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ashland · 12-10-2010, 09:12

Ready2Go:

I haven't been on this site in a while but just saw this thread. If you stop in Natchez I'll give you a ride to get fuel or groceries. I help run the search and rescue boat here. If you have problems, just call me, 601-431-8285. Or you can call the Adams County Sheriff's Dept. 601-442-2752 They know how to find me.

Good luck.

Charles Feltus

READY2GO · 12-10-2010, 10:24

Thanks Charles, I imagine we will take you up on that. I am sure by then my wife and I will be ready to get off the boat for a little while. I am taking 3 gps's along to keep track of miles sailed, miles motored, and total trip. I think it will be an interesting trip.
Till then,
Mike

ashland · 12-10-2010, 12:10

Mike:

If you anchor at Natchez Under The Hill there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance. Lots of hotels downtown too if you need some time off the boat. However, there are no grocery stores in walking distance or fuel. I've got a four door truck with plenty of room. Checking my river maps, my rescue boat will travel from mile marker 435(Vicksburg) to 315 at Point Breeze. If you get in a bind in this area we'll come get you. My boat is not capable of night navigation unfortunately.

Charles

READY2GO · 11-11-2010, 05:05

We left Kentucky lake last week, sailed down the Tennesse river to the Ohio river, the Ohio down to the Mississippi river. We are in Memphis right now, 299 miles so far. It has been a beautiful trip so far, other than head winds most of the way. So not a whole lot of sailing yet. Mostly motoring or motorsailing. I keep hoing for a northerly. Welcome to sailing. I talked to the marina owner here in Memphis he said they get about one or two kayackers a week, and a sailboat every couple of weeks. I guess more people do it than you hear about. There is a kayacker here now. He started in Miniapolis 25 days ago, and people said I was crazy, I can't even imagine. Cell phone service and internet have been a bit spotty. I imagine that well get worse for the next couple a hundred miles.

READY2GO · 03-12-2010, 19:33

We made it. We entered the Mississippi at Cario and went all the way down to New Orleans and got out at the Inner Harbor Canal. We are now on the ICW. If anyone is interested in how the Mississippi was you can check out our blog.
www.mikeandsharondunsworth.blogspot.com

Skylark · 04-12-2010, 06:55

Congratulations, that was fast!

READY2GO · 11-12-2010, 14:57

Catching up

Since we are going to be here for a little while relaxing, I thought I would try to catch up on some of the details of our trip so far that I haven't had time to post.

The Memphis Yacht Club was absolutely wonderful to us. Nicer people you will not find on this earth. Thanks Chuck for everything.

The Greenville Yacht Club and the Gulfport Yacht Club are both part of the Somali pirate network.

When we told people we were going to go down the Mississippi river to the gulf, most everyone told me I was crazy. One even told me I was stupid if we tried it. Most people said the current was too strong, the water was muddy and polluted, the barge traffic was horrific, and there were no services, and that generally it would be a horrible trip. None of these people ever actually had made the trip. That is was just what they had heard or imagined. I found most of that to be totally untrue. First of all, as to the current, yes it was strong, and thank God it was. We could run 7 to 11 mph all day long. For my little sailboat with a 6 hp motor, it was like having a 10 hp. There were days I wished for more current. As far as the water being dirty and polluted, I disagree. We traveled from Cairo to Baton Rouge and I saw four pieces of floating trash, one Mountain Dew bottle, one oil bottle, and two pieces of plastic. I was shocked at just how unpolluted it was. Once past Baton Rouge, we saw maybe 5 or 6 things floating in the water. So in 860 miles we saw 10 pieces of trash, I think that is unbelievably good. The barge traffic was not bad at all. I learned to sail on the Ohio river. The barge traffic on the Ohio is worse than the Mississippi. Yes they are bigger on the Mississippi, but the river is bigger. It took a little while to learn how to talk to the barge captains, but once I did, most were very nice. If you talk to them with an attitude that it is thier river, and you are the visitor you will get along fine. I was warned about the large ocean going ships from Baton Rouge on down. They were even easier than barges. They produced almost no wake. They were so confined to the channel, that you did not have to wonder were they were going. The only thing that I was told that was correct, was the lack of services. There is not much. The gem of the Mississippi is the Memphis Yacht Club. The Greenville Yacht Club has fuel at a reasonable price (but that's all). The only fuel you will get from there on down you will have to dinghy from shore. If you use diesel, I have heard you can buy from the barge terminals, but don't know that for sure.

To sum it all up. We had a good trip. It was an adventure not a pleasure cruise, and that is exactly what I was looking for. Knowing what I know now, would I do it again? Absolutely! I do think that the time of year is an important consideration. October and November I believe are the best months.

gwlaster · 19-02-2013, 19:27

Did you ever make this trip? I know this is an old posting but I just joined and saw the thread. For what it is worth at this point.... I sailed UP the lower Mississippi from Pontchartrain, into the Mississippi at New Orleand Industrial Canal and up to the White River locking into the Arkansas River and all the way to Oklahoma. I did that in 1999 and made the return trip down the rivers in 2001. This was aboard a 30' sloop. Very little tacking in either direction because of all the turns and bends in the river (and wind follows a river valley) but there is a lot of crossing the river to head for the slack water when going upriver and use the currents to your advantage running downriver. It was a couple of trips I will never forget.

6106b · 18-05-2013, 17:08

A few years back I put my boat in at Sallisaw Oklahoma at Apple Gate Landing Marina.We went 340 miles down the Arkansas river to the Mississippi river then proceeded 500 miles to New Orleans through the Industrial lock and out into the gulf and ended the cruise in Mobile Al.1100 Miles it was a trip of a lifetime.I am now refitting a 24 ft SeaArk with a small cabin to go back and fish the same.I have a 100 lb catfish on my bucket list.

Boatguy30 · 18-05-2013, 18:13

Not sure what all the BS is here. I did Cairo to New Orleans in a 43' 6' draft ketch in 2007. We spent a month at the Memphis yacht club and anchored comfortably every night. The main issue is the water was low then and maybe even lower now and some places are hard to get into, but you can usually tie up in a barge terminal alongside some barges for the night.

The current is no big deal, maybe 2-3 knots again in the fall so lowest flow of the year.

A guy named Bill Dietreich did the trip in 2004 or so and had lots of notes on the trip on his website. Basically if you want to got to New Orleans, Mexico or Texas, take the Miss. If you want to go to Florida or Bahamas take the Tenn Tom. Have done both and actually the Miss is a nicer trip, but not worth it if going to the East later.

Boatguy30 · 18-05-2013, 18:18

Oh, we were mast up 55' no issues. Clearance is something like 75' at low water. One issue is the last night before New Orleans. The only anchorage is around Baton Rouge and you have to anchor in the roadstead of sorts with big freighters and big tows cutting thru the anchorage all night. That was a bit scary. If you take the Alfalia (spelling)cuttoff this is not a problem, but bridge clearance too low for us on that route.