By John Marx, staff writer, Dispatch

 

Royce White smiled as he offered up the vital statistics.

"Never lost anyone overboard, never had an accident and never seen any pirates."

And, "Never had a bad day on the Mississippi River."

Ah, the life of a Channel Cat Water Taxi captain.

Mr. White, 62, is a jack of all trades, master of many. He got his first boat at 14, has piloted riverboat casinos and dinner-cruise vessels up and down Old Man River. He even owned and operated a Quad-Cities bowling alley and printing shop for many years. "I also fly my own plane," he said.

These days Mr. White ferries Quad-Citians and "visitors from all over the world" across the Mississippi, making stops at the Moline Landing (Ben Butterworth Parkway at Celebration Pier); The Quarter (East Moline); Bettendorf Landing (Isle of Capri); the Village of East Davenport Landing, and the John Deere Commons Landing. A round trip on the Channel Cat lasts about an hour.

Mr. White, the Channel Cat's only full-time pilot, says there's no better job going.

"You hear this, I'm sure, but I love the people I meet with this job," he says. "I'm piloting a boat, I'm around wonderful people, and I'm doing all this on the Mississippi River," Mr. White said. "I'm an old river rat, and there's something calming about this job. And it's fun."

Mr. White appears to be the kind of guy who's always enjoyed a good time. Owning a bowling alley and running a printing shop also were adventurous gigs for the Bettendorf man.

"Shoveling snow as tall as I was off the roof of the bowling alley in 1979 was not much fun," he said. "And the fact that the bowling alley was seven days a week, 365 days a year, was tough. But all that stuff is still a fun part of life. Not as much fun as this, but still fun."

MetroLink administers the Channel Cat in conjunction with Celebration Belle Cruises, which employs Mr. White. The Channel Cat became part of the area's waterways in 1995, and in 2006 some 36,500 people enjoyed a ride along and across the Mississippi River. The two Channel Cat boats are 47 1/2-foot, 48-passenger Sea Ark-brand numbers and carry 48 passengers. Adults can catch a ride for $5 a day, and children ages 3-12 can ride "It's a great adventure piloting a large casino or river-cruise boat, but there's something about the Channel Cat. Maybe it's the people behind me, asking questions, talking about where they're from or what brought them here. Or that person who's from this area, who's made it to the boat for the first time. The day is unique."

The day is also strictly on schedule.

"He sees to it the Channel Cat stays on schedule," said Tavares Williams, marketing coordinator for MetroLink. "If the buses we run are expected to be on time, the boat should be as well. He's an amazing fella."

There is one downside to the job. A full boatload of 48 sometimes means potential riders are left standing on a Quad-Cities dock, waiting for the next pass-through.

That part of the job eats at Mr. White. "It's a great problem to have, but I struggle with that end," he said. "I wish everyone could ride without waiting. I believe we had 80-plus we had to leave once at Lindsey Park."

Mr. White keeps a meticulous log book of miles traveled, number of people aboard the Channel Cat, and those left waiting at each stop. Jovial, outgoing, and attentive to his passengers' needs, he says he's always prepared for a Channel Cat ride.

That includes being prepared to run into any of the four seasons while for $2. If you're piloting a boat from Memorial Day to Labor Day younger than that, you ride free.

"The weather can change in a hurry around here," he said. "We travel in rain and in wind. I've worn jackets, gloves, a hat and anything I could put on to stay warm before.

"And it can get awfully hot, but there's always a cool breeze off the water."

At 62, Mr. White said, he has no timetable for leaving the Channel Cat. As long as he's wanted, he'll man the throttle.

"This is the perfect combination of where I want to be, what I want to be, doing it with a lot of neat people," he said. "Not much more you can ask for."

Catch a ride

-- Name: Channel Cat Water Taxi.

-- Captain: Royce White, 62.

-- Years at the helm: 12.

-- Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays (no East Moline stop Tuesday or Wednesday); 9 a.m.-8 p.m. weekends and Labor Day, the last day of operation for the season.

-- Tickets: Adults $5, children $2; children 2 and under with an adult ride free. Tickets are good all day for unlimited use.