I guess Mark, it's time for you to cruise west one time, since you have been up and down the east coast. I checked on Mersea at the dock, and can tell she ain't liken being tied up like a bull in a shoot. But you have valid inquiries...
There is not much problem with legit marina's and fuel stop all the way to New Orleans. After that it is commercial locations that don't pop out of a map. In Morgan City, we fueled at a tug/crew boat facility, and docked at a city dock. We were the only ones there due to a large shoaling right off their dock, that was being broadcast to us by city dock dude, traffic control operator, and fuel attendant (his info us the best, go figure). Bottom line here is do not expect what you're used to and plan ahead. You will find places in cities like Lake Charles and Beaumont, but in-between which is where we usually end up, is pretty much taking on fuel from a barge and asking him if you can tied up to him for the night..great! And that is why we cut from the Affafalya River to Galveston bypassing the petro chemical part of the ICW .
Dealing with barges and tugs is in Capt. Rusty handbook under the laws of gross tonnage...Those dudes would crumble the 580DA like and empty beer can, or better yet, let us just keeping rolling under his 1,000'+ bottom surface till running us through its big blade prop at the end of that journey. 6 barges tied together with one tug on the back. Not to even mention the copious amounts of material their hauling that can go, boom! Best way to deal with them is obviously giving them the right of way, but as important is communicating with them. I can understand and attempt conversation with most 'merican's but in the bayou of Louisiana, even my southern understanding does not go far with these guys. Quick speaking, cajun/creole/French accents are hard to interpret for us foreigners, so we speak the common language of boat talk...." Good morning Mr. Thibideaux, I'm the pretty boat behind you sir and like to know which side you prefer I slow pass ya on?"....response- #*%*@^%$ on dar 2 witzels pelz #&%#%^*$@* and ya's aint gots to slow down fer me........uh, roger that capt, be safe hoss. And make you next move according to his request, not yours. They have narrow spots to go through and make turns with big swings, so I ask as I approach, "what'cho want me to do Capt". The same really applies in any port from NYC-Norfolk-even my space center port of Canaveral. The difference is the Mississippi boys do not have neutral. River and current running too fast to put on the brakes so get out their way, period!
*exec read- not too scenic past the Cresent City, motor through like walking on a mine-field
R
All's Well in Morgan City LA, framed by the flood wall, steel gate opening
Easy lock, no barges just tugs
You may think this is the Capt and I making the women folk do all the work handling the lines in the locks, but those two loved it and wouldn't let's us help if we wanted to.......we were okay with that.
There is not much problem with legit marina's and fuel stop all the way to New Orleans. After that it is commercial locations that don't pop out of a map. In Morgan City, we fueled at a tug/crew boat facility, and docked at a city dock. We were the only ones there due to a large shoaling right off their dock, that was being broadcast to us by city dock dude, traffic control operator, and fuel attendant (his info us the best, go figure). Bottom line here is do not expect what you're used to and plan ahead. You will find places in cities like Lake Charles and Beaumont, but in-between which is where we usually end up, is pretty much taking on fuel from a barge and asking him if you can tied up to him for the night..great! And that is why we cut from the Affafalya River to Galveston bypassing the petro chemical part of the ICW .
Dealing with barges and tugs is in Capt. Rusty handbook under the laws of gross tonnage...Those dudes would crumble the 580DA like and empty beer can, or better yet, let us just keeping rolling under his 1,000'+ bottom surface till running us through its big blade prop at the end of that journey. 6 barges tied together with one tug on the back. Not to even mention the copious amounts of material their hauling that can go, boom! Best way to deal with them is obviously giving them the right of way, but as important is communicating with them. I can understand and attempt conversation with most 'merican's but in the bayou of Louisiana, even my southern understanding does not go far with these guys. Quick speaking, cajun/creole/French accents are hard to interpret for us foreigners, so we speak the common language of boat talk...." Good morning Mr. Thibideaux, I'm the pretty boat behind you sir and like to know which side you prefer I slow pass ya on?"....response- #*%*@^%$ on dar 2 witzels pelz #&%#%^*$@* and ya's aint gots to slow down fer me........uh, roger that capt, be safe hoss. And make you next move according to his request, not yours. They have narrow spots to go through and make turns with big swings, so I ask as I approach, "what'cho want me to do Capt". The same really applies in any port from NYC-Norfolk-even my space center port of Canaveral. The difference is the Mississippi boys do not have neutral. River and current running too fast to put on the brakes so get out their way, period!
*exec read- not too scenic past the Cresent City, motor through like walking on a mine-field
R
All's Well in Morgan City LA, framed by the flood wall, steel gate opening
Easy lock, no barges just tugs
You may think this is the Capt and I making the women folk do all the work handling the lines in the locks, but those two loved it and wouldn't let's us help if we wanted to.......we were okay with that.