New Orleans for the Weekend

In the Mississippi Sound over 75 shrimp boats with nets up went slowly around in a big circle with radio silence at a chart location showing multiple wrecks. A shrimper burial at sea ?

New Flood Gates on the Intercoastal Waterway coming into New Orleans that were not present when the Muriel June departed in 2009.

We have seen many “new’ looking shrimp boats. Could these be beneficiaries of the BP $20 billion oil spill recovery fund?

New Orleans and Houston bound

Three years ago this weekend we came through New Orleans on our way east to start the Great Loop. We are now back and heading west to Houston.    Three years ago, New Orleans was still recovering from Katrina.  Today there is much vibrance: a new dike and water lift system, a port that is greatly revived, new docks in the marinas, and even new boats for the shrimpers. 

Today the crossing of Mississippi Sound went smoothly as we were ushered across by pod after pod of dolphins.  About half way across we passed a collection of about 75 shrimp boats all with their net poles in the air and circling around the marks of old wrecks.  We are speculating this might have been a burial at sea for a favorite shrimper.  We also passed the NASA rocket facility that is inside the new floodgates. 

Here at Seabrook Marina, we will be greeted by the Killions tonight!  They stayed with us for the month after Katrina and it will be great to see them again!  Our next challenge will be getting through the locks on the east and west sides of the Mississippi.