PIERRE — As the Capital City Queen moved away from the dock, the evening sun glinted off the water and a cool breeze swept through the open watercraft. Jane Turner, the evening’s tour guide moved front and center to tell the tales of Lewis and Clark’s trip of days gone by.

The boat slowly made its way east on the Missouri River and its passengers waved at water skiers and boaters all sharing the calm beautiful evening.

The Capital City Queen gives tours every Sunday and Tuesday, weather permitting. The tours take passengers up and down the banks of the river while the guide points out specific areas of interest, like where Lewis and Clark met the Sioux tribe for the first time as well as giving interesting facts about the area, such as the acreage covered by the Oahe Dam, which is a couple of miles upstream.

Shawna Bleecker | Capital Journal ABOVE | Capital City Queen tour guide Jane Turner points out various areas of interest along the river banks of Pierre and Fort Pierre while Captain Allen Aden navigates. LEFT | Capital City Queen captains Mike Suiter (from left), John Hight and Allen Aden pause for a picture before the Queen takes off Sunday evening. Advertisement

“It’s an amazing asset,” said Turner about the Capital City Queen. “You haven’t experienced all the city has to offer until you have gone out on the boat.”

According to BankWest president and CEO Charles Burke III, BankWest donated the boat to the Convention and Visitors Bureau, which is a subset of the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce.

“All we were doing is trying to give visitors coming to Pierre another reason to stay longer and also to see the river from the perspective Lewis and Clark might have had,” said Burke “It was just our gift.”

When the boat operations first started, there had to be a certain number of passengers before it could make its tale-telling rounds along the river banks.

“I couldn’t economically responsibly let the boat go out,” said Hight. “We would lose money when that happened.”

These days, through a program started by Laura Schoen Carbonneau, chief executive officer of the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce, the boat can go out on a two-hour tour with one passenger.

“The business sponsorships are really nice to have,” said Turner. “We can get out on the water and get more exposure.”

Besides taking passengers sight-seeing twice a week, the Capital City Queen also charters private groups. The boat can be chartered for occasions such as reunions, the Fourth of July and weddings.

“On the charters, people will bring food along or have it catered,” said Turner.

Starting July 17, the Capital City Queen will move upriver for a limited time. The Queen will have live music July 17 and 18 and speakers for the July 19, 21, 25 and 26 tours.

“It’s a new program we are starting this year,” said Schoen Carbonneau. “A lot of the businesses up there are looking at ways to promote themselves. So we thought what a great way to showcase them.”

Tickets for the regular boat tours — as well as the upriver tours — are $20 for adults, children ages 4-11 are $9 and seniors are $15, and can be bought at the Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce or at the boat dock on the causeway the day of the tour.