The Louisiana Passage - Part I

Sunset after the storm

Friday, May 10, 2024 – Calcasieu River, LA

We left Shell Beach at 7:05, heading into a pretty sunrise that set the water aglitter. The sky had patches of blue that promised more sunshine than we’d seen in a while. We were accompanied by a cool breeze and calm waters for a stretch of the way, but once in the ICW the wind was a bit more of a presence that required continuous course correction. Once we entered a wide section of the channel, Adrian gave me the helm. While I had the opportunity, I used the boat’s wheel to navigate watching both GPS and the channel to stay on course. The wind would push us starboard, and I would have to steer to port, usually overcorrecting and leaving a “trail” on the GPS tracker that looked like a snake slithering along the water. I rounded the corner of the Waterway that took us to the Calcasieu River.

Adrian took over as we had to let a barge pass and navigate around a dredger that sat in the middle of the river. We passed industrial areas and empty barges parked along the river. As we entered the inlet where we planned to anchor, we found it blocked by a staging area, so we had to backtrack to the first entrance. We caught glimpses of a school of dolphins, but they did not surface again once I had my camera at the ready.

As we looked for a good spot to drop the anchor we saw a caution marker where a boat had run aground “possible due to dredge”. We made our way slowly and finally dropped anchor into a little over 7 feet of water in the Calcasieu River. The Coast Guard weather forecast had warned of winds 18-20 knots tonight, so Adrian dropped a bit more chain to reinforce the anchor. Other weather sources had no such forecast, and the night ended up being calm.

I spend the afternoon making another macrame hanger for one of the five plants I brought on board. They get more sun hanging off of the rigging on the aft deck than they do on the deck. I’ve used some of the herbs already in my stew.

Fighting off the mosquitoes continues to be a nightly challenge. Mosquito repellant, spray and home-made mosquito catching liquid (vinegar, soap and olive oil) have some effect but not nearly enough to stave off the blood suckers. They really seem to prefer me over Adrian. Before Friday night I counted a good 50 bites from the last three evenings. While annoying, especially at night, we are equipped with Benadryl salve and an “itch stick” which seems to work better than the Benadryl. If 50 bites weren’t enough, in Louisiana, the little devils are bigger, and their bite and venom cause bigger welts and more agonizing itching. I didn't looking forward to trying to sleep that night. As a gardener, I’ve had more than two dozen fire ant bites at a time. This is almost as tormenting. But miraculously, I slept great.

Saturday, May 11, 2024 - Mermentau River

We rose early at 6:55 to get on the way. The morning air was cool and the water fairly calm. We got behind a large barge which slowed us down for about 20 minutes until we could turn into the Calcasieu River and its first lock. We waited about 20 minutes before we could enter as there was a barge parked and preparing to go west on the other side. Once we got the okay – one long and one short blast from the Lockmaster – it took about 10 minutes to clear the lock. We passed a few other barges going West.

Calcasieu Lock

One ahead of us was going slower than we were by a knot or two, so we got his okay to pass on the two. Another was heading west at a good speed, so we ended up going between them. We were fine, but I’m glad I wasn’t at the helm.

At one point, I took a turn at the helm using the boat wheel over a wide stretch of river. The current and the wind made it hard to stay on course and I kept overcorrecting. I felt like a kid learning to drive, especially as Adrian was instructing me much as a father would a teen. I got frustrated and near to tears and told him to take over. I then I went into the galley to collect myself. We agreed, I should have put the boat into auto pilot which can be corrected 1 degree port or starboard at a time. I am learning a few other things, though. How to read the AIS navigation charts, talk to Bridge masters or passing barge captains on the two-way radio, raise and lower the anchor as Adrian watches its angle from the bow, put the boat into reverse and neutral as needed during the process of anchoring and giving more or less throttle as required. Given time and practice, I may turn into a proficient boater – eventually.

We anchored at the Mermentau River around 2:20. While Adrian checked the engine's fuel levels, I prepared supper. There was just enough milk to make a Bechamel (White sauce) to which I added a can of tuna and a can of peas and carrots to serve over egg noodles. It too was "lekker."

Sunday, May 12, 2024 – Mother’s Day

We stayed anchored the entire day, expecting some storms, but only got a little rain. I made a “scramble” for breakfast with our last egg, part of a shallot, ham and cheese. It was a lazy day. I received Mother’s Day wishes and was able to text off and on. The network connection was very poor, so it took a while to send and receive messages. I started a new book: an early work of Ken Follett entitled The Modigliani Scandal. We spotted an alligator that swam passed us, seemingly oblivious of our presence. We had leftover tuna in white sauce over noodles for dinner. Adrian tested out the generator and I was able to bake a loaf of pre-cooked bread that had been taking up room in the fridge.

