Mile 201.0 - USACE 2012 Atchafalaya River and Outlets to Gulf of Mexico
USACE 2012 Atchafalaya River and Outlets to Gulf of Mexico
USACE 2012 Atchafalaya River and Outlets to Gulf of Mexico
Navigation Chart Folio, 6th Edition
http://www2.mvn.usace.army.mil/ENG/EDSD/mapbooks/atch_nav_2012_map.asp
Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map
In addition to the USACE maps, you will want to get a copy of the Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map -- which will become your best friend for any expedition down the Atchafalaya! This map is essential to any off channel paddling. It’s large scale is wonderful to read. In one map you will be able to see the entire Atchafalaya Basin - to Morgan City anyway.
The Atchafalaya Basin Map is a full color, large scale map of the basin above Morgan City created by the LSU Louisiana Geological Survey. This very useful map was printed in 2004 and is still accurate 12 years later, even as some channels are closing up due to sedimentation. Use your Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map for wayfinding the best route. (Check latest details on Google Earth. The Atchafalaya Basin is surprisingly connected, thanks to a series of satellite towers situated throughout). Map printed on waterproof paper. Features main channel, back channels, bayous, vegetation, campsites, roads, boat landings, levees, streams, and more. Fold out or rolled in tube. Satellite image on reverse side. Important note: does not include Atchafalaya or Wax Lake Deltas below Morgan City/Bayou Teche. Contact the Louisiana Geological Survey at http://www.lgs.lsu.edu or call 225.578.8590. Or call the DNR Atchafalaya Basin Program Office at 225.342.6437. Folded map = $14.00 and Tubed map = $17.00
Maps of the Atchafalaya Delta
To get to the Gulf of Mexico add another map to your references: and that is the Maps of the Atchafalaya Delta and the Wax Lake Delta. Below Morgan City, you will have to retire your trusty Atchafalaya Basin Map (Louisiana Geological Survey). Unfortunately this excellent map does not continue below the Intracoastal Waterway (mile 124). Fortunately for us paddlers there other resources available free-of-charge. Before you go into the Atchafalaya Delta update your maps with the below! You can see all of the Delta on Google Earth, but none of the names, mileage, and very little context. An excellent map of the Atchafalaya Delta detailing all of the passes, the islands and their names - and a WMA campground only accessible by boat - can be had at no charge by going to the following website for the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area:
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/wma/32639
Click on this pdf to download maps of both the Atchafalaya Delta and the Wax Lake Delta:
River Speed and Trip Duration
The Atchafalaya River averages 3 mph at low water, 5 at medium water, and 7 at high water. An average paddler can make 2-3 mph. Making adjustments for wind speed, stops along the way, and any alternate exploration, you can use the above to roughly estimate your time of travel on the big river. The last unknown factor is towboats. You might lose time due to necessary waits for passing tows. Never try to outrun a tow, and never paddle across their line of travel.
Dangers of Paddling through Morgan City
As you are approaching the Port of Morgan City be prepared for several new challenging aspects to your adventure. Above Krotz Springs the levees hemmed in the river and you experienced strong currents. But below Krotz Springs the levees fell away, alternate channels and bayous opened up allowing the water to spread outwards from a one-mile wide valley to a 20 mile-wide valley. The river widened and the current slowed down. But now you have passed the cypress-tupelo swamp heart of the River of Trees and the levees are bringing all of the water back together again, plus additional water from rainfall and tributaries. You will feel the current picking up as you paddle through Stout’s Pass, and past Drew’s Pass. All of the water flowing down through Upper Grand Lake and Bayou Sorrel and down along the East Protection Levee now gathers together at the base of Flat Lake and starts migrating downstream towards Morgan CIty with more purpose. All of the water flowing down the West Basin from Butte La Rose on down is funneled along the West Protection Levee and focused into Stout’s Pass where it joins all the water pouring out of Flat Lake.
This is all to say that the Atchafalaya River moves deep and fast through Morgan City. Furthermore, there are three bridges to get under. Traffic volume and size will increase. Be very careful around bridges and when making landings. Pull your vessel high above water level, three feet above when possible. Waves from passing work boats, tugs and ships could wash over any low places, especially within inlets or at the edge of shallows (where the wave heights and tide effects tend to multiply frighteningly). The new challenges are these: 1) bigger waves, 2) busy tows and bigger ships, 3) Fog, 4) fleeted barges, 5) buoys, and 6) currents and tides. See below for continued discussion.
Wind Direction and Speed
For the weather.gov at Morgan City, go to:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=29.6994&lon=-91.2068#.VqJ4hSifM20
Pay particular attention to the wind speed and direction. As with other sections of the Mississippi, a good rule of thumb on the Atchafalaya is stay on shore if the wind is blowing above 15 mph in your face, and 20 mph in any other directions. Wind direction might effect which Pass you take getting to the Gulf. In strong south winds you might want to avoid south flowing Passes. Then again, you could battle south winds down The main channel of the Atchafalaya and later enjoy a tail wind as you paddle back up to Morgan City. Ideally you would drop down the main channel with a 10mph North wind, spend the night on the Melinda Island Beach, and then wake up the next morning the wind having shifted to the south, and paddle back with a 15mph South wind! If only paddlers were so lucky. Most likely you will have headwinds regardless of what you do. That’s the way it always seems to work out. Like bicyclists, we are sensitive to the air, and so any any slight motion seems to be a headwind.
