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Another Near Perfect Sailing Day

tfrere

tfrere

Thomas McNulty
Kathleen and I went out for an afternoon on Lake Pontchartrain. The winds were out of the NE at ~15 knots with gusts in the low 20s. Usually I sail with both the genny and main but when the wind is strong sometimes just the genny. Today, I decided to raise the main and leave the genny rolled on the furler. With the main alone we were doing 4 - 4-1/2 knots. Temperatures were in the mid 60s. Very nice indeed.
 
Tommy
How would you get from the Lake to the Gulf when your ready to sail off into the sunset?

Jim
 
Southeast through the Rigolets into the Mississippi Sound. I could be in the gulf in less than a day.
 
Tommy
The Rigolets, is that a canal with locks? The lake is fresh water, correct? Is that protected from the salt water in any way. Or does the flow of the Mississippi keep the salt water out?

Jim
 
Jim,
The lake is considered brackish. Where my boat is docked is fresh. Take a look at the photos below. The first shows the Rigolets between Lake Pontchartrain and what appears on the map to be Lake Borgne. The second photo is a zoom out of the first. You can see the Gulf of Mexico.
image.png
image.png
 
By the way, the Mississippi River is south of the lake and dumps into the gulf SE of NOLA.

No locks on the Rigolets but several bridges.
 
The lowest non opening bridge is 65'. All the others open. It's been a while since I have been out of the lake but I think there are 3 bridges that need to open for our boats.
 
Tommy
OK, I see how you would come and go from the Lake. You never have to enter the Mississippi River at all?

Jim
 
That's right. Unless you have a mast taller than 65' there is no need to enter the raging Mississippi River.
 
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