Day 94 - Bohemia Beach
Day 94: Mile 68 Wills Point → Bohemia Beach
Date: October 10th, 2022
LRM 68 → LRM 44
Distance today: 24 miles
River Time: 9 hours
Local Gauge: 2.5 New Orleans Gauge
Today’s will be a short update, as I am exhausted and require a pillow in my near future.
Today was windy windy. It was somewhere between a crosswind and a headwind, but leaning headwind. The River didn’t have any crazy bends today so I basically had the same wind all day long. These are hurricane winds from Julia. Julia is in Central America and thus nowhere near me, but I’m sure feeling the effects.
I woke up and put on the water right as first light was hitting the sky. It was calm for an hour or two, but that would be the last calm of the day. Around 8 a.m. the winds really began to pick up, and haven’t let up even as I write this. I saw the moon setting behind me as the sun also rose.
Today was the first day on this entire trip that I have not crossed the Mississippi. I woke up on the east bank, and followed it all the way to my next campsite. There was no reason to cross — I was hugging the shore as closely as I could for protection.
One wrench in this plan was that there was a little more industry on this stretch. I was not expecting that, and I became a bit deflated upon rounding the bend and seeing it. There were tons of fleeted barges and loading docks.
I tried to cut on the inside of the fleeted barges, but I wasn’t always able to, as some were sitting on top of the river bank, leaving me no passage. So I was forced to go around some of them and face the wind more directly. It was not my favorite moment. But surely now they must be all behind me?
One interesting thing arose when I was passing behind some barges. As the corridor they created led me all the way to some big industry, I found myself on the inside lane of the big ships being filled up. I was going under the conveyor belts lifting stuff onto these ships. It was odd and I stuck out like a sore thumb. Needless to say, I paddled through these parts as quickly as the wind would allow me!
I was breathing in some stuff that was probably not great for me, especially since lots of it was being kicked up in the wind. However it was still preferable to the full force of the wind.
In the afternoon, I met a fisherman as I