Atchafalaya Delta Tides
While the Bay of Fundy tides vary up to 53 feet and the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel 50 feet, the Atchafalaya Delta tides normally only vary between 1/2 foot and a 1 foot, and might vary 2 feet in the highest tides of the year. (This change in levels is known as amplitude, and is described on charts by the term “tidal coeffecient;” see below for more discussion). But winds and storms can create higher tides, up to 5 feet higher at the ends of the passes.
Small changes in tides is good news for paddlers in this low flat landscape. You can find dry spots for camping on some beautiful low-lying flat beaches at the Gulf, and a few scattered low hummocks in between. However you also have to be very careful about incoming high tides, and make sure the place you choose is well above the forecast. Before paddling down one of the passes, or settling down in any certain campsite, check tidal reports. Also check weather.gov for any tide warnings. Tide warnings precede high winds or oncoming storms. High winds out of the east, south or west might add 3 to 4 feet to any tidal forecast, and hurricanes could add considerably more.
Warning: a high tide forecast of 3 feet or more would probably put all camp sites below Morgan City underwater!
Tidal Influence:
Besides water levels, the NOAA tides & currents listed below also detail water temperature, air temperature, wind speed & direction, and air pressure. For daily tide charts paddlers can go to:
Atchafalaya River at Berwick:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationhome.html?id=8764044
Atchafalaya River at Amerada Pass:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/stationhome.html?id=8764227
Atchafalaya Bar Channel:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ports/ports.html?id=mc0101&mode=show_all
There is minor tide changes of several inches below Myette Point. But below Morgan City you will start feeling the full tidal influence, from 1/2 foot to 2 feet changes. Every night when you pull up to a camp be sure to add on a foot for waves and rising tides and pull your vessel up an extra foot above river level. You will experience 1/2 foot to possibly a full 2 feet change at Morgan City, and possibly more in the open channels and bays leading out to the Gulf of Mexico below the Intracoastal Waterway.
You have probably already experienced some water level changes due to tides without realizing it. At low water Butte La Rose experiences infinitesimal changes due to the pull of the moon. The effect becomes very slowly more pronounced the further downstream you paddle. But now at Myette Point, Morgan City and below you will notice a half foot change from high to low tide, which could affect your campsite choices. Tidal change combined with increased freighter speed can mean big changes in river levels at your camps, and even bigger waves (when the tide is coming in, and a big boat steams by). To be absolutely safe about your campsite, choose places that are at least two vertical feet above water level at high tide if you are camped on the main channel. If you are off main channel (say within one of the passes) you will only need to stay one foot above high tide to be safe.
We will keep our eyes on the river gages in Morgan City as the Rivergator continues downstream to the Gulf, but also on tidal readings. As we approach Morgan City, the effect of river changes diminishes and the tidal effect increases. Below Morgan City we will rely entirely on tide charts, and leave river gages behind! Remember, there are 2 high tides every day, and two low tides, as related to the pull of the moon and (to a lesser extent) that of the sun. Tidal predications are complicated by the orbiting of the sun and moon, but also by wind over the ocean, but local winds, air pressure, can have an effect, as well as the shape of the shoreline. Inlets, for instance tend to increase tidal effect. Incoming storms might pile the water higher and result in higher high tides and higher low tides. Strong Winds blowing offshore might do the opposite, creating extra low tides. It’s best to read online charts and watch for storm warnings as you paddle towards Gulf, to get the most accurate prediction.
Estimate your Camp Height
How can you estimate your camp height above water level? Here are several methods: 1) Stand at the edge of the water looking back at your camp and slowly raise and lower your head by bending your knees until you feel that your eyes are level with camp. Estimate this height. That should be as good as you’ll need, but not everyone is comfortable with this method. If you need something more concrete, try this: 2) Add a string line, string level, and small tape measure to your expedition kit. Before setting up your potential campsite, attach one end of the string line to a stick, or stake, or something within your camp choice, and pull the string taught. Now run it out to the water’s edge and attach string level. Keep string tight. Once you have found level, measure the height of the string above the water. This will give you a fairly accurate measurement. (Hint: it helps to do this with two people, one holding string, the other measuring height). This method was suggested by paddler Ben Quaintance in 2015.
