Day 101 Mississippi River
I was able to get on the water early this morning. The goal was to make a big push toward salt water in hopes of setting myself up to reach the Gulf tomorrow night.
It was a calm and sunny day in southern Louisiana, the first day of December. Traffic has significantly slowed at this point of the river. Large freighters and cargo ships still cruise by fairly regularly, but for the first time since Baton Rouge I was able to experience calmness. No stress caused by boat traffic in the "bee colonies" of the busy ports. Just me paddling a massive river, trees on either side, and a few boats cruising by now and again.
At 10:30 I made a pit stop to refill water and food. DJ's one stop, a small convince store in Ponite à la Hache, LA. This should be the last supply run before reaching the Gulf.
After a short longboard ride to and from DJ's I was back on the water and feeling great. Sun shining, no wind and salt water on the mind.
Once again today I got some love from passerbyers. A fellow on a cargo ship stepped out from the cockpit and gave me a big two arm wave. Later in the day a car drove by on shore, with multiple people leaning out and yelling/cheering me on.
Around 4pm I noticed a thick layer of fog off in the distance. As I approached everything in the area disappeared. Not wanting to have a run in with a cargo ship I headed towards shore. As I was closing in the low, bone chilling bass of a large vessels horn pierced through the fog. I now know why they call it a fog horn. With visibility around 10 feet I hurried to the bank and quickly unloaded the boat. I was upset to be forced off the river early, as I was trying my best to make every mile possible in hopes of shorting the day tomorrow, yet I understood that it was out of my control. I couldn't paddle through the ocean fog without risking a close encounter with a big, big ship.
A big day tomorrow would put me to the ocean. 42 miles. Let's get it.