New Orleans to Key West

[SailRedemption]

Originally Posted by Stumble

Once you lock through you can take the GIWW (Gulf Intercoastal Water Way) from the Intercoastal canal to the mouth of the Riggolets. The only fixed bridge is 130' so you should be fine. With your height you will have to ask all the draw bridges to open, but unless you are there at rush hour I don't think any of them have restricted opening times.

My suggestion if you choose to lock through is to keep going past Seabrook marina get out of the industrial canal and turn left. This will take you to the inner harbor, which has good facilities, and is in a nice part of town. Within walking distance to a good grocery store, a chandlery, West Marine is just around the corner, and two of the yacht clubs in the city.

Seabrook is where we have our big boat worked on, and I have no major complaints. It just isn't very convenient to the rest of the city. And it's only one more draw, which normally takes about 2 minutes to open.

I should point out that you access the GIWW from the MRGO. The complete run of the MRGO is closed, but the dam they build is below the turn off point. This is still technically a commercial stretch, but with very few boats on it. Most commercial stuff comes up the river, and most of the recreational from the lake. The GIWW typically just services vessels few cargo ships doing business inside the industrial canal.

When you make it in, feel free to come up to NOYC and have a few beers with us.

Second what Greg said..

Second about the NO yacht club.. Nice place!

- Ronnie...on the geaux

[Macaway]

Thanks everyone for all the enlightening comments. This subject is now far less of an "unknown" to me than it was earlier. Depending on the time of day they offload us, I may try to run with the current downstream to either the marina at Venice or the one at Port Eads. I can prep for a Gulf crossing there. I don't fancy doing the Lower Miss at night, so if it's too late to get to Venice, then I may anchor up for the night at one of the designated anchorages ( if they are secure)?


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[Cap Erict3]

Never ran the Mississippi down to the mouth but have enjoyed the run down the Atchafalaya a few times. I'd like to hear how your run down goes.

Good luck and fair winds.



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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by Macaway

Thanks everyone for all the enlightening comments. This subject is now far less of an "unknown" to me than it was earlier. Depending on the time of day they offload us, I may try to run with the current downstream to either the marina at Venice or the one at Port Eads. I can prep for a Gulf crossing there. I don't fancy doing the Lower Miss at night, so if it's too late to get to Venice, then I may anchor up for the night at one of the designated anchorages ( if they are secure)?


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I've never navigated the river above Venice but if I ever had to make the choice, I'd take the GIWW/ICW over the Mississippi any day; especially if trying to beat nightfall. Venice is a very active base for commercial and sports fishing. I'm assuming that the designated anchorages you are referring to are along the river banks and intended for large commercial traffic. You'll be very exposed to the wake of passing ships.

[Macaway]

Yeah, I'm not keen on the anchorages either. They sound awful. Sevenstar plans to stop at one of these anchorages to offload the yachts. Then we're on our own. I will struggle to make any way upstream against the 4 knot current, so we would be unlikely to make it to the waterway. (It would of course, help a lot if they could tell us where and when exactly) , but it's a matter of convenience to them - the concerns of their "cargo" are secondary. I'm not looking forward to it, but I think I stand a better chance of making it clear of the river in daylight by going downstream?


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[NOLA_sailing]

Originally Posted by Macaway

Yeah, I'm not keen on the anchorages either. They sound awful. Sevenstar plans to stop at one of these anchorages to offload the yachts. Then we're on our own. I will struggle to make any way upstream against the 4 knot current, so we would be unlikely to make it to the waterway. (It would of course, help a lot if they could tell us where and when exactly) , but it's a matter of convenience to them - the concerns of their "cargo" are secondary. I'm not looking forward to it, but I think I stand a better chance of making it clear of the river in daylight by going downstream?


