The Big Easy and Beyond

After a restful night on Bayou Barataria, we watched the sunrise over the live oaks and left our peaceful anchorage for an hour long cruise giving us time to mentally prepare for our experience with the Harvey Lock. 

This had been on our minds for the last few days knowing we would be vying for position along with the tugs and barges.  Boaters have their Harvey lock stories and we have heard enough to know we need to be alert.

What is a lock you ask?  Great question.  However, it is quite tricky to describe.  As we travel the waterways we will sometimes approach a point where the elevation is higher or lower than the point where we are coming from.  The Captain will give a more detailed description of a lock but please allow me (the Crew) to give an elementary explanation.  At these junctures we basically steer into a bathtub with two ends that can be closed and opened as needed.  We enter from one end, the lock operator encloses the ‘bathtub’, and begins to lower or raise the water level to allow us to meet up with the canal or river on the other side.  

The lock attendant radioed instructions for us to tie up to the tug entering ahead of us. Once inside, as luck would have it, or as I like to call a ‘God wink’, a very capable tugboat crew was waiting to grab our line and tied us off on their portside.  Our starboard.  I am grasping the lingo day by day, and left side and right side?  No longer acceptable.  

While waiting as the water lifted us eight feet, we learned that he lives on the tugboat and was looking forward to spending time with his kids while at port in New Orleans. His expertise helped make our Harvey Lock experience a good one.

Next up, entry into the mighty Mississippi River where everything seemed bigger and at the same time looked alot like the Houston Ship Channel.

Since pleasure boats are not allowed in the locks with hazardous material (thank you very much!) we had a two hour wait for the Industrial Lock which turned out perfect because we ended up being the only boat in this huge ‘bathtub’.

The lock tender threw a line for me to tie up midway as we were lowered five feet in this lock before exiting on our way.

Seeing New Orleans by water is a favorite memory so far. I have been to Jackson Square many times on land but…wow…just wow!

We had to call ahead for a few bridges to open and had no issues with the bridge tenders timely response.

Almonaster Ave. RR bridge

Our marina in New Orleans was off of Lake Pontchartrain, and I have to say a huge sigh of relief could be heard from Captain and Crew as we docked for our three lovely days revisiting the Big Easy post Katrina.

Orleans Marina

A rainy day arrived in perfect time for a much needed laundry day before our wanderings began. While visiting the Southern Yacht Club we met an interesting couple from Canada (retired Canadian Mounties) who attend the Jazz Festival every year. They offered to give us a ride into town and we ended up running into them again at Lafayette Square for the Wednesday at the Square concert.

Three new to us discoveries…

Tujague’s historic bar…and the infamous Grasshopper!

ground coffee for the French press…

A local couple we met at Wednesday at the Square in Lafayette Park told us about a cool spot, JB’s Fuel Dock, within walking distance from the marina. An old fuel dock turned pizza/bar.

We aren’t quite sure when we entered Mississippi waters but eventually we were in the Mississippi Sound where Bay St. Louis overlooks a body of water that ravaged its shores in 2005.

A community heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina, the healing still continues. Angel Trees are at water’s edge and one tells the story of three adults who held onto the tree as the waves washed over them for several hours. After the eye of the storm passed they were able to jump down and find shelter for the night.

Years later, the tree was carved and moved to this location.

Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor

After one night amongst shrimp boats in Pass Christian to check out the Cat Island Coffeehouse and Bookstore, we moved right along past Biloxi to Ocean Springs where we docked for two nights in order to fully enjoy this very walkable town.

Ocean Springs Harbor

Before this small town was featured in Southern Living it was not on my radar. But as we plan for this adventure, any town on the water gets extra attention. Filled with art disproportionate for a town this size and a main street to rival any main street, it needs to be on your list.

A new appreciation for Walter Anderson’s talent and interesting life still lingers.

Walter Anderson’s boat displayed in the Walter Anderson Museum

Known as an artist and a philosopher he would row this boat 15 miles to his beloved Horn Island southeast of Ocean Springs and would be there for weeks at a time studying nature in its rawness.

Odyssey sculpture carved and used in a play written and performed for his children

Community center mural painted for $1

Another community in the destructive path of Katrina, there are still empty lots surrounded by massive trees that somehow survived.

While other homes were rebuilt amongst the survivors.

The best meal we have enjoyed on our journey so far was in this charming town at Vestige. A tasting menu, so not a budget meal but one to remember. The only meal to rival this one was the simple grilled steak dinner at sunset in Pelican Bay, Dauphin Island, Alabama.

Once again, anchoring out wins! And might I add that sailboats provide excellent props for photos.

We will head to Fairhope in the morning. Exciting for two reasons. One, we love Fairhope and two, we pick up the path for America’s Great Loop there.

Thanks for following along.

~ Odysea II Crew