Tidal Coefficient
On the Tide Tables there are tidal coefficients which tell us the amplitude of the tide forecast (difference in height between the consecutive high tides and low tides in any given area). The highest possible tidal coefficient is 118, corresponding to the greatest high or low tide there can be, excluding meteorological effects. Tidal coefficients are calculated from the following parameters or from the sun and the moon: straight ascension, declination, parallax and the distance between the Earth and the celestial body. Despite tidal coefficients being the same for the whole planet, they affect the amplitude of the tides in a very different manner, depending on where we are. This variation in amplitude is almost null and void in closed seas, apart from where there is local resonance (e.g. it can be up to 3ft in Venice); it is weak in mid-ocean, but tends to be considerably amplified when extending to the continental coasts.
In Space: There are tides of weak intensity (in the areas close to the terrestrial equator, the tides barely reach tens of centimetres). In other places there are tides of high intensity (for example: the French coasts of the Saint-Malo Bay), where they regularly exceed 30 ft.
In Time: The coefficient and therefore the amplitude of the tides follow the phases of the moon with slight disparity during waxing and waning moons; and extensive disparity at times of new moon and full moon. The differences in amplitude between low tides and high tides present great contrasts. In Saint-Malo the difference in level between high tide and low tide is reduced to 10 ft in periods of low tides; and goes as high as 40 ft in periods of high tides.
Tides in Rivers
The tide reigning before a coast spreads upwards in rivers with identical periodicity, but the dissipation of the energy gradually reduces the amplitude and the tide ends up being imperceptible, with this being the boundary of the maritime part of the river. On the Atchafalaya this boundary is normally found around 50 miles upstream, in the Myette Point area (On the Amazon River is over 600 miles!).
Tidal bore
In normal conditions, the Atchafalaya River does not experience tidal bores, although this phenomena might occur during hurricanes or periods of high southerly winds. What is a tidal bore? In an estuary and even more so in a river with a wide mouth, the high tide is of much shorter duration than the low tide; it may even be that the ascent of the water up-river is almost instantaneous, this is the moment of the tidal bore, breakwaters that enclose the whole bed of the river which in turn also surges quickly upwards. In Brazil, the tidal bore of the Amazon River is known as the pororoca. It comes from the Tupi language and means "great destructive noise". It occurs in spring tides, and waves of up to 12 feet in height are formed which are taken advantage of by surfers from around the world who come to the mouth of this river to surf tens of miles up the river with the waves.
Water Speed in the Passes
In general the water slows the further outwards you go down any one pass towards the Gulf. Just like the river, in high water it’s faster and in low water it’s slower. Incoming and outgoing tides have their effect, as already described. Paddlers used to enjoying 3-5 mph in the main channel of the Atchafalaya can expect the water speed to gradually diminish as the river approaches the open waters of the ocean, down to 2-3 mph in the main passes, and maybe 1-2 in the smaller passes, and then maybe 1mph arpound the final island, to final calm completely when you paddle into the deep water of the Gulf. Not only is the water volume decreasing every time the river splinters into another pass, but it also reaches sea level, thereby losing all of the “pulling” effect of gravity.
Wax Lake Outlet: Alternate Route to the Gulf
Most Paddlers will go through Morgan City to reach the Gulf, but please be aware that you could turn right at Myette Point 102 RBD and cross Sixmile Lake to access the Wax Lake Outlet. Check the route on Google Earth. Follow the Wax Lake Outlet to the Wax Lake Delta. This could be a final Gulf Coast destination for long distance paddlers. Your return route could be back up the same outlet, but a more interesting route would be to circle back up the Atchafalaya Delta and end in Morgan City (Intracoastal Waterway/Berwick Boat Ramp is the best location). Or you could paddle west into Bayou Sale Bay and pull out at Burns Point Park (as several expeditions have done in recent years).
Shell Island Pass
Your first West Bank option down the main channel of the Atchafalaya would be the Shell Island Pass (137.8 RBD). This is very first possible western exit into the Gulf of Mexico off the main channel of the Atchafalaya, and begins at the base of Shell Island (which is indeed a pile of shells - at least here at the mouth of the exit). In 2015 we found the inflowing water speed to be 2-3 mph when the river was at 5 feet on the Morgan City Gage (MCG), and the banks of the pass were at bank full. Expeditions could paddle out to the Gulf from the Atchafalaya and make a three-mile crossing over to the Wax Lake Delta for the return trip to Morgan City. Check forecasts first before attempting this route. You would not want to be be making an open bay crossing in high winds from any direction. The Atchafalaya Delta WMA Campground is located at the top end of Camp Island in Crewboat Channel of the Campground Pass, in between Campground Pass and Main Pass. The Wax Lake Delta Passes are (from West to East): Oryx Pass, Little Beach Pass, Fred Pass, Redhead Pass, Campground Pass, Shortcut Pass. Rookery Pass, Mallard Pass, Gadwell Pass, Main Pass, Greg Pass, Pintail Pass, East Pass.
Location Island Pass
Your second choice would be the Location Island Pass (140.2 LBD) which is the first East Bank Pass option to the Gulf, and is short and sweet. You could paddle two miles down this pass and make a landing on the beautiful beaches of Plumb Island Point. Check route on Google Earth. If the weather is good camp one night on the beaches of Plumb Island Point and then turn around and paddle back to Morgan City.
