Into the Bayou

I stopped and anchored here about 3:30. Haven’t seen another boat since.

Was up at 0630 and shortly after went through the lock with some commercial traffic. This lock lowers about 20 feet from the Mississippi River to meet the Red River which becomes the Atchafalaya.

Shortly after that I stopped and had a chat with a guy who had kayaked down from the Illinois River. I’d heard he was ahead of me.

He said the snow earlier had been a mixed blessing. He lost a couple of travel days but gained a bunch of drinking water from melting snow over the campfire :-). Hearty guy.

The Atchafalayah is just starting to broaden out here, and there are a few different routes. I’ve begun to see permanent homes along the river bank – the big protective dikes are gone.