Re: LAKE PONCHARTRAIN

From: Ron Gott (rgott@bayou.com)
Date: Wed Apr 05 2000 - 17:34:11 PDT


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Chris, It all depends on where you launch your boat on Ponchartrain...I
launched my boat at Slidell between I-10 and a railroad bridge. I did not
raise mast until clear of I-10 towards the east. To reach the Gulf
(Mississippi Sound) you must go thru the Rigolets. The Rigolets is a
sometimes narrow strip of water leading to the Gulf. I motored, not a lot
of room to tack and there is the tide to contend with. As I remember there
is another bridge before reaching the sound. You should clear this bridge
with no problem. There are no locks or dams. I spent a couple days on
Ponchartrain before venturing into the Sound. Stayed one night at the
Southern Yacht Club and another anchored in a bay close to the Rigolets
entrance. This was my first trip into the Gulf and was immediately at awe
as to the big water. Just sat there and looked. I saw my first porpoise
cavorting and doing their porpoise thing. They must have been at awe with
me as they came up by the boat and looked me in the eye. Spent a night at
Cat Island (Mississippi), Ship Island (Fort Massachusetts), Horn Island
(beautiful) and then Dauphin Island (Alabama). Proceeded on to Pensacola,
the water is now faily clear. Spent a night anchored just off the
intercoastal next to Fort Pickens in Pensacola. There was a lot going on
around there with Navy. The wind came up during the night. Other boats
picked up anchor and left. I just nudged the boat towards shore and
remained with the boat touching sand. On to Fort Walton Beach. Lots of
money here. Big boats, condos, hotels and such. Stayed at a marina for one
night and then kept going east until I got to Destin. Stayed one night in
the Destin bay at anchor. Lots to look at there, pretty busy place. The
next day, went out into Gulf and headed west until late afternoon and then
came back into the waterways (intercoastal). Had to do a lot of motoring
as the wind was west. Spent a night at a small marina in Pascagoula,
Mississippi. The water there was very shallow. Had to raise engine and
paddle into marina. Had a few drinks at the marina bar and then went back
to the boat to fight off the mosquitos.
I used the Waterway Guide Chartbook of Florida's west coast. This covers
from Tampa to Lake Ponchartrain. The early part of the trip in Lake
Ponchartrain was with my wife. The rest of the trip on out into the Sound
was with my son in-law. Please keep in mind, Lake Ponchartrain and the
Mississippi Sound are very shallow. A 10 to 12 mph wind can cause a lot of
wave action. I was very intimidated with the short steep waves. However,
time overcame my tense posture as I learned that the boat could handle these
conditions.
Ron Gott
Homer, La.
P-15 611
>
> Can you sail out the east end of the lake into the Gulf? Are there locks?
> dams? any other hazzards? I have this dream of Pottering from New Orleans
to
> Pensacola. Thanks.
>
> Chris Heidrich
> P15 2153 Tetra
> Aurora, CO
>
>



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