River and Bayou

Woke to low overcast clouds. A bit surprised when I saw them. I was expecting something a bit sunnier. Maybe they’ll burn off soon. I want to lay out my waterlogged phone on the spray deck in front of me, while I paddle, and give it a chance to dry out in the warm sun. Maybe it’ll spring back to life. I hope so. A phone would make it much easier to meet up with my sister Gloria when she comes down to pick me up in a week or so.

Pulled another bonehead move last night, by the way. After spending the past two rainy days working hard to keep as much of my gear as dry as possible, I tipped over inside the tent an open liter container of water all over my sleeping bag, my only dry towel, and my sleeping pad. Ugh. Oh well. I’ve slept in ‘wet’ before. One thing I’ve learned in all my adventures. “It’ll dry out.”

Took a while for me to break camp and get back on the water. I’ve eaten through three weeks worth of food, so took stock of what I have left. I’ve got enough for two weeks, which is plenty to get me to where I’ll end my paddle – at the Berwick Intracoastal Waterway Boat Launch three miles south of Morgan City. I decided not to go the additional 20 miles below Morgan City through the marsh and wetlands and actually reach the Gulf. That twenty miles is mostly swamp and delta habitat – water and vegetation. And there’s only one place to stop with solid enough ground where I could camp overnight. After three weeks of camping and living outdoors, I think I can forgo the last day or two of paddling through, and camping in, the swamp.

Anyway, got on the water at 9:30 AM. The clouds were indeed beginning to burn off. This being a holiday weekend, I expected barge traffic to be lighter than usual (it was.) What I didn’t expect were how many recreational boaters there would be on the river. As I approached, and then paddled through Natchez, I saw dozens of people in small boats with big motors. Some fishing. Some just out motoring about. Even a half-dozen boatload of college-age kids racing to get to a sandbar upriver of town where it looked like they were setting up for a party or something. Labor Day weekend. The last weekend of the summer. You got to love it.

I hadn’t intended to go much further that Natchez when I started out today. Just far enough below the city so the noise and lights wouldn’t interfere with my sleep. As it turned out, I actually went quite a ways beyond. I’m now just forty-six miles (two days) away from the Old River Lock and Dam. Two more days of big water and big barges. Then it’s through the six-mile mile long canal to the Atchafalaya. 125 miles later (5 days) and I’m done. And I’m a bit anxious to finish. I need a shower, clean clothes (I been wearing the same shirt, shorts, and underwear for three weeks), and a soft bed.

N.B. After setting up camp, I took a close look at my flip phone. The hot sun dried it mostly out (there’s still a bit moisture under the screen, though). But apparently the water had caused the battery pack to balloon beyond it’s normal size. So I think the battery is pretty much toast. I also took a look at my camera. There’s considerable moisture inside the lens and beneath the view screen. I didn’t set it out in the sun today as I did with my phone, though. Will do that tomorrow. The camera is over 20 years old, so maybe it’s internal circuitry and sensors won’t be as sensitive to water as modern cameras. I don’t know. All I know is that it would be nice to have a camera and share my trip down the Atchafalaya through the largest river swamp in North America with you.