Down the Mississippi

Tuesday was our longest day. We were up anchor at 3:30a and on our way towards the Harvey Locks by 4a. We were lucky with the "super moon" which was very bright, and helped offset the mist a bit. We were slowing down because we didn't want to go thru before sunrise, but then I remembered we had one more bridge to open, and it closed from 6:30 to 8a for morning rush hour. We sped up, maybe a little too much, and I almost ran into a barge. The reverse on the Maxprop is excellent! We made the bridge after being chided on the radio by the operator that we were cutting it close. The locks were no big deal because the difference was only a foot or two, and we were the only ones inside. We saw the tug below on our way to the locks.

We were on the Mississippi by about 7:30a, and the current was helping us by a knot or two. We floated by New Orleans, so close I could smell the beignets at Cafe du Monde. Damn you Industrial locks!

We kept going another 80 some of miles down the river to Venice, and spent the night at the Cypress Cove Marina. The only showers they had onshore were associated with a little hotel at the marina. It's been a while since I rented a hotel room by the hour. After a little dinner at the marina cafe we collapsed after a 17 hour day.