Navigating the Mississippi to the Gulf

[Dockhand]

I Was looking if anyone has navigated down the Mississippi from Iowa, south to the Gulf. I thinking about in September moving my sailboat from the western side of Iowa to the Mississippi on the eastern side where I could get it launched and the mast stepped. What I'm not sure of what the lowest bridge clearance would be from there to the Gulf? If it would be less than 51' I would have to wait until closer to the Gulf to have it stepped. Second thing I just heard today was there wasn't any places south of St. Louis to get fuel. As a kid spending all summer on the river the barges and paddle wheel boats with their tall smokestacks looked to be 40' or 50' high, but everything looked big as a kid.

[seahag]

You need to do much more research. Of course there is some fuel south of St. Louis but another big factor is traffic and current and overall lack of facilities, marinas, places to stop and rest. The best way to get to the Gulf of Mexico is the Ten-Tom waterway and not the Mississippi River, if that is your intention. Bridge heights are pretty generous on the Mississippi and also most of the Ten-Tom. I can check that easily for you if you would like, but if you visit Captain Johns website on cruising the great circle route you can see tons of information on this- it's free and very comprehensive information that will tell you everything you need to know. It's supposed to be an awesome trip, I haven't done it but have researched it pretty thoroughly and really with all that said, yes you can do the old miss route but it is not recommended. Good luck and let me know if you'd like more info- I have books here I can refer to.

[seahag]

http://www.captainjohn.org/

This is the home page to get started- this route covers the great circle from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico through Florida and up the east coast back to the Great Lakes so you'll need to find the information about entering the Mississippi River from the Illinois river junction and how to proceed from there south. It's pretty fascinating.

[valhalla360]

It' doable but not as easy as the Tenn-Tom route
- Fuel sources are a few hundred miles apart.
- Only a couple marinas in well over 1000miles so you are finding anchorages in currents most of the time.
- Lots of commercial traffic to deal with.
- Don't plan on sailing. The river trip is motoring. (tack across the front of a 6x7 tow and they will feel real sorry as bits of fiberglass come out from the props.

That said, a sailboat can manage 100miles a day with the current boosting your speed.

Most people turn up the Ohio River to the Tennessee River and then connect to the Tom Biggbie River and come out at Mobile Once on the Tennessee, there are marinas an fuel every 20-40miles for the most part. Commercial traffic is smaller and slower as are currents. It's just a more leisurely route.

[UNCIVILIZED]

I've been wondering about this for a few years. Thanks guys!

[Dockhand]

Thanks for the link to Captainjohn I took a quick look, but will go back to check into it more. My other option was to drop the boat in at Kansas City and take the Missouri across to St. Louis but I saw a couple bridges that were close to 50' and depending on the river height it could be 48'.

[Aswayze]

I have cruised the Missouri river extensively although never with a mast sticking up. If you end up going mast down, you would have quite a neat trip down from western Iowa. I tend to suspect that you would likely have issue with the bridge at Atchisson which is low and has a somewhat unforgiving current backing it up. I don't think you would have a good place to put a deep keel boat in here in Kansas City (I live here) probably the closest bet would be Kaw Point, if you decide to give it a try let me know and I'll haul the dingy over and check the ramp silting situation with the sonar. Check the swing bridge situation to make sure that everything is moving like it should and you can get openings since the volume of traffic up here is not all that high and I suspect you need to pre-plan openings a bit. I suspect that the best place to try to launch up on this end of the river would be NP Dodge Park in Omaha but I would check with them on ramp conditions first. Failing that, the ramp at Sioux City is fairly substantial and seems well protected from silting and would likely be a good option as well.

Fuel wise on the Missouri there's not much. Between Sioux City and Omaha most of the marinas have pretty skinny water leading into them and are not terribly accessible to a boat with a keel. In Omaha itself is NP Dodge Park which has good access to a fuel dock but only has gas, not diesel. Coopers Landing near Columbia Missouri again has gas but no diesel (and a very good Thai restaurant). Where you hit the river in St Louis is below all the places where fuel is available so you may have some issues there as well. Never the less, I am certain with a little planning it could be done. I own a stack of fuel cans and could easily handle shuttling fuel out to you by Kansas City, a little inquiry around Herman Missouri would almost certainly get you a lift up to a station there that has diesel as well. With the current behind you, you'd be surprised how far a tank of fuel will take you. I ran from Sioux City to Kansas City on a little less than 6 gallons running around 100 miles per day in my square back canoe a few years back.

The scenery is a lot more varied and interesting than you would think and there is wildlife to beat the band out there.

If I was you, I would lash the mast down and motor as far as Kentucky Lake then get the mast stepped at Lighthouse Landing since that's really the first place you will be able to effectively be anything other than a motorboat anyhow.

[texingram1]

Originally Posted by Dockhand

I Was looking if anyone has navigated down the Mississippi from Iowa, south to the Gulf. I thinking about in September moving my sailboat from the western side of Iowa to the Mississippi on the eastern side where I could get it launched and the mast stepped. What I'm not sure of what the lowest bridge clearance would be from there to the Gulf? If it would be less than 51' I would have to wait until closer to the Gulf to have it stepped. Second thing I just heard today was there wasn't any places south of St. Louis to get fuel. As a kid spending all summer on the river the barges and paddle wheel boats with their tall smokestacks looked to be 40' or 50' high, but everything looked big as a kid.

