Chuck 

Alan Bernstein: E. Cheese is somewhere in there. Chuck E. Cheese. Now, that, that.

Clearly that was a franchise deal. Well, yeah. And so was TGI Fridays, right, but 

Terri Bernstein: we had Stobarts and oh, yeah 

Ben Bernstein: Bells River Saloon. Yeah in the arcade. There's an arcade. Oh, yeah Arcade I think so. There weren't many there were many 

Terri Bernstein: sure I saw a lot of write ups from your boss because you would go to run trash 

Ben Bernstein: Andrea Moorhead who's now Andrea [00:48:00] Roy Taking the trash stopped.

Oh, yeah. I hopped over there. I mean, she 

Terri Bernstein: married a. Jeff from, they both were working here. That's why 

Ben Bernstein: name Andrea Roy. I know. But, but they were both 

Terri Bernstein: employees of ours. Jeff Roy met, she married Jeff. Yeah. They met did she really? We could, 

Ben Bernstein: we could probably go through a whole episode of, of, of romance. Romance.

Romance. Oh, romances. Yeah. But we won't 

Alan Bernstein: the Seiberts. 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. I, , 

Terri Bernstein: Missy. 

Ben Bernstein: Missy. There's zillions of 'em. Oh yeah. I've 

Terri Bernstein: been through a few . . 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. Missy's 

Alan Bernstein: not one. Yeah, 

Terri Bernstein: it is. Oh, 

Alan Bernstein: she met. She met her 

Terri Bernstein: husband here. 

Alan Bernstein: Gregory. But he didn't. No, not Schweickart. She's not a Schweickart anymore. Oh, right, right, right, right, right.

Terri Bernstein: No, she's a Schweickart now. She's not a 

Alan Bernstein: Gregory. Oh, a Gregory. She met. Okay, I got it wrong. Okay. Anyways. Missy, I'm sorry. 

Terri Bernstein: Yes, they both worked here. 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah. Okay. After that was the, the end of it all is the USS nightmare. I, I believe, 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, no, no, wait a minute. Now the nightmare came much sooner than all that. No, no, I don't think 

Terri Bernstein: it was before Covington.

We know 

Ben Bernstein: it wasn't. [00:49:00] No. Oh yes. No, it was not. It was not. Well, 

Terri Bernstein: it's been, it's been 

Alan Bernstein: 30 years. It's 

Terri Bernstein: like 32 now, because a couple years ago we had 30 years of fears. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. But at, we did have it at Covington, so that would make it 1992. Oh, or 93. Okay. 

Terri Bernstein: Okay. So after Covington Landing and, 

Alan Bernstein: and that, I don't know if we have a nightmare division of this show or not because 

Ben Bernstein: this show's an open canvas.

Alan Bernstein: Alright. We'll tell that story later. 

Terri Bernstein: Did we miss any of our adventures along? I mean, I'm sure there's been plenty of 

Ben Bernstein: them. Well, I mean, we, we mentioned Chuck E. Cheese and TGI 

Terri Bernstein: Friday, the basketball stadium. Oh, we did Dayton, 

Alan Bernstein: Dayton, Ohio and the university of Cincinnati. But those are all pieces that, you know, entrepreneurs go after. That's sort of the history of how we got here [00:50:00] and you're gonna hear about a lot of stories that involve all of that. 

Ben Bernstein: So that's kind of the general timeline. We'll start picking out certain pieces of that timeline and and we'll talk about some specific stories about 

Alan Bernstein: we have to do the word of the day 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah, we will. 

You ready for the word of the day?

Well, I, I certainly am.

Moderator: Now it is time for rambling on the rivers.

Word of the day. 

Ben Bernstein: All right. Well, that's me. That is you. 

That is me. Each episode, we're going to pick a word or a phrase. You'll learn through this whole thing out. Al has a very unique vocabulary 

Alan Bernstein: and really, and many of the vocabulary things aren't really words let's just do today's word of the day.

We'll get there. Hold on. 

Ben Bernstein: So each episode we'll bring, we'll pick a word or a phrase from Al's vocabulary and have him try to explain it [00:51:00] and see if he can explain it well enough to add it to your own vocabulary. So today's word of the day is Cally Whompers. Cally. Whompers. 

Terri Bernstein: I use this word all the time.

Alan Bernstein: And I use it for many different purposes. Why don't, why don't you try to spell it? Oh, I think Cally wompers would be C a L. Why? And maybe double L L would it be 

Ben Bernstein: one word or two words? Is it a word? I think a word of the day or a phrase of the day. 