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Okay. I just assumed you were going to be offloaded near the Port of NO and be in the near vicinity of the Industrial Canal. As far as specifics from Sevenstar (and this is pure speculation) they may be at the mercy of the riverboat pilots as to when and where they maneuver up the river. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

[Macaway]

Thanks again. I am going to let Sevenstar know that dropping us in the river puts the rig at risk. When they hauled us it took them over an hour to sort out the lifting gear during which time we were bobbing alongside a huge ship with a carbon rig unsupported. We only had one tug go by during that time, but the wake it gave us caused the rig to wriggle about like spaghetti! Watching my rig invert violently with an oblivious crew working below it was scary. I honestly had my heart in my mouth. From a big ship ISM point of view it was a clear and present danger to their deck personnel. No one else even looked up. They are that unaware of what they're dealing with...


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[La Porte Rouge]

Another consideration if you're planning to sail at night is all of the oil rigs in the Louisiana area. Some are not lighted.

Port St. Joe, FL would be a great stopover before heading South, and no bridge to contend with.

[Stumble]

I have only taken the river out of town once, during the day, and with a fully crewed boat. On a small boat, don't even think of running at night, and keep at least one eye downriver for floating debris. Logs, trees, refrigerators, and all sorts of other junk are extremely common, heck houses have been known to be swept down when the river is flooding.

Honestly I am really suprized Sevenstar is even coming up the river. It just isn't a hospitable place for even large yachts. Pulling into Mobile, or Gulfport would seem to be a better call. I can't tell you how stupid it seems to me that they are going to unload millions of dollars worth of boats into a 4kn current, with even stronger eddy currents around. It sounds like a recipe for disaster.

My recommendation is to take the river as slow as you can and still make the mouth by a few hours to sunset. All the junk is traveling at current speeds, so the slower you go the safer. Of course it really depends on how far up river they drop you, but when I did it we motored at 3kn through the water, or about 7kn over ground. With 80nm miles to go. Early morning start and all that.

To be fair, the lower Mississippi is a pretty amazing thing, and it will be a great story when it's over, but it is a pretty intimidating stretch of water.

[Stumble]

As an addendum,

If you don't have AIS download an app for your iPad or iPhone, or android. There are plenty out there. Almost everything on the river will be transmitting with the names attached, and pushed to the Internet. This will allow you to call a ship by name if you need to.

Technically as the down headed boat you will have right of way, but in reality a lot of vessels will be restricted, or not have the maneuverability to change course. So be prepared to change course to avoid them. The big ships will all be controlled by the traffic separation scheme so at least they are predictable.

[Macaway]

Ok thanks for that. AIS we have. I forwarded your comments to the Sevenstar head office (without your ID). Will be interesting to see what they have to say re the current. We loaded in about 1 and a half knots of current and they really struggled to get their slings positioned. Dropping us in will be easier, but they'll still have to get the slings clear before I can reconnect the backstay. That leaves the rig unsupported and at the mercy of the wakes of passing vessels...


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[SailRedemption]

Agreed with what Greg said, just stay to the outside of the channel. The river is pretty deep, but don't go too far over to the shoreline. Never know what debris or tree roots are hung up there.

Don't worry about it, you'll be fine.

If you have a contract with seven star, should they adhere to that? Seems like you need to call your agent if you had one or really look at your contract for anything that says they are or aren't allowed to do what they are doing. New Orleans isn't even a destination on their site either.

If you do go down the Miss, it's going to be a heck of an adventure and a great story to tell later on!

- Ronnie...on the geaux

[Macaway]

Ha ha! An Adventure it will most definitely be. Thanks everyone for all the advice- it has made this much clearer to me. Knowing what to expect and expecting that to shift are all parts of what I love about going to sea... Re Sevenstar contracts- they can shift ports at will. At least I'm in the same area. I know of one guy who contracted to go to Gibraltar and they ended up dropping him in Belgium! Don't believe a word they say on the website- it's all window dressing...


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[frozenhawaiian]

be very careful in the northern gulf, rigs everywhere, some well let, others not to well lit, massive amount of traffic around the rigs as well.

[massnspace]

Never mind the clearance issues…once you get to Key West, go directly to the nearest bar that is featuring Barry Cuda…this guy has been playing a mean piano for decades there and you will not be disappointed in his music! He is the real deal.

Link to Mr. Cuda's website:

Barry Cuda "Pianimal"

Congrats on your new boat and good luck to you, sir.