Amerada Pass
Third Choice: Amerada Pass (144.2 RBD) would be a good choice for paddlers to reach the Gulf, then turn around and camp at a designated Campground. The Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area maintains a boat-access only campground approximately one mile down Amerada Pass on Willow Island. You could paddle down, check in with the ranger at Park Headquarters, and then paddle out to the Gulf. Break open your bottle of champagne, celebrate your successful expedition, and then paddle back to camp. This would be an excellent way to end your great adventure. The only drawback is that there are no views of the open Gulf from here. On the other hand, you would be in good company in a safe place. And you would get a first hand look at the Atchafalaya Delta flora and fauna, along with possible interpretation from WMA staff. Amerada Pass continues on to Catfish Pass and Arrowhead Island.
Main Channel: Melanie Island
We’re saving the best for the last: Melanie Island. Imagine paddling around God’s Island, and reaching the open waters of the Gulf. You celebrate the completion of your adventure in the middle of the main channel of the Atchafalaya as it flows towards towards South America. Then you cut back to the West Bank, right back descending and make landing on a sparkling white beach running as far as the eye can see. Welcome to Melanie Island! Excellent location to turnaround, Melanie Island is also the very last island of any size on the main channel of the Atchafalaya with safe dry ground suitable for camping and celebrating your successful expedition. It is also wild, primitive, and full of bird and animal life. Best of all, Melanie Island features the longest beach on the entire Atchafalaya Delta! There is a full half mile of beautiful sun-filled shell beaches on Melanie Island, with endless campsites to chose from. As such, the Rivergator recommends not going beyond this point. Melanie island would make an excellent choice as a turnaround place for your expedition down the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River systems. The beach is mostly shells at bottom end, but becomes more sandy towards top end. Walk the whole thing and savor your great adventure, and then pick out the best spot for your final camp.
The Joy of Reaching the Gulf
The main channel of the Atchafalaya is the most popular route to complete the river. Imagine: it’s a calm day as you joyfully paddle down the full extent of the Atchafalaya River about 25 miles below Morgan City, and now you are at the long beach on Melanie Island, something you would not be able to attempt in high winds or rough seas. As you paddle past the last beach you will find yourself deep into the Gulf of Mexico with the full feeling of the ocean around you. Land is now a long line of green behind you, to the North. You are there. Nothing now between you and South America. If you were a songbird making its annual migration, you would feel similar elation. Congratulations paddler! You’ve made it! Flocks of brown pelicans, white pelicans, terns, sheerwaters, and other shore birds seem to share in your joy laughing and screaming and crying over the water and waves. You might see dolphins leaping along with your bounding heart and participating in the happiness and satisfaction of completing the long journey. Turn around only when you have fully delighted in the pleasure of the finish line, and paddle back the same way you came, or head in at a diagonal to one of the nearby beaches. If it’s a calm night, you can enjoy a night of camping on an ocean beach. The last night of your month’s long odyssey. You might as well drink it up to the fullest extent you can. This opportunity will not come again easily for the remainder of your life.
Camping on the Gulf at the end of the River
Many Mississippi paddlers plan their last day as a round trip from Morgan City, usually involving a return trip via powerboat. But why not slow down and spend a night or two at your much-anticipated final destination, the beautiful Gulf of Mexico? It seems a loss to have paddled in and out of several months and several thousands of miles to miss this golden opportunity you have very dearly paid for! Unless the wind is contrary, or there are incoming severe storms, or a hurricane, the Rivergator recommends adding at least one more camp to your itinerary, and that is a beach camp on salt water. You can find suitable beaches on the aforementioned Melanie Island, as well as Plumb Island Point at the bottom of Location Island Pass. There are other beaches as well. You could also camp at one of the Atchafalaya Delta WMA Campgrounds. Keep reading and make your preliminary plans for the grand finale of your expedition.
Open Water of the Gulf?
Dear paddler, when you reach the ocean you are probably expecting to be rewarded with a wide open view with a refreshing clear-sight view over the face of the earth towards the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico or Cuba. You will have at least on disappointment here. Don’t be dismayed when you discover that the ocean horizon is thick with derricks, platforms, wells, (and many abandoned relics of the same), and supply vessels and crew shift helicopters overhead. This is a reality of the Gulf of Mexico, and is the same as the reality of the coastal marshes, and the same as the reality of the Atchafalaya Basin itself: this is a wildlands dissected and bisected by the wells and pipelines of the thirsty petroleum industry.
