GL: Lower Mississippi trip

[Tommy Terrific]

I looped in 2003/04 and I too elected to take the lower Mississippi.  My 
opinion was quite different from Ron's and we actually thought that after 
the Trent-Severn and the Georgia ICW, that the lower Mississippi was the 
third most beautiful portion of the loop.  The nature was OUTSTANDING, there 
were no idiot pleasure boaters rushing by to rock our stuff to the floor, 
all boaters were highly professional (One tow captain sent a dinghy over 
with some special "Southern" food they had prepared for dinner), in Memphis 
we visited the Metal Museum and Elvis invited us to dinner, a week in 
Natchez brought us to many of the battlefields of the Civil War, we stopped 
at Oak Alley - a famous old plantation located at river's edge, took a side 
trip up the Arkansas River to Little Rock, and stayed three weeks in New 
Orleans.  We saw NO fog, and frequently tied to old barges parked on shore. 
I will however concur with Ron, that if marinas are your "cup of tea" then 
this probably is not your route.

Tommy
Lying Miami Beach
Aboard LOVERBOAT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Niemann" <niemannr@uwplatt.edu>
To: <great-loop@lists.samurai.com>
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 2:03 PM
Subject: GL: Lower Mississippi trip


> Every so often, there is a request for information on doing the lower
> Mississippi River from Cairo to the Gulf.  I completed this section late
> last fall and it was a good trip if you have a boat with long legs and 
> like
> few pleasure boats for company, (I saw ZERO non-commercial boats except
> local jon boats that were fishing or hunting).  There are numerous places 
> to
> anchor until Baton Rouge.  Fuel stops are few.  I use gas and they were
> Memphis, TN (Mud Island-nice place) (270 miles from Cape Girardeau),
> Greenville, MS (Marina that is tied to the casino) (200 miles from 
> Memphis),
> Weber Marine at Convent, LA (working marine facility) (370 miles from
> Greenville) and Venice, LA (2 nice marinas focused on sport fishing) (160
> miles from Weber's).  Many barges (largest was eight wide) and starting at
> Baton Rouge, ocean going freighters.  Last protected anchorage (off the 
> main
> river) is at mile 195.
>
>
>
> Fog was an everyday occurrence.  Just plan on late starts, and below Baton
> Rouge know that you have time to reach the next anchorage.  I got caught 
> in
> the fog coming into Venice, LA and had 3 hours of slow instrument boating
> (like IFR without ATC).
>
>
>
> The town and cities along the river have mostly turned away and all one 
> sees
> is a small boat ramp and a water tower over the levee.
>
>
>
> For a break, and to visit friends, I turned west at New Orleans thorough 
> the
> Harvey Lock to a marina at Lafitte. Good local food and lots of oil 
> industry
> activity in the area.
>
>
>
> If you like the industrial/commercial side of boating it is an interesting
> trip, if you like marinas at night, best try a different trip.
>
>
>
> Ron
>
>
>
> Sally Marie (currently on the trailer in Wisconsin)
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