It’s been a challenge to keep critical things cool either in the small fridge or in the coolers. The ice in the coolers melts quickly and some things have spoiled requiring it to be thrown out. Trash is accumulating until we reach a fueling station. Laundry will have to wait until we get to a marina. Not sure when that will be.

Monday, May 13, 2024 – Stormy Weather

A lazy day still at anchor since we’d anticipated stormy weather throughout the day. So we slept in and missed our window of opportunity to push on. The sun came out for a bit, making the air close and clammy inside the boat. We cleaned and organized some more. (it never stops.) Both of us finished our books. My bird app picked up 21 different breeds and varieties of birds calling from the trees. We bathed on the aft deck to get the grime off. We watched as a Louisiana alligator slowly circled our boat, perhaps trying to figure out how to board, or hoping for a handout.

Clouds approached from the north and the weather channel warned of heavy rains.  When the storm hit, we quickly closed the boat and watched as the wind pushed us around. The anchor chain held, but we were pushed a good 200 feet beyond where we had been. The plants on the aft deck stayed put. Fortunately, I’d just watered them, or they would have blown away. Adrian guessed that the winds were as high as 50 mph when the storm hit.

View from the Captain's deck to the aft deck

After it subsided, we breathed easier and settled in for the evening. We intend to head to Shell Morgan tomorrow morning early where we will fill the diesel and water tanks and restock some of our food supplies.

The sunset was fabulous after the storm. (See picture at the top.)

Tuesday, May 14 – A taste of “Civilization” and “Reality” – Shell Morgan, LA

Shell Morgan

We departed Mermetau River anchorage at 6:25. The day was sunny and the ICW was at first calm, but winding. As we moved along, the current got stronger and slowed our progress. We generally travel between 5.5 and 6.9 knots. The current kept us around 4.7 and 5.0. We took turns at the helm, and I did pretty well until we had to pass a large barge just before going into the Leland Bowman Lock. I had some difficulty staying between the barge and the shallower edge of the river on the starboard side as the current was strong.  I insisted that Adrian take over as I was stressing out. We had to wait about 30 minutes to get into the lock as there were barges coming from the west. The day's journey took four hours and by the time we arrived at Shell Morgan dock, we were both tired and out of sorts. We filled up with diesel and water, got ice and plugged into their electrical supply. Fortunately, there was Internet/WiFi available, so I was able to create and download the 2nd blog of our trip.

We met a fellow who was not an accomplished sailor, had just purchased his boat about two weeks ago in Texas and was headed to New Orleans with a "friend." Steve had never driven a boat before and had never sailed. We later found out that his friend was at the helm had gone under a bridge that was too low for his 53” mast and the upper mast was knocked off. “I forgot I had a mast.” He had one end of it secured in a 5-gallon bucket and lashed to the bottom of his mast. He was on his way New Orleans to have it repaired by a buddy. Later he passed us on the river. Then we passed him. He later told us that he'd stopped because his engine had overheated. Also, he didn't have a radio.

Another boat at the marina had just been purchased in Alabama.  The couple and some of their friends were taking it back to the Waterford Marina, where we had been a week ago. It would be interesting if they ended up in the slip we let go of there. Adrian visited with them for a while and discovered that they knew some of the people from the TMCA (Texas Marine Cruising Association) of which we are members. I was busy making the most of the internet while we had access and did not join the meet-up.

Earlier, as we were getting diesel, I overheard two of the guys who manned the dock talking about an incident that would “traumatize the kids and parents who were there.” I asked them what happened. About a week ago a pair of teens – sophomores in high school – had arrived at a Catholic Church armed with assault rifles, intending to shoot the priest. There was a First Communion service taking place for several young children, accompanied by their parents. A woman was approached by one of the masked assailants who asked her what was going on in the church. She went to her husband shaking and told him what she had just experienced. Her husband left the church intending to go to his truck to get his gun. On the way he found one of the assault weapons and took it with him. The other perpetrator was hiding in a confession booth. Once people were alerted to the fact that there were active shooters on the building, parents went to their kids and hid under the pews. Law enforcement was called, and ultimately the would be shooters where captured. The boys were members of that same church and had attended a graduation ceremony just the week before. The men recounting the story reflected the disbelief of their little community of Abbeville. The boy’s family were “horse people” that were well liked and respected. I felt such empathy for this little community and those kids who will be scarred for life by this event.

We scurried around for a while making use of the “free” water to clean up and fill all available receptacles in addition to the boat’s water tanks. Out of necessity, since the marina had no laundry facility, we washed some clothes in a cooler and rinsed them in another. We hung them to dry on a pole Adrian rigged up on the aft deck.

