Bonnie returned to Virginia Beach for work on the 7th, I moved SONATA from behind David's house at Port Louis, to the town dock in Madisonville on the 8th due to the anticipated North winds(North winds blow the water out of Port Louis and make the entrance to shallow for SONATA to depart). And . . . while at Madisonville, January 9th, I was prividged to have a visit from a high school classmate Bob Merrell and his friend Christiane. They came over from Slidell on Bob's BMW bike and we enjoyed lunch and and an afternoon of visiting.
Before departing Madisonville for New Orleans and on to Houston; David, Susan, and grandsons Clayton, Alan and Phillip were over for dinner. It was a joyful dinner Susan had prepared followed by a tearful goodbye.
Friday, January 11th, departure from Madisonville and down the Tchefuncta River . . . on my way across Lake Ponchatrain to the Industrial Canal and Seabrook Marina.
The Causeway Bridge, North Channel, on the way to New Orleans.
New Orleans, Industrial Canal, Seabrook Marina. Bonnie returns on Friday evening and on Saturday the 12th Harvey Orr, joins us for the trip from New Orleans to Houston.
Sunday, January 13th, we are off for Houston and wait our turn to enter the Industrial Canal Lock. The severely damaged 9th Ward is to our Port (left) as we enter the Lock.
On the Mississippi River after leaving the Industrial Canal the French Quarter can (cannot) be seen over behind the tug we are passing. The Quarter is below the levee and all that can be seen is rooftops.
A closer look at the Quarter, the French Market, with St. Louis Catheral in the background in Jackson Square.
Past the downtown area, under the twin Mississippi River bridges, past the cruise ship we proceed up river to the Harvey Canal.
Bonnie again works her skill and places SONATA in the Lock . . . the deck hands, Charlie and Harvey relax on the bow as SONATA changes water level, down from the Mississippi River, to the GIWW (Gulf Intercoastal Waterway West).
The Harvey Canal is packed with shipping/boating industrial works. In this location was the home, the point of orgin, of most of the landing craft used in World War II amphibious warfare.
Along the GIWW on our way to Houma, Louisiana, the sides are lined with cypress trees, knees, all resting in the fall/winter colors of grey and brown.
Arrival in Houma was just at dark so on this westbound trip there are no pictures. An overnight alongside the town dock which was perpendicular to and just a few feet from the GIWW where tugs and barges continued their travel, proved to be interesting. The next morning we were off for Morgan City and moored at their town dock hoping to visit the City for lunch.
Departing Morgan City a picture of the "Charlie Rig" was taken in the sunrise. This is an offshore rig that has been retired, has become a museum, and a training center. The rig is moored in Morgan City which is one of the gateways to the offshore oil platforms.
TABASCO and Avery Island. Just to the North of the GIWW up a bayou is a salt dome known as Avery Island. It is on Avery Island that the Tabasco Plant produces that hot sauce that is found on every table in the country. This scene is the garden grounds of Avery Island were the grandsons of the founder created a bird refuge to save the snowy egrets.
With SONATA resting alongside the boat ramp dock we departed for our tour of the Tabasco Plant. Tabasco Gift Shop personnel were accomodating and kindly picked us up and assisted in making our visit to Tabasco a memorable one.
the Tabasco Country Store where we enjoyed lunch and a review of all the Tabasco products.
Have a pepper.........
Continuing on toward Houston we came to the Bowman Lock. This lock is different from the other locks we have encountered in that this lock does not raise or lower the vessel. The purpose of the lock is to keep the sea water, the salt water, from flowing into the marshes and rice fields. With the rains and the outflow of fresh water the locks were open and we passed right through.
The rain began to cease and God's Promise of a better day came into full view. This weather front later gave Virginia Beach cold weather and a dusting of snow.
A Sunday afternoon departure from New Orleans and south on the Industrial Canal, turn to the east on the New Orleans / Rigolets Cut to the Mississippi Sound and we were proceeding East on the GIWW (Gulf Intercoastal Waterway). Overnight at anchor behind Rabbit Island just southwest of the mouth of the Pearl River.
Through the Mississippi Sound north of Cat Island, and finally Deer Island. The Beau Rivage at Biloxi comes into view and we soon thereafter arrive at Schooner Marina.
A little gambling at the casinos (Charlie lost $13.00), lunch at Mary Mahoney's (we ate there on the last visit) and then we waited for a storm to pass. For us the storm first produced fog, then rain, then strong wind. Further North in Mississippi and Arkansas people were killed and there was serious property damage. We waited.
By Wednesday morning the storm had just passed and we ran up a sky-hook to catch the passing clouds and move on east to Orange Beach, Alabama.
As we crossed from New Orleans to Pensacola all shared in the driving of SONATA; Rhonda and Leslie were a great help and did a fine job.
Crossing Mobile Bay it was "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" . . . oops, the Navy was there being protected by the Coast Guard's small boat....
One of the many platforms along the coast, this in Mobile Bay.
In Orange Beach, Alabama, near Gulf Shores, Alabama, we stopped at the marina that contained the restaurant named LuLu's. Lulu is Jimmy Buffett's sister. What a great place, wonderful food, good music . . . and we were happy to be there the day after "Fat Tuesday" for the waiting lines at LuLu's are usually some two hours long.
On our way to Pensacola we encoutered many porpoise. These fellows first approached the bow and swam in the bow wake, then off to the side of the boat and jumped and jumped. They even roll over on their side and look up at you...........
A friend of ours, Elaine, first came to SONATA in Alton during the end of September 2007. She was visiting her friends in Gulf Breeze, Fred and Caroline. The three of them met us at lunch, by accident, then came to SONATA. Fred and Caroline were, are, wonderful. We joined them for dinner at their home and while we were in Pensacola Fred loaned us his Lexus so we would be able to get around. Bonnie says Fred is her new very best friend.
Get around we did. Navy is here. We got to the exchange and commissary, then we went to the Naval Aviation Museum and saw lots of aircraft, space flight exhibits, IMAX movies, a POW exhibit, Coast Guard exhibits, and Bonnie got a workout.
Here she is . . . ready to strap in and take off, Bonnie, Fighter Pilot.
Planes and more Planes. Even a flight deck, old berthing quarters. So much to see.
Most interesting for those that had been in the Navy, the snack bar is the interior of Cubi Point NAS recreated. So much history.
