APRIL 2018 • FOGHORN 35 MEMBEREXPERIENCE I n my 25 seasons at the Gateway Clipper Fleet, I have seen and heard a lot of things that frankly don’t make much sense. From an overzealous Steelers fan running out of the stadium so excited over a great victory, that he missed the stage and ran into the river, to the extreme interpretive dancers that believe the combination of breakdanc- ing, waltzing and running is a new dance form. Of course ,we can’t forget the perpetual callers that seem to think that it is perfectly normal to ask, “How long is the one-hour sightseeing cruise?” I thought I had experienced it all. That was until Sunday, March 18. It was a beautiful sunny morning in Pittsburgh. Our crew was getting ready to set sail on the seventh of eight sold-out “Troll & Pup Patrol Cruises” that we hosted the past two weekends. I called my husband, Brian Krug, who was the Captain on this trip to see how everything was going. The conversation went like this: ME: “Hi, how’s everything going?” BRIAN: “I can’t talk now – there’s a bobcat on the Empress!” End of call. I sat in stunned silence. I thought to myself, “Did he just say…bobcat?” I must be honest; my first thought was my husband had lost his mind. Had he mistaken a costumed character puppy as a live animal? I didn’t know what was going on, so I did what I always do when I need clarity – I called Joseph D’Amico, Food and Beverage Director at the Clipper. I didn’t even have a chance to ask what was going on (yes, he knows me that well) when Joe answered the phone by saying, “Yes, Suzanne there’s a bobcat on the Empress. Can’t talk.”Again, end of conversation. At this point, I knew I had to wait to find out what was going on. I had faith in the crew, they could handle whatever was happening. But then it really hit me – WHY IS THERE “There’s a Bobcat on the Empress!” By Suzanne Krug, Gateway Clipper Fleet +1 920.686.5117 sales@burgerboat.com burgerboatcommercial.com Proudly built in the USA Burger is recognized worldwide for quality custom vessels that provide years of dependable service. Quality Commercial Vessels... Built by Burger to Your Requirements • Aluminum and Steel Fabrication • Passenger Vessels • Research Vessels • Fast Crew Boats • Fast Supply Boats • Wind Farm Support Vessels • Fishing Vessels • Other Vessels to 260' (80m) Delivered Nov. 2017 103’ (31m) Steel Explorer Vessel Photo by Aaron Snider