While some our clothes were soaking in the cooler, I asked Adrian what had happened to the large white trash bag that had the rest of the laundry in it. He was just returning from the dumpster after collecting all our trash in a large white trash bag. I immediately feared that he had inadvertently put the trash on top of the clothes and thrown them away. He shrugged and turned back to investigate. After a good 15 minutes he returned empty handed. He had not only opened the large white bag, but the smaller grocery bags that we had used for trash in the kitchen, just to make sure. Panicky, I went to see where else the bag with clothes might be. I found it buried under some jackets and a blanket in the sleeper cabin. Chagrinned, I apologized for assuming he had done something with it, (ASSUME: ASS U ME) and gave him a hug. He remarked later how smelly the bags were.  I somehow knew that already.

We later realized that the water that we were told was potable, that we had filled our tanks with, had a yellow brown tint to it. We decided to only use it to wash dishes and then boil it for rinse water or for coffee. We could use as much possible to get rid of it. We knew we were going to another port within about four days. What a luxury to run the tap freely! Normally we conserve water to the extreme since we don’t want to run out before we reach the next dock or marina with fresh water. As for drinking water, we carry several large gallon-sized bottles.

 We finally got to chill out, have dinner and plan our next couple of stops. The pleasant evening came to an end when we were once again driven inside by the mosquitoes. It was hard to sleep for all the itching, although, since we had a power hook up, we could run the AC. A first! We plan to push off and head to Wax Lake the next day.

Wednesday, May 15 – Another very long day – Wax Lake

Fog at Shell Morgan

We awakened to thick fog. The dock and surroundings were surreal in the early morning light. Our boat was tied on the starboard side of the dock, so Adrian had to turn the boat around in a small space to get to the water station. There wer three other boats anchored around us.  While he maneuvered the boat, I stood on the aft deck and was able to push her away from the pilings to avoid crushing the dingy and the aft ladder by only an inch or two as the boat drifted toward the edge of the dock.

Adrian washed down the boat deck since it was covered with dead gnats (and hopefully mosquitoes) and we shoved off at 7:45 when the fog started to lift with the sunrise.

The water was glassy and wide. Nearly two hours went by before we saw a barge. There were fewer of them than on previous days. We again took turns at the helm, allowing each of us to take a nap while the other steered. Mine was about an hour and a half (I’d had a bad night with mosquito bites); Adrian had enough confidence in my steering skills (using autopilot) to sleep for about 30 minutes. I easily passed two back-to-back barges going West.

We found our destination, - Wax Lake - dropped anchor and relaxed after a long day. Fortunately, we had leftovers from a previous meal, so I didn’t have to cook. We debated about staying put the next day or pushing on. We finally decided to stay put so we could sleep in. I had a half dozen new bites which welted up and kept me from sleeping. I found that putting a cold pack on them reduced the swelling and gave me some relief. I brought some “Foille” burn medication with me and found it helped a bit to relieve the itching. While I was icing down, I spent some time in the wee hours of the night to research remedies and repellant options.

Thursday, May 16 – Wax Lake

I woke to a beautiful sunrise, snapped a few pictures and headed to the fridge for some cold packs since my legs and feet were again on fire from bites. From Google, I learned that during the night our cortisol levels decrease. Cortisol is our body’s way of reducing inflammation. The cold application helped, and I was able to return to a more normal level of tolerance. I also read that another option for repelling mosquitoes is to burn coffee grounds, creating smoke similar to incense. We spent a good part of the morning trying to figure out just how to do that and keep it lit. We’re still experimenting. People on the internet swear by it.

After a pancake breakfast, and while Adrian was working on some minor repairs, we had a visitor. An outboard motorboat – think basic boat and motor – turned into our anchorage. The middle-aged man began working on some lines that were tied to the far side or our little inlet. Turns out he had a fishing line strung the width of the inlet which was about 60 feet wide. We had driven over it when we anchored the previous evening. We hoped that neither the anchor nor the propeller would get caught when we leave in the morning.

The birds have been prolific these last few days as we’ve sat in the river. A have an app that can identify bird calls. Here are some of the ones we heard on Wax Lake.

I completed my third macrame, this one for the tomato plant. It is thriving and has several flowers set on. With all the bugs visiting us, I hope they get pollinated and bear some fruit. If nothing else, it’s been fun relearning an old craft and having some greenery on board. In addition to mosquitoes, we’ve been visited by bumble bees, dragon flies, some sort of yellow flies, and wasps. Adrian has destroyed one wasp nest so far, though I’m sure it won’t be the last. We sighted a dead alligator floating by, belly up. I'll spare you the picture.

I believe I am now out of reach for the Space City Network that carries the Astros home games. I will have to live vicariously through my daughter, her husband and my step-son-in-law who have a running commentary on a text chain about verything Astos and baseball in general.

On a brighter note, our fumigating process must have done some good. I did not get bit by a single mosquito that evening or night. Oh, what a relief!