Some Helpful Hints:
Some conditions to take into consideration for deciding which pass to follow include
1) the wind, 2) oncoming storms, 3) river level, and 4) hurricanes. Hurricanes: If there are any approaching hurricanes, you will need to carefully monitor their progress towards shore, and make some quick decisions before approach. There will be no dry ground, and you will possibly experience a big scale tidal surge in the presence of hurricanes. It would be best to either “hit & run” in one day, maybe down a pass close to Morgan City such as Shell Island Pass, where you can quickly turn around and get back, or get a ride back with powerboat. Or, maybe wait it out. Or call your journey complete wherever you are at. I think its needless to say, but do not go past Morgan City if there is any hurricane within one day of making landing anywhere within 200 miles of the Atchafalaya River Delta. Also, keep in mind that hurricanes circulate counter-clockwise. The off-shore (southerly) winds will be worse with any hurricane west of the Delta. This will result in high storm surge. Camille produced the highest ever waters ever (in nearby Venice with a storm surge of 9.11 feet on the Venice Gage). During Katrina, which crossed over the Birdsfoot Delta and into the mouth of the Pearl River, the storm surge was 28 feet in places (further inland). On the other hand, the on-shore winds (northerly) will increase for any hurricane to the east of the Delta (while the tidal effect will be greatly diminished).
Getting back to Land
There are many choices for your return trip back to land, to meet your ride, or get back to your car. If you left your car or are meeting a ride in Morgan City you could paddle back up the Atchafalaya. But if the wind and weather conditions are favorable, you could also paddle across the bay over to the Wax Lake Outlet, and then follow any one of the many bayous and canals back up to the Intracoastal Waterway for a takeout in Berwick/Morgan City. There is a campground maintained by the Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area in the top middle of the Wax Delta. So you could paddle across the bay, camp a night, and then paddle out the next day. That route would make an adventure all in of itself, with great animal and bird watching along the way. But be ready for hard paddling, especially in high water levels. If you happened to be paddling the annual Spring Pulse, which sweeps through the Atchafalaya in March, April, sometimes May, you might be doing some very strenuous upstream paddling indeed. But many paddlers have done this before you, and many more will follow.
Here’s a possible scenario for this return trip: 1) paddle down Shell island Pass to Bay. 2) Paddle across Bay. 3) Paddle up East Pass (or any of the other passes) into the heart of the Wax Delta. Locate WMA campground at top of Camp Island, the highest Island in the Delta. 4) Enjoy beautiful camp. 5) Paddle up any one of the many bayous or canals back to Intracoastal Waterway. 6) Follow Intracoastal Waterway to Berwick/Morgan City Boat Ramps. Note: Use the WMA Atchafalaya Delta Map to help visualize this route.
Getting Back
Whether you paddle back from the Gulf, or hitch a ride with a powerboat, the beautiful boat ramp below Berwick at the mouth of the Intracoastal Waterway is the best place to return to, and meet your shuttle home. Downtown Berwick Boat Ramps is a close second but requires more upstream, paddling, and is a less desirable boat ramp. A lot of paddlers in recent years have arranged for powerboats to shuttle them back from the ocean, or have hitched rides from passing fishing boats or workboats on their return to home port (which is almost always Morgan City for everyone in the Atchafalaya Delta). And you might decide the same, that you don’t want to paddle upstream. The current can sometimes be tough to paddle against, and the wind might be unfavorable. You are probably exhausted from your long day’s paddle to reach the coast, and really don’t have the energy to paddle back. But you can spend the night and do it in the morning. You probably already know that it isn’t too tough to paddle upstream. But we’re going to remind you here. And also offer the option for an extra day or two for a supreme ending to your expedition. You can make an extra campsite, and the take an extra day to paddle back to Morgan City. You will never be more than 25 miles from any given extremity of the Atchafalaya Delta. The Quapaws are the downstream people, and the Omahas are the Upstream people. You have been a Quapaw for three months or more. Be an Omaha for a day or two. Anyone who has paddled the length of the Mississippi can surely paddle back upstream 25 miles! If the water is high and you have headwinds it might require 2 days of paddling. Lastly and most importantly, there is a distinct beauty in being an Omaha and making the upstream paddle home. You see the marshes and cane brakes and islands and mudflats up close and intimately in a way that you never do paddling downstream. You get closer to birds and other wildlife. You might see (and take photos of) animals you have not been able to approach, like nutria, osprey, green tree frogs, and maybe even a gator.
Upstream Paddling
The trick to upstream paddling is to find the path of least resistance. On a river, that means staying as close to shore as possible without grounding out. It helps to hug the inside of long bends when possible. You will find it necessary to follow the long lines around wing dams, jetties and dikes, and paddle underneath docks or other man-made structures that get in the way. But the most important skill in being an Omaha is learning to dive in and out of eddies. Paddle like the French Voyageurs of the Lewis and Clark who paddled up the Missouri, and then later up the Columbia and Snake rivers. Watch carefully in front of you for eddies and slow places and use them to your advantage. Cut into every eddy you can find and relax when you can. As the water speed increases past points in between eddies paddle hard and tough with quick bursts of energy. Find the next slow place and take a break. If the wind is blowing, hug the shore which offers the best protection.
