Day 120 on the Mississippi River

Day 120

October 9, 2022

Sunday

LRM 53

2241 miles completed

25 miles today.

Tina Treuil and Steve Navarre helped me get started.

Early Sunday morning Steve Navarre texted me and asked what time I thought I might get started paddling. I told him I must start about 8:30. He said to call him when I got close. I sent him a text when I got almost to the levee and he and Tina met me there with the four wheeler. They hauled my kayak down to the river with the ATV.

About a mile down the river, as I passed the ferry, Steve and Tina were there waving. They had walked over from the convenience store to watch me pass.

The morning was beautiful and calm, and I had current and breeze in my favor. There was very little river traffic.

In the afternoon the tide had reversed the current, the wind was against me, and blowing a little harder, and the water was rough. The tugs, barges, and ships were busier than they had been in the morning.

I saw several alligators. Once, I was paddling between a parked barge and the bank, and a very large alligator started swimming out to intercepted me. I decided he was not going to back down, so I let him have his space. I turned around and went back around the other side of the barge.

I managed to get the 25 miles that I had planned. I arrived at my goal landing point, Devant Launch, at 5:10. Tracey arrived about a minute before I did.

Devant Launch is Belle Chase Marine’s dock.  They have a small crane for loading their boats. They have some very fast boats. They carry food supplies to ships and carry river pilots to and from ships, and to Pilot Town.

Devant launch was very convenient for me to get out of my kayak. There was a little Sandy spot right at the base of the concrete retaining wall under the walkway. I was able to pass by Kayak and gear up to the top of the retaining wall, and then walk around up the rocks. The parking lot was right there.

The most convenient thing about Devon launch was Mason Viola. Mason works there. He’s a very helpful and courteous young man. He helped me load my kayak. He’s the one who told me about what Belle Chase Marine does there.

Tracey drove me back to Kenner. She had beer and Fritos and Vienna sausage in the car for me. I gladly accepted the beer and Fritos, but I didn’t want to spoil my dinner with Vienna sausage. When we got back to Brittany‘s, I had Grandmother  Sullivan’s spaghetti and meatballs.