After another fresh batch of stew, we went to bed. Another thunderstorm occurred during and night, complete with lightening and rain. I woke up long enough to close the hatch over the bed and went back to sleep.

Friday, May 17, - On to Houma, LA

We overslept so we got a bit of a late start. We pulled away from our Wax Lake anchorage successfully, without getting caught up in the fishing line. The water was smooth and lazy, the sky a dull grey. The waterway was filled with what appears to be Water Hyacinth. It grows in clumps through which a barge can easily pass. We tried to avoid the larger clumps, but in some places, it wasn’t to be avoided. In some instances, the greenery can hide floating logs that would damage the propeller were we to run over it.

Shortly after leaving our anchor spot, we saw some crude, weather-beaten signs, warning to “keep out, no trespassing” along the narrow, tree lined river. It reminded me of the movie “Deliverance”. Since Adrian is not a movie goer, he had not seen it, so I told him the highlights. Will have to find a recording of "Dueling Banjos"

We went through a lock and under a couple of bridges enroute to Houma. I took over the helm two separate times and navigated turns in the river and barges at the corners. The second time, I used the boat’s wheel now that I have a better feel for the boat’s movement and the subtleties of the boat with the current. It helped that there was little wind, and the current wasn’t very strong. I'm feeling a greater confidence at the wheel.

Closer to Houma we began to see small neighborhoods of houses along the waterway. Many were new and modern with large, groomed yards, and a small boat dock. It was a big contrast to our view from the last 10 days or so. I had called ahead to the Houma Marina to let them know we were coming and to ensure there was room to dock. We asked about grocery options in the area and the woman, who answered the phone, Anne, told us there were several options, but not within walking distance. She offered to take us where we needed to go. When we arrived, Adrian stayed with the boat, and Anne took me to Wal-Mart for groceries. My list was quite long, and I asked if there were any Uber drivers around. She said, “Oh, I will stay with you. It’s Friday and I was tired of being stuck at my desk. I’m happy to just come along while you shop.”  It was nice to get off the boat and walk around, even though my grocery cart got heavier and heavier as I shopped. (Water, and wine weigh a lot). The air-conditioned car and store was also a treat. She helped me find things in the unfamiliar store, bag groceries, load them into her car, and take them to the boat. She refused to let me pay her anything. “Just do something nice for someone else. I enjoy helping people.”

Steve's boat, sans upper mast.

Groceries were put away and we were sitting on the aft deck along the dock when Steve with the broken mast came along. He must have passed us as we anchored at Wax Lake. We chatted for a while, and he asked if Adrian had any tips on how to best drop his anchor. His only boating experience has been since he bought his boat 12 days ago. He says he’d love to sail across the Atlantic. He has never sailed a boat. I hope the poor guy survives his trip.

We’ve checked in with family and friends about the storm damage in Houston following Wednesday’s storm that had 60 – 80 mph winds. One of Adrian’s kids will check his apartment to make sure there was no damage. We had left a few large plants and some gardening supplies on the patio. I’m also afraid that my poor orchids have died of thirst, since I never could get the housekeeper to confirm that she’d water them. (I later found out that they were just fine.)

The last of the stew for dinner and off to bed. Hopefully with no storms during the night.

Saturday, May 18 – A Rainy Day

The alarm on Adrian’s iPhone went off at 6:30. I could hear thunder, see lightening and it was raining steadily. I got up from bed, dressed and checked the weather. It looked like a chance of rain would be with us all day. While the winds would be low, we would be following the weather system toward New Orleans.

When Adrian assessed the weather, he said, “Wake me up in an hour.” Perhaps hoping that the current downpour would subside, and we wouldn’t have to push off in the rain. He didn’t relish driving while peering through the not so effective windshield wipers.  

We eventually pulled away from Houma, easing onto the ICW as the rain stopped and it began to clear up. The breeze was pleasant and the passage uneventful. We “trawled” along at a steady pace. It began to feel monotonous to both of us. We took turns at the helm, when finally, we arrived at Bonnie Isle in LaFitte, LA and dropped anchor. There were some houses and small, active docks in the area. We soon found out what some of the local commerce involved. No sooner had we settled in when an Airboat headed straight toward us. It slowed as it got closer, and then changed course to go around us.

Noisy mosquitoes (aka Airboats)

Then another three, and another four airboats headed our way. It felt like we were being invaded by monstrous mosquitoes. As they passed us, we could see that there where groups of people, all (or most) with ear protectors on. These crafts are very loud. We figured out that there was a water tour business just around the bend from us. At least a dozen of then passed us to return their customers to the dock.

Not much else of note happened. There was too much boat activity to hear birds. And surprisingly there were not many mosquitoes. They must have been frightened away by their gigantic cousins.

My next entry will detail the tript through two locks, across the Mississippi River, and our stay outside of New Orleans.