For the most part paddling up the passes from the ocean will be enjoyable, and not too tough. The water is slow in most passes (unless in flood). Try to time your return with the incoming tide. The most challenging portion of your return paddle will be the last 10 miles into Morgan City where the Atchafalaya River runs most powerful. The currents are almost always strong here, even with the tide in your favor. Also, you will probably have to make a channel crossing somewhere along the way. This might be a dangerous crossing with the frequent freighter traffic moving up and down the river through here. But with careful examination, and monitoring your VHF marine radio on channel 13 you will be fine. Make your crossing as quick as possible, in a perpendicular run straight for the opposite shore, even if it means losing some ground due to river flow. You will quickly regain any lost ground once you resume paddling back up the other shore.
In general the left bank descending (East Bank) will be easier to paddle alongside going upstream since it has slower flowing water. You will have to maneuver in and out of the various bayous and bay along the way, but in general these variations in the riverbank further slow the current and make the upstream haul a little easier. Furthermore, the East bank features more inlets, passes, and other breaks that offer more opportunities for rest stops along the way. Be sure to inspect Google Earth and search out options for the return journey. Bayou Shaffer would be a good route which you can access through Sweetwater Bay, LBD 131. But be creative and choose your own unique route. You might hit a dead end or two, but that is part of the adventure. The Atchafalaya Delta is a green tapestry woven of many strands of bayous, backwaters and passes, all of which you can see on Google Earth and find the route that seems best.
LiNKS = Leave No Kid on Shore
Leave no Kids on Shore (LiNKS) is an after-school environmental conservation/stewardship program for youth from the Lower Mississippi Valley to learn the skills of carving canoes, safe paddling on the big river, and wilderness survival. LiNKS is a natural continuation of the successful Mighty Quapaw Apprenticeship Program which has been active since 1998. LiNKS will focus on long-term solutions over short term fixes, in particular by applying long-term attention to our youth, and fostering mentorship relationships that last a decade or longer. See end of this section for more information about LiNKS, and making plans to donate your vessel. Or contact John Ruskey, Director, Lower Mississippi River Foundation, Clarksdale, MS 38614, 662-627-4070, john@island63.com.
Help for Paddlers in the Atchafalaya Basin
Atchafalaya Basinkeeper: Dean Wilson, the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper is the best friend of the Atchafalaya, and is dedicated to protecting and restoring the ecosystems within the Atchafalaya Basin for future generations. Contact Dean about any route-finding needs or logistics needs within the basin. Contact Dean anytime to report a concern, if you have questions or need help in addressing a problem you see along the river. Visit website http://www.basinkeeper.org, email basinkeeper@gmail.com or call 225-692-4114.
Bayou Teche Experience: Bayou Teche is an ancient outlet of the big river and is serviced by the cool dudes at Bayou Teche Experience. Contact Cory or Ingo Werk, Bayou Teche Experience, 317 E Bridge St, Breaux Bridge LA 70517, 337.366.0337 info@bayoutecheexperience.com.
Bayou Sara kayak Rental: Andy Green specializes in kayak fishing on this small tributary out of nearby St. Francisville, LA, but he can also provide support for long-distance paddlers on the big river. For shuttling, kayak fishing/guiding, outfitting, and rentals call Bayou Sara Kayak Rental, 225-202-8822, or email andrew_green83@yahoo.com.
Pack & Paddle: Louisiana’s respected outfitter, organizes paddling trips around the Atchafalaya Basin, and the bayous of South Louisiana. Excellent source for camping gear and paddling equipment from the heart of the Zydeco country. 601 East Pinhook Road, Lafayette, LA 7050, (337) 232-5854, http://packpaddle.com/
Services for Lower Mississippi River Paddlers
Vicksburg to St. Francisville:
Fortunately for paddlers on this stretch of river, you have the nearby presence of big river guide Adam Elliott. Adam is based in Natchez at the Quapaw Canoe Company Natchez Outpost, and provides expert services for anyone paddling through this entire region, including guiding and outfitting, meals and shuttle. Call Adam 601-807-5382 or send an email adam.elliott@island63.com, or go to www.island63.com and click on the Natchez section for more info. Adam can meet you just about anywhere in between Vicksburg and Baton Rouge, and answer your questions and provide expert big river guiding (as well as shuttles, or equipment) with a smile and endless stories about the ever fascinating, mysterious big river.
St. Francisville to Baton Rouge:
For shuttles, resupplies, parking your vehicle, and logistics on the Lower Mississippi River, contact Baton Rouge natives Paul or Michael Orr. While doubling as the Riverkeepers for the bottom end of the biggest river in North America, these two good hearted gentlemen have been providing support services for decades on the Lower Mississippi River, and are the experts on the stretch downstream from St. Francisville to the Gulf of Mexico. Contact Paul Orr: paul@lmrk.org (225) 300-3902, Michael Orr michael@leanweb.org (225) 803-2999.
Atchafalaya Swamp Pack List:
In addition to the above, here are some very useful items to consider packing specific to the Atchafalaya:
-Machete: For trail-making. For clearing out campsites in brushy places. For clearing poison ivy from campsites.