My youngest son and I took a small 23' sailboat from Charleston, WV to Clear Lake Texas the summer of 1988 - one of worst droughts in US history - over 1,000 barges aground at Memphis.
I used US Army Corps of Engineer Flood Control and Navigation Maps - they are in 2' by 18' books - each page is a section of the river. I used
* Kanawha River
*Ohio River
*Mississippi
* (encountered two other sailboats that intersected the Mississippi at the confluence of the Arkansas River - they started in Tulsa and were on their way to the Caribbean.
*Atchafalaya Swamp
* Fishing guide using rigs for Northern Gulf of Mexico
them for the Ohio, Mississippi, Atchafalaya River system.
Past that I used rig maps and fishing maps to cross the gulf from Cameron to Galveston
Fueled just off the MS at Cairo, IN.
Fueled in Memphis by Mud Island
Fueled in Greenville, MS
Fueled in Vicksburg, MS
Locked to Atchafalaya and stopped at Krotz Springs
Final stop was in Morgan City until we reached Galveston
Galveston to Hilton at the far end of Clear Lake
62 days and nights
My son died February 18th at 41 - he thought it was of his finest times
Thanks for the opportunity to share this - I have many news stores I can share if you wish

[texingram1]

Originally Posted by Dockhand

I Was looking if anyone has navigated down the Mississippi from Iowa, south to the Gulf. I thinking about in September moving my sailboat from the western side of Iowa to the Mississippi on the eastern side where I could get it launched and the mast stepped. What I'm not sure of what the lowest bridge clearance would be from there to the Gulf? If it would be less than 51' I would have to wait until closer to the Gulf to have it stepped. Second thing I just heard today was there wasn't any places south of St. Louis to get fuel. As a kid spending all summer on the river the barges and paddle wheel boats with their tall smokestacks looked to be 40' or 50' high, but everything looked big as a kid.

I've seen a Waterway Guide at West Marine - I haven't had a need for it. But, with a boat as large as you have - the Mississippi would be fun and most memorable. I saw a total of 2 pleasure craft ... lots of Army Corps of Engineers and large tows... in 1988 - the river was so low the markers were dangerous and all were advised to use a new buoy string - running south red on left. my Q beam was inadequate at night - so tows would light the string up for us - we would mark heading and speed and then ask them to turn lights off .. we could then run by green, red and amber on the front of the barges... we had a few incidents - none life threatening.

[fredw]

I have read that since the flood of 1993 and financial depression 2008 a lot of marinas are gone. From Cairo on down there is extremely limited service and fuel. You would have to have fuel trucked in and some how transfer to your boat. Medical and assistance is limited and recently President Trump limited the US Coast Guard Funds out of ignorance of how much they do on protecting and servicing boaters, there may limited assistance on the Mississippi. With that said research carefully.

[texingram1]

Originally Posted by Dockhand

I Was looking if anyone has navigated down the Mississippi from Iowa, south to the Gulf. I thinking about in September moving my sailboat from the western side of Iowa to the Mississippi on the eastern side where I could get it launched and the mast stepped. What I'm not sure of what the lowest bridge clearance would be from there to the Gulf? If it would be less than 51' I would have to wait until closer to the Gulf to have it stepped. Second thing I just heard today was there wasn't any places south of St. Louis to get fuel. As a kid spending all summer on the river the barges and paddle wheel boats with their tall smokestacks looked to be 40' or 50' high, but everything looked big as a kid.

You will have a steady current - the only unusual current is at New Madris. you should have enough fuel on board to run to NO. all you need is steerage. to keep the pointy end downstream

[tkeithlu]

The experienced group you need to get to know are called "loopers." They've made the loop Florida-St. Lawrence - Chicago - Tennessee Tombigbee - Mobile - Carrabelle - Clearwater, and back to the florida East coast. We've gotten to know them because we did the Tennessee to Carrabelle as our maiden trip, and yes, just looking at a chart will tell you that's preferable to the lower Mississippi. It's an ICW-type motor trip - leave your mast down for convenience and lack of utility. A big percentage of looper boats are 30+ cruisers, not exactly blue water types. They're biggest challenge is Carrabelle to Clearwater, the gap in the ICW.

[tkeithlu]

PS You didn't name an ultimate destination. If you are coming to Florida, you could consider ending your river/ditch trip at Carrabelle, the end of the ICW. Dockside Marine in Carrabelle will step your mast, haul you out, let you do your own work, advise, made any repairs you can't, and at a very reasonable price.

[captlloyd]

You most definitely want to take the Tenn-Tom route. Just do a search of the Tenn-Tom on the internet and also on YouTube. Tons of information.

[bongo]

At present I'm working on a 900' ship that is located on the Mississippi River, downriver from New Orleans. Have been aboard 21 days, with a great view of the river from my office. I have not seen any pleasurecraft in these 3 weeks. Lots of ships, tugs & barges, pilot boats, launches... But "0" private boats. It is interesting, but, as mentioned above, there is undoubtedly a lack of facilities.