Alan Bernstein: Cally whompers really should be two different words. Collie and Holly like cauliflower 

Terri Bernstein: or Cally, like Callyfornia. Like, 

Alan Bernstein: Oh my God. I, you know, I haven't ever been asked that question. [00:52:00] But everybody says, well, what the hell is Cally Whompers? And I said, well, if a pole is not straight, like it's supposed to be, and it's sort of leaning, I call that Cally Whompers. 

Terri Bernstein: You say that about spud poles all the time. 

Alan Bernstein: Spud poles. That is collywompers. I say it about telephone poles. You use it for much more, much more than. When our doc is 

Terri Bernstein: listing, he's always like, our, our doc is collywompers. Oh yeah. 

Alan Bernstein: Yeah. If one doc is going one way and another doc's going another way, that's all collywompers. Now I don't know if there's a real word for that or not. 

Ben Bernstein: There is absolutely a real word for it. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, there is. Yeah. And what is that real word? 

Ben Bernstein: This is not to be confused with catawampus. Which is the word, I am sure, at one point, was given to you and you turned it into cally whompers. Catawampus. 

Catawampus. 

Alan Bernstein: Oh, and what is that definition?

It means askew, awry. That's what 

Ben Bernstein: collywompers use. A [00:53:00] synonym would be discombobulated. Huh. That just sure sounds like collywompers. Sure sounds like collywompers. To me. 

Alan Bernstein: But you could use cally whompers. Everybody listening could use it. In many different ways, in many different circumstances, 

Terri Bernstein: especially in the boat industry 

Alan Bernstein: and especially in the boat industry.

It is one of my favorite and I say it all the time, all the time, all the time, I really do. And yeah, maybe multiple times in a day. So Cally WPAs Cally . Cally wants it. . Now you have me rolling. Kinda wpa. Yeah, no, callers is a good word to, to use. And you, like I said, you can use it any way you want and when people, when you say it, people are gonna look at you so that's the way it is. So do we have anything else on our agenda 

Ben Bernstein: we do actually okay, [00:54:00] we're gonna have a little current event discussion. 

Moderator: Oh Welcome to as the paddle wheel turns our look at pertinent current events happening right now in the world 

Ben Bernstein: So this is the segment each week like 

Terri Bernstein: wedding music 

Alan Bernstein: Like the symphony 

Terri Bernstein: dun, 

Ben Bernstein: dun.

I mean, it's not. No, I feel like, like the movie Clue. Like you're in, in that old house. Mr. Mustard in the candlestick. 

Terri Bernstein: Colonel Mustard. 

Ben Bernstein: Colonel Mustard. With the candlestick in the library. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is the segment each week where we will pick kind of a pertinent topic going on, rather it be in our business or the industry.

This week's topic is something that was close to home. We're gonna talk about rail jumping. Oh. 

Alan Bernstein: Okay. That is a recent topic. 

Ben Bernstein: Correct. Yes. So rail jumping , for those of you who aren't [00:55:00] familiar with river terms or coast guard terms is simply the act of jumping off of a boat on purpose, 

 As part of the Introduction that my father never gave I was the The chairperson of the Safety and Security Committee for the Passenger Vessel Association, which both of you are past presidents of the Passenger Vessel Association. Yeah, I was a past president. Which is a lot 

Terri Bernstein: cooler than the Safety and Security Committee. So long ago, 

Ben Bernstein: I can't 

Alan Bernstein: remember the date. I think it was 88. Mine 

Terri Bernstein: was 2014. Oh, 

Ben Bernstein: okay. And this has been a big topic of discussion. We have seen around the country. Nationwide, 

Alan Bernstein: it's a big topic. Nationwide. Yeah. 

Ben Bernstein: You've seen it internationally. You've seen it with sure, sure. There is a, especially with the advent of Tik TOK and Instagram and short form videos and people being influencers and things that's it's become a problem that's people are jumping off of a boat to be and swimming to shore, or trying to to swim to shore. To swim, 

Terri Bernstein: videotaping it, correct. [00:56:00] Posting it. 

Ben Bernstein: Now, there has been a lot of work done by our association. Our committee the Safety and Security Committee has done a, a big push to, to get these things shut down. And if you do a quick little Google search, you can find some of the success stories from. Some of the more major ports around the country Miami. This is a big problem in Miami in Chicago Places that are overly populated you have a lot of a lot of boat operators a lot of marinas a lot of people who own boats and 

Alan Bernstein: a few weeks ago we had I a senior event, you know, a school event, a high school event, a high school event without naming and naming. Well, we're not going to name, no, but anyway, we had that event and one of the kids I guess bet or said, I'll give you 10. Well, it was only 10, 10. Ooh. If you jump off the boat and the kid said, okay. 

