I woke up early again this morning. I decided it was a good morning to make cinnamon buns.  We were going to take the diesel cans in and fill them up for which might be our last  town stop till New Orleans.  As daylight approached Bryce, went out and pumped up the dinghy and put the motor on her. I went up to the bow and gathered the cans. On Active Captain, a concrete boat launch was listed. I was excited to get out for the walk. We passed another boat launch in between two work areas for barges and noticed it was a dirt launch.  There were a number of pickup trucks and trailers parked there.  We wonder why they are using the dirt launch and not the concrete one. Well, we made it to the ramp and I put together the wagon and loaded the cans while Bryce secured the dinghy.

This is the nice ramp. See the green hill with the vents?

We noticed the chemical dock next to us. As we started to walk, we approached the road and it looked like a garbage dump with those pipes sticking out of the ground. It was a real remote area kind of spooky. Bryce asked me if my eyes were looking for alligators. Goose bumps and chills ran through my veins! Of course I am. My tone was calm. The road seemed odd it twisted a bit and ran next to a train track too. Finally We came to the road we needed to turn on. Crap!!! we both stood there and looked at each other for a minute and the only thing we could do was to laugh. Get this!! We were fenced in a locked gate! Bryce said “No, wonder those guys were launching there boats at the gravel ramp.” We had walked already a 1/2 mile now we had to walk back. Bryce pulled out his phone and googled the gas station from the other spot. It was going to be a tad bit longer of a walk but I knew we could do it.

This is the chemical dock next to the ramp.

We landed the dingy at the dirt ramp.  Once again we put together the wagon and cans Bryce secured the dinghy and off we went… Well nothing is that easy is it? As we reached the top of the steep ramp I think at first my eyes popped out of there socket. Crap… What has he gotten us into now. It was another remote area with had the view of a gravel pit to it. Tows bring there gravel and stones here and Semi come in and load up and takes some other stuff away. We walked and walked up and around yet another rail road track. We passed another holding area of all kinds of gravel and some type of refinery.

You know the stuff drywall is made of white powdery crap….it was drifting as it was being loaded into  a truck. It might have added a bit more white to our hair…LOL  This truck was just loaded with gypsum we think. The driver is connected to the pulley and is climbing on top to open the loading hatches.

Okay we ended up walking nearing 2.5 miles to the gas station and 2.5 miles back. Bryce wanted extra diesel so we started to walk for the second round.  As we were walking down the well traveled double lane road about 1/4 mile from the gas station, a white pick up truck pulled off the road and moved slowly towards us.  The powered window slowly went down.. When a guy with a smile asked us if something was wrong. He had noticed we were pulling the wagon and cans. Bryce explained to him that we were there by sailboat and we needed fuel. After hearing our story the Sothern gentleman drove us rest of the way to the gas station then back to the boat ramp.  He had been out deer hunting and was headed home.

His name and our Hero for the day is Brian LeBlanc out of Napoleonville, LA. Our heart and gratitude goes out to you. Thank you Brian.

Finally It’s near 2:00p.m. we wanted to get the anchors up and get moving. We were anchored about 600 feet from a coal unloader dock And they apparently brought back the ashes from the plant to be loaded on a second set of barges.  The ash loader was putting out a black dust and of course the wind was blowing in the direction of the boat.  We didn’t realize it until we were pulling up the anchor.  Bryce was leaving black foot prints as he walked on deck. By the time we were unanchored both our feet had to be clean.

It did turn to to be an amazing day. Especially as we drove through Baton Rough. It reminded us of driving through Detroit MI.  In Detroit we get many freighters.  Unlike in the south with tows, in Lake St Clair we have lots more pleasure boats.  Maybe that is why The congestion of tows,barges and freighters don’t bother us. 

The down town of Baton Rouge.

I am not sure if you can see it or not but it says Baton Rough in Red letters

This was a Military vessel we wanted to explore but had no way into Baton Rouge.  We thought about renting a car, but no real place to keep the car.

More and more and more bridges; over 150 feet at this time.

This is called a special anchorage.  Supposedly we are suppose to anchor in these areas along with freighters.

Here is another special anchorage they expect us to anchor in.  Noticed the anchored freighter.  The anchorage is between the shore and the port side of this freighter.   If you look closely, you might notice this huge tow with 40 barges plowing through the anchorage.  It seems this anchorage is a short cut for these tows.  How would you like to be a relatively tiny sailboat anchored in this anchorage?

As always thank you all for following us!