Anyone Sailed Around Louisiana??

[AlwaysFORSAIL]

Has anyone sailed around Louisiana instead of the ICW route from Texas to Mississppi?? Would you do it again??

I'm headed east in January from Kemah and the outside looks quicker, less restrictive and more obstacles if you don't count commercial traffic and bridges in the ICW.

[tahoedave]

Always,

I am currently making plans to head east the Bahamas from Clear Lake their at Kemeh in the next few weeks as well. I still need to replace some wiring and install a new wind vaine auto pilot before I can leave. any idea when you think you will be making the trip.

Dave

[messenger]

What kind of draft you carrying? Even Tiger Shoal can give trouble to anything over 6 foot in a heavy swell. That shoal extends out over twenty miles. And there only about 4 thousand oil platforms between Galveston and the the mouth of the river. Other than that better than the ditch, and all those tows with their cajun radars shining in your eyes.

[Allen Lofland]

IF you have a good radar set up for finding the un-charted well-heads and you stay in the ship channels you can to the out side BUT be prepared, as you will be in "Your On Your Own" Waters out there
Its a long way around and you need to be ready for unforseen weather and sea conditons.
I have done the inside and it was a lot of fun BUT a long trek for sure. I have done the out side and Never again with out a modern Radar on the helm with a crew, just me and my wife Never again,,,,,, got to be able to sneak a nap at least hehe.,,There's just to many THINGS going on out in that area I'm afraid

[messenger]

To add to my above post, having a little more time;
From the Galveston jetties to Grand Isle is a route I have used: however, mostly for powerboat deliveries. If you can see two or three days of north wind, NW to NE in the winter, I would not hesitate from Galveston, staying along the beach to the mouth of the Atchafalaya, inside(north) of Ship Shoal, then on to Grand Isle. From Grand Isle go east to an entrance known as Tiger Pass(use only during daylight), about 15 miles southwest of Venice. Grand Isle and Venice have very good facilities, although somewhat powerboat oriented, they don't mind a stickboat. Up Tiger Pass to Venice, jump the river across to a pass known as Baptiste Collette. About a ten mile run will put you in Breton Sound. From there up to Biloxi-Gulfport inside the Chandeliers and there you are. Once you are in Breton Sound, the "hard" part of the offshore oil patch is over, and the water, all of a sudden is green. You are now, East of “The River”. Beat the daylights out of all those tows, locks, Morgan City, New Orleans, etc. HEAVY Oilfield traffic at most inlets; Sabine, Cameron, Freshwater Bayou, AND THE BUSIEST at Belle Pass, Port Fourchon, 24/7/365. And a “MILLION” platforms and their satellites on most of the entire trip. I would not be off of Belle Pass at night. Oilfield boats, one after another. The Tiger Pass/Baptiste Collette route has been a “secret’ shortcut for decades, and I see more and more pleasure boaters each year. Beats going around that Delta, which is, in my mind, a NO-NO for a sailing vessel. Just too much going on. Entire trip with an experienced crew, and the shiniest radar reflector, and the latest and greatest radar you can afford, at or visible from the helm. In another thread PBZeer suggests, Galveston to Calcaseiu, may I suggest, Galveston to Freshwater Bayou, through the locks, then a 15 mile trip up to Intracoastal City, that puts you at the 160 WHL. Another option is coming up the Atchafalaya and Bayou Cassotte putting you east of Morgan City. I’ve used em all, weather, radar, and experience being the deciding factors. There is always that 360 mile ditch run and a THOUSAND tows. UGHH.

[messenger]

Another option is coming up the Atchafalaya and Bayou Cassotte putting you east of Morgan City.

That should be"up the Atchafalaya and Bayou Chene......

Bayou Cassotte is over near Pascagoula. Too much Inglenook.