Ben Bernstein: And [00:57:00] he, well, I think, yeah, I think it was, I think it was an issue from what it doesn't even 

Terri Bernstein: matter. Yeah, it really did.

Alan Bernstein: And over he went, which most people don't understand. Well, I think they understand that it creates panic right away. Cause people on the boat see a guy or a gal jump overboard. That's a pretty traumatic thing. What they don't understand is it puts the boat.

dangerous situation, which is this? Yes. Because we have responsibilities to get that person. And we train consistently. And we train a lot to do that. We have to launch another boat to go out and try and get the person. And there's a lookout and there's there's a lot of things going on. And 

Terri Bernstein: the 

Alan Bernstein: captain is talking to the Coast Guard and all the All the authorities and everybody is running around.

And 

Terri Bernstein: not to mention we have current, oh, we [00:58:00] had, we had current, we have other things. I mean, if the river was high 

Alan Bernstein: and on, on some cruises, you might have other people decide to jump in. Mm-Hmm. So fortunately we did not on this one. And the, the kid swam to shore, made it. He was off fired and was okay. He, he actually, he was unhurt. I mean, there wasn't even a. He struggled getting there at the end. At the end because of the current. But and that's something none, nobody thinks about it, but anyway. It's not a good thing to do. No, and 

Terri Bernstein: we've had one in the past where it was cold. I mean, the water was cold.

Alan Bernstein: That was mine. I know. I was there. Yeah. Many years 

Terri Bernstein: ago. 

Alan Bernstein: Not that this 

Ben Bernstein: has happened a ton, thankfully, but it has. I think only three times that I know in our history. Yeah. The one you were just talking about, the weather, it was 75 degrees outside. , the person jumped in the water.

The water was 51 to get, and it was dark out. It was dark out. It It was dark. [00:59:00] That was, that's right. It was a, we 

Terri Bernstein: had a very hard time and he had swam and 

Alan Bernstein: there was confusion as to where he was, where the jumper went, or you know, what side what, what side, and then where he was, well, because he 

Terri Bernstein: was swimming, 

Alan Bernstein: one of the employees came up to the pilot house, ran up there and said, captain, he's over here.

And I turned the light around and there he was. Yep. 

Terri Bernstein: We got him out just in time. 

Alan Bernstein: And we got him out just in time. He was ready to drown. We got his clothes off and got him back on boat and got him warm. But the, the, those are things that certainly the jumper didn't even think 

Terri Bernstein: No, they think it looks, it looks, it was very 

Alan Bernstein: inviting.

Terri Bernstein: Yeah. I mean, it looks, let's jump off the boat and go for a swim. He, he 

Alan Bernstein: was a good mile below the boat. I turned the boat around. So I got closer and closer, but he was a mile away with the current when the rescue boat got to it. 

Ben Bernstein: Right. Which, most people do not take that into account. No, no.

Alan Bernstein: And he created panic [01:00:00] everywhere. I can tell you, my heart was beating 85, 000 times a second. It was and we saved the kid's life. But it's a bad thing for anybody to think about it really, really is. He could have killed himself going down on the jump. 

Terri Bernstein: Yeah, I mean, he could have hit a 

Alan Bernstein: deck.

He could have hit rails. Sure. 

Ben Bernstein: The most recent one, not the one you're talking about, but the most recent one, the kid did a, did a full on back flip off of the, off of the top deck or the third deck. And and went into the water. If he, if he slips and falls and could be very easy, you know, it's, it's funny to, some of his friends and subsequently some of the parents, unfortunately during the graduation had t shirts made and taking pictures with them, which Nothing funny about it. There is not a thing. Not a thing, not a thing funny about it. But our association has done a lot of a lot of outreach and a lot of work with the United States Coast [01:01:00] Guard. And it all centers around section 2302 of title 46 of the U. S. Code. Which states, a person operating a vessel in a negligent manner , or interfering with the safe operation of a vessel as to endanger the life limb or property of a person is liable to the United States government for a civil penalty of not more than 5, 000 on a recreational vessel that there's that part or 25, 000 for any other vessel. Now in 2023, the coast guard adjusted that figure, which who knows how they calculate this. But now the fine amount maxes out at 41, 093 after inflation and, you know, whatever, however they calculate it. And there have been quite a few over the last, let's see, I have the number here. The last there's been about 20 cases charged since 2019, which is really when all of this kind of ramped up is, [01:02:00] As far trying to put an end to the problem.