-Water Filter (or Purification): For filtering swamp water in remote areas when you need drinking water. You can always find water within the Atchafalaya Basin, but you can’t always get to places with tap water. Be prepared to boil water, filter, or purify.
-Small camp stove: For boiling water and cooking food when you are camping surrounded by water, or in locations with no dry wood, or no possibilities for making a fire.
-Mosquito Netting: For especially bothersome mosquitoes, flies, gnats and no-see-ums.
-GPS: Might be useful. A smartphone might be just as good. Your phone will have service throughout most of the basin.
-Hammock: For wet campsites. For canoe camping. For highwater expeditions when little to no dry ground can be found.
-Extra tarp: For setting your tent on. To sit on in wet locations. For covering firewood on rainy/foggy/dewy nights.
Primitive Camping in the Marshes & Swamps
Camping (and picnicking) in the half-submerged Cypress-Tupelo Gum Swamps and Coastal Marshes of the Atchafalaya River Basin can be very challenging. You might end up on spongy ground with half your camp in water, half on nothing but masses of vegetation held together by interlacing and interlocking roots, tubers and mud. It would be wise to pack a hammock. This could be considered a semi-tropical jungle, after all. It would also be wise to pack an extra tarp or two for extra protection on wet spots. Be sure to set your tent on a tarp for extra protection from below. Other useful items to pack specific to the Atchafalaya include: machete, water filter, small camp stove, mosquito netting, GPS, and as already mentioned: hammock and extra tarp.
But like all challenging situations, there are many possible great rewards that accompany life in extreme situations, and the sometimes painful experiences. Below is an excerpt from a wetlands camp in the Wax Lake Delta, which could be similar to camping in the wetlands anywhere below Krotz Spring:
We camped at the junction of an oil pipeline canal and a curvy waterway we have been following which connects the Wax Lake Delta with the Atchafalaya. We are maybe two-thirds of the way back across the coastal wetlands to Morgan City. Swampy marshes surround us as far as the eye can see. There is no dry land to be found, even the solid mass where we are camped is a wet composition of tangled roots, mud and grasses just solid enough to support our weight, erect our tents, and even build a fire. Dry land is a thing of the past. Terra cognita is nowhere to be found. The marsh is a rich mixture of roots, leaves, and sulfurous soil, half of this world, half of another. Like peat moss, it exists somewhere between life and decay. As you move around your footsteps are accompanied by lots of sucking sounds, squishing, gollumping, gollashing sounds. And in the stillness of the pre-morning darkness those wet rubbery sounds seem to be emulated by the frogs, and are punctuated in the sighs and moans of the nutria. The sonic atmosphere rings with wetness of the place. Later after sunrise the swampy symphony comes to a crescendo when the squeaks, whistles and shrieks of various birds, rodents and insects add their voices. And us... what does the guttural bubbling monotone clunking of man’s tongue-speak sound like to the natives of the swampland? Crickets join the morning chorus of grunts, squeaks and squishing noises, like rubber rubbing against rubber. The plaintive cries of the nutria and Mark River adding in his own grunts and moans from his tent to the choir. A lone songbird, a cardinal, makes a burst of song and then falls silent. More sounds resound off the muddy channel: bankside thrashings, something crackling through the bullrushes, some violent splashing, then silence. That was ominous. A gator thrashing a nutria? Frogs make all kinds of sounds, some coughing, some re-running short drum beats of jumbled snatches of snoggles, some grinding their gums and making that squishing rubber sound, a bullfrog bellow, a repeated chirping staccato like a giggling lamb, and then another cardinal. David’s light flashes on in his tent. And then Mark River’s. Mark River can be heard stomping through the crackly bankside mattress of bullrushes, ferns and dried greens. The far-off moan of a boat engine adds an accent. One frog can be heard hiccuping like an amused old man clucking his tongue. The whining of mosquitoes and at least two different kinds of crickets can be heard intertwining their rhythms, clicks, rasps and squeaks, maybe male and female? And then a clan of coyotes far away cries and cries.
Biting Bugs
It is worth mentioning that biting insects are something that you should be prepared for on your paddle in the deep south. (Thanks to Paul Orr and Zoe Sundra for writing this section.)
Mosquitos - In all but the coldest months mosquitos are a fact of life in the lowlands along the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana. Be prepared to deal with mosquitos (and sometimes clouds of mosquitos!) on your paddle. West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalitis are still showing up in SoLA. These diseases are not likely to cause a healthy adult any problems but young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems should be very careful. If you or anyone in your party develops flu-like or other symptoms (body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, fatigue, fever, headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness) it is best to see a doctor as soon as possible. PS: A great way to avoid getting attacked by mosquitoes when leaving your tent at night is to use the bathroom is doubling 2 gallon size freezer ziploc bags and keeping them just outside your tent during the night. This will prevent continued itching, discomfort and unnecessary trips into uncomfortable weather throughout your expedition!
