Page 176 - Louisiana Loop (manuscript Edition)

Two days of fair weather (or so they said) today was the day to go from my island camp and get to Donalsonville camp
to wait for fair weather or at best spring to return and warm weather. Over the levee it was 82, on the river barely 60’s.
My John Boat companion I promised a night in the tent still wanted me to stay and camp with him as we had spent the
night protecting our boats, my kayak and his john boat, from rising river and barges using both sides of the island. I told
him I had to take the Wind breaks when they were offered and this was due to be a calm all night with a 8 to 10 mph
daytime for at least a day and half. And I had 18 paddle miles to go. Not hard, but not yet fully paddle ready to what I
called my standards of reserves and burst of speeds. LDP sure, reserves?limited but improving everyday on the River.
The Fog set in as I started. That fast I knew my plans were correct and with river current I needed to be across the east
side passage to the east shore because north bound traffic would pull to the mouth, pivot, then proceed northward. AND I
WAS DEAD CENTER WHEN THE FOG HIT, just like it had everyday this week so no real surprise. Fog muffles noise.
Ocean Trawlers and enormous vessels are often silent in the water using current and tide and engine noise is minimal.
Towboats and Tugs depending on load are loud most often and can be heard before seen. As I suspected though with my
early start in this section of the Mississippi River, a Towboat traveling solo without barges stirred air off my starboard
bow as I veered sharper to a direct line pointed toward shore though current was pushing broadside. There was obviously
not enough angle left to use the current and shore line was close even though he too was closer to shore side than
channel. He had no idea I was there, I was hardly able to see more than a stir and he was just turning into the upriver
current when his first tell tale sound was a give away.

We passed with spare room, but a direct line was the deciding factor. The angle I was on would have precipitated and
last minute maneuver common to kayaks on my part and we still would have missed each other but by feet and not yards.

Rounding the bend I was thankful there was no wind as the next two vessels I saw in the water were ocean trawlers
heading upstream and I still had to cross over to Westside Right Down River side according to my plotted course and
habit of avoiding boat traffic by shore hugging, a common kayakers safety net. In fog I had no plans to try at all, but a
promontory on the east side, a slight narrowing of the river before the bend, and if the fog cleared an unobstructed mile
or more view was where I had determined to make my cross over.
Noting log drift and speed shifts, I could tell the added water volume in River rising was making the current stronger and
I had already been thru here before and recalled the same strong current though last time I had paddled thru all night
instead of day. As the fog lifted to an ever increasing warm gentle breeze I floated and watched the water a few minutes
while observing down and upriver traffic and just over a mile or two out I saw a tow with a barge and to practice patience
again at this level by waiting. Sure the cross over in front was doable at this distance but I had decided till I was 100% I
would be a 1000% careful. So I waited floating and practicing what the old timers told me was reading the river by
observing all the clues on the surface and since kayaks deal with the top 2 inches of water predominantly, reading the
river was mandatory for safe trips.

Once the Tow passed with barges looking east and west which was up and down river at this stage being clear I paddled
out and let the current angle me across the main river channel to the other side just as it seemed the weather went cold
again with some minor fog retuning.

Current along the shoreline was brisk and soon I was heading towards an anchored ocean vessel that seemed to be at or
near the beginning of a long bend I would be making and watching the full size logs drifting fast out to the challe side of
the vessel I decided to let float the kayak to that side for pics and to use the time to check maps and GPS.

Once passing the vessel though I was far from shore and paddling back in took some effort just as the absent wind
suddenly gusted up into teens and twenties. Sun busted out of clouds and I became hot quickly paddling hard for shore
that had now become father away then I wanted.

With the increasing wind I decided a stop was in order and continued paddling hard to get to the shore line and traverse it
to a secluded spot that the bank over 5ft higher provided wind cover till I could land at an unlikely low point and rest. It
was a finger of land, covered with sticker plants, but with a blanket covering made a temp dock and land to sit on.