Mile 66.6 - RBD Moccasin Springs Harbor and Boat Ramp

John Ruskey

20 Apr 2026 � 1 min read

66.6 RBD Moccasin Springs Harbor and Boat Ramp

The Moccasin Springs Harbor is a seasonal harbor, that is seasonal with the river level. The harbor is created by a elbow shaped wing dam that protects the bank in front of the boat ramp, with the campground behind. It is a protected harbor in low to medium water. But as soon as the water starts flowing over the dike (between 15 and 20 feet on the Chester Gage) the water flows past this place and the harbor disappears. Regardless, the water is somewhat slowed here, and makes easy access, and doesn’t move fast until it gets up around 25 ChG.

The boat ramp is usable down to 5 on the Chester Gage, then it bottoms out in goopy piles of Mississippi mud captured by the harbor. Popular amongst local fishermen, but also used by towboats for crew changes. Why here? Typical crew changes are every 6 weeks, with 4 weeks on 2 weeks off. Instead making the crew switches in crowded places like the Cape or Chester, it is sometimes easier for tows to find places to pull over in remote stretches like Trail of Tears. This is all to say don’t be confused when you see a tow pulled to a stop along the bank here. But keep your eyes sharp on their movements, and be ready to get out of the way in a hurry. They could pull out at any moment, and may or may not see your approach. Monitor VHF Channel 13 if you have a radio - they will most certainly announce their intentions. How do they make the change? Using on-board cranes a tow crew will drop a motorboat into the river using the tow as a dock, and then make the run back and forth from there. This can be a tricky maneuver in the wind and the waves, but is otherwise routine.

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