Fire Ants - Accidentally imported into the Gulf South through the Port of Mobile, the imported Red Fire Ant is now a widespread nuisance in the Deep South. You may have been lucky enough to avoid these aggressive and painful biters thus far but you won’t likely get through a paddle to the end of the river without at least a few bites. Just keep a sharp eye out for the characteristic hills (sometimes hiding in the brush!) and double check your camp site.
No-See-Ems / Biting Midges / Biting Gnats - Whatever you call them they can be a terrible nuisance. These tiny dark-colored flying insects live in the marshes of coastal Louisiana and can occur in very large numbers. Their bite can cause a very unpleasant localized reaction in many people and occasionally a worse allergic reaction in some. Paul has almost no problem with mosquitos but these gnats drive him crazy! The Rivergator expedition did not encounter any and hopefully you will not either, just be prepared if they do show up south of New Orleans. (Insider tip: Common bug spray seems to have no effect on these pesky fellas, but pure vanilla extract keeps them at bay!)
Ticks - Ticks are rarely seen in the Atchafalaya River Floodplain. They seem to prefer hill or mountain country like the Ozarks. It would be surprising to find them on the river south of Baton Rouge. However, anytime you walk through forested land it’s not a bad idea to follow up with a “tick check.”
Redbugs - Redbugs, like ticks, don’t seem to be much of a problem on the river south of Baton Rouge, but can occur in the area.
Poison Ivy
Poison ivy grows plentifully on the Atchafalaya riverbanks and in the batture south of Baton Rouge. In some places it practically carpets the ground. If you are allergic to poison ivy (and remember, many people who think they are not allergic suddenly find themselves with a bad case one day…) learn how to identify it and be cautious with where you set up camp. Very little will make a paddle trip more miserable than a bad case of poison ivy.
Paddlers with allergy issues are strongly encouraged to make sure that their allergy meds are fully stocked and close at hand!
Can you drink the water?
In 1924 Walter and Sissy Anderson paddled the Ohio River into the Mississippi, and continued on downstream bound for the Gulf like so many expeditions still running the big river. Walter regularly dipped his cup in the river for a drink and declared it the “best tasting water he’d ever drunk...” Things on the river were bad back then. The industrial age in full upswing and no oversight on what you could dump in the river, or in the air. But Walter was a young Mississippi artist intent on experiencing nature one on one, as recorded in his incredible artistic tome. He didn’t boil the water. A month into their journey, somewhere above Greenville, Walter contracted dysentery and he and Sissy had to abandon the river. Fortunately since the days of Walter Anderson the Mississippi River has gotten cleaner. The 1972 Clean Water Act led to decades of remedial house cleaning for all of the industry, agriculture, and sewer systems along the river. Anyone who was dumping anything in the river had to comply, or face the severe consequences from the EPA.
Where Do You Go? (To the Bathroom?)
Urinating and defecating can be challenging in the swamplands, especially when there is no dry ground to be found. Female paddlers are especially challenged in the swamps. Urine is no problem, you can pee anywhere you can find privacy. In a canoe stand up and do it over the side of the canoe. In a kayak you might need a bailer as a vessel. Women can use bailers, or one of the handy female cups. Poop becomes more problematic. In the swamplands you have a choice: pack it out, or leave it in the water. Leave No Trace paddlers will carry it out in special made poop bags, and this is probably the best solution. An Atchafalaya resident told me that you can do it anywhere, and the swamp will take care of it, just as it does with any other animals that poop, the nutria, the beaver, the deer. He told me that he would paddle his pirogue and find an overhanging tree to sit on, and use like a toilet seat! If you find any sort of muddy land you can try to bury it the best possible. It will probably rise back to the surface, but cover it with mud and roots and whatever else you can find. It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: don’t collect water from anywhere near your waste locations!
The Atchafalaya Basinkeeper
Atchafalaya Basinkeeper is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the ecosystems within the Atchafalaya Basin for future generations. We are a Waterkeeper program under the Waterkeeper Alliance which is a grass roots advocacy organization consisting of over 200 local Waterkeeper programs and dedicated to preserving and protecting YOUR water from polluters. Contact them anytime to report a concern, if you have questions or need help in addressing a problem you see along the river. Contact the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper Dean Wilson through their website http://www.basinkeeper.org, email basinkeeper@gmail.com or call 225-692-4114.
Maps and Mileage
We will leave the USACE Mississippi River Maps and go to the 2012 Atchafalaya River Charts , which can be downloaded free-of-charge from the USACE New Orleans website by clicking on the below:
USACE 2012 Atchafalaya River and outlets to Gulf of Mexico
Navigation Chart Folio, 6th Edition
http://www2.mvn.usace.army.mil/ENG/EDSD/mapbooks/atch_nav_2012_map.asp
Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map
The Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map is the best friend for any expedition down the Atchafalaya. This very useful map was printed in 2004 and is still accurate 12 years later, even as some channels are closing up due to sedimentation. Use your Louisiana Geological Survey Atchafalaya Basin Map for wayfinding the best route, and check latest details on Google Earth. The Atchafalaya Basin is surprisingly connected, thanks to a series of satellite towers situated throughout.