WOODWARD TOWNSHIP -- After being stowed away for the winter, the Hiawatha Riverboat is back in the Susquehanna River for the summer season.
With the help of some heavy machinery and direction from the crew, after 35 years t takes about 15 minutes to get the Hiawatha Paddle Wheel Riverboat into the Susquehanna River.
"I remember being a little kid on it when my mom took me on it when I was younger," said Joe Reichenbach of Hughesville.
As a city employee Reichenbach has helped launch the boat in Woodward Township more than once.
This year he brought along his daughter, Elise.
"I thought it was really cool," said Elise. "At first I thought it was going to be little. It turned out really big."
"For as long as I've been involved, people have always watched the boat get put in, or when we take it out. They come back every year," said manager Todd Wright.
Wright knows once the boat hits the water, it's back to work for him and his crew.
"These are captains, Captain Mike, Captain Drew, and Captain John,” said Wright.
The Hiawatha may be in the water, but it doesn't mean it's ready for its first voyage. Th crew still has to put the canopy on and has a lot of cleaning to do before it can welcome its first passengers.
"So obviously the carpets are going to get clean," said Wright, "The month of April is basically the time we have. We're at the mercy of the weather to get everything cleaned and ready."
Knowing the boat is just about ready for the season, folks like Reichenbach and his daughter are ready for summer to begin.
"Hopefully this summer I'm going to try and bring her down and get on with her and take the rest of the family on," said Reichenbach.
