From this point on in reporting our Mardi Gras journey, I am going to be a little behind. Today is Ash Wednesday and we have left the Mississippi behind. On Sunday we sailed up the river to New Orleans, arriving at around 6:30 in the evening. We have been there since then (until 10:30 last night) and that has been 2.5 days of non-stop craziness. Suffice it to say that I have a ton of stuff to share but because of internet and computer charging glitches, you get the post today about our trip up the river last Sunday.

Just after 10:00 am on Sunday, we started seeing the sea dotted with oil rigs. According to Wikipedia (the source for everything you need to know, right? 😁) there are more than 4,000 of them. We only saw about 400 or so, but it seemed like they were everywhere. As we approached the mouth of the Mississippi, it was getting close to noon.

About that time we saw a very unassuming little stick of land jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico. That was it. The start of (or the end depending on where you are starting from) the river.

For the next six hours or so we would slalom our way up the muddy Mississippi to New Orleans (see the map above) with lots to see on the river as well as on both sides. I think the best thing for me to do is to add the rest of my good river photos (I took about 500) and let you read the captions which will kind of detail our trip.

The river bank is divided up with these jetty-like areas to stop ship wakes from wearing away the banks.

The land area became bigger within a mile of the mouth.

We were told that these are wild cows that escaped during hurricanes and were never rounded up. They survive on brackish water and grass.

The Coast Guard stayed with us for awhile.

Until they got a call and speeded up, passed us and laid on their siren.

This is the look of a great deal of the bank on the lower delta.

Had to capture this bird as it flew by. Pretty sure it’s some kind of ibis but would be happy to be corrected.

Group of boats fighting the current to keep a pipeline in place.

Workers on board waving to us.

Workers onboard waving to me.

Took a break for lunch in Reflection’s alternative seafood restaurant, The Porch. Amazing seafood towers start the meal.

Passed a coal import/export facility. No natural coal mined here, just coal brought in and shipped out.

We got to go out on to Reflection’s helipad on the front of the ship to take pics.

Here comes the city.

We passed the Norwegian Getaway on her way to sea

Closer to the Big Easy.

Passed this paddle wheeler named after NOLA’s best known musician.

Arrived just as the sun set.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Mississippi River and the way of life in these small river towns. —Daniel Woodrell