Our friends up in fire Island, New York, fire Island, Dave Anderson. I know he had a he had one that they, I believe successfully got through and, and carried out the civil penalty. Really pushed the coast guard to, carry it all the way fully through, through everything. Just as As we will be as well, but it, it is a, it is a problem. A lot of people think that it's, it's good TV or good. I guess it's not TV anymore. Good video. Yeah. Good internet video. But really it's. It's very, very, very dangerous that and there's many, many dangers. Not many people. This is not a lake.

No, it's not Lake Cumberland or Norse Lake. 

Alan Bernstein: And what they don't think about is we could have hurt several of our crew members trying to do all this. They could, one of them could have drowned. I mean, they don't realize the panic. That they put on the people that are responsible to go [01:03:00] after them, right? Which we have to do. You have to do 

Ben Bernstein: there. There is no, there there's, there's no choice, no, nothing. 

Alan Bernstein: No, I mean, we would be negligent if we didn't go after him. So the it's just not a good thing to do. It, it, it might seem like it, you know, you're with your friends and yeah, I could do this. Oh, it's the easy. But it, it really is not good. Anyway, no, he will get fine. I bet you, he will get fine. I don't know. It was 

Ben Bernstein: a 

Alan Bernstein: minor. There 

Ben Bernstein: is we spoke to the coast guard and it is in their, their legal department and that is kind of the, the latest of will, you know, where does it go?

He'll get 

Alan Bernstein: fine. But I don't think. You know, and mom and dad will probably pay it. I don't know the kid even has a job, but and that will deter more and more as they continue to find people to do it. 

Ben Bernstein: He certainly, they were supposed to graduate. I think the next day [01:04:00] he, he really had no no worries about skipping his high school graduation with with an act like that.

Alan Bernstein: Anyway, it's not good. 

Ben Bernstein: No, not at all. So what we gonna talk about , next show? Oh, oh, I can tell stories. Next show. . I think 

Terri Bernstein: we're gonna head down to the Delta Queen. 

Ben Bernstein: We are, I think we're, we're gonna go back we kind of gave you the, the overview here, this episode where I think we're gonna go back to the beginning, kind of a little more of the growing up years and dad's what steam summer on the Delta Queen becoming a riverboat captain.

Kind of falling in love with the river. Yep, things like that again. We're going to we're gonna try to do this once a week We're gonna try to release one once a week Don't know what day 

Terri Bernstein: good luck. 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah, we don't know what day Yeah, 

Speaker 8: it's 

Terri Bernstein: if you can see here So 

Ben Bernstein: if you could see what it took just to get all three of us in a room At the same time and that is the goal.

The goal is [01:05:00] About an hour in length once a week, but didn't we go over? Huh? 

Terri Bernstein: You have 

Ben Bernstein: no, oh, no. Yeah, we, we still have to edit though. Oh, okay. Now 

Terri Bernstein: we get to test Ben's editing calls . 

Ben Bernstein: Yeah, absolutely. So please we, we hope that you 

Terri Bernstein: like us, share us. 

Ben Bernstein: Yes. Like us. Share us. Oh yeah. Wait a minute. Connect us.

We gotta get 

Alan Bernstein: up to 200 no. 20 million . Well, 

Terri Bernstein: and I will post pictures and. And things on our social media. Are we 

Alan Bernstein: going to get cameras in the room to, to show? I 

Terri Bernstein: want cameras in the room. I, I, we're not. Ben said we do not have faces. Let's see if we can actually 

Ben Bernstein: do this part. I don't think it was in the budget.

We have to do this part first, well, before we, we do it. We don't have faces for TV. Oh, okay. 

Terri Bernstein: Anyway, I plan on posting pictures and, and things that we talk about along the way. So. 

Ben Bernstein: Well, 

Terri Bernstein: good. 

Ben Bernstein: So absolutely. So like subscribe, Facebook, Instagram, share, rambling on the river. com. Tell all your friends. And if you want to talk to us directly, seriously, you could [01:06:00] even tell enemies.

We don't care about just friends. 

Terri Bernstein: Well, email us too. We'd love to cast riverbeds. 

Ben Bernstein: com. It will go to all three of us. So you might get three replies, but but please. Email us, we will listen and we will listen and it will take, 

Speaker 8: it will take 

Ben Bernstein: quite a bit of time to for him to come up with a reply, so.

Moderator: Thank you for listening to The Rambling on the River podcast presented by BB Riverboats. Stay tuned for the next episode of our podcast and remember to like, subscribe, and follow us on all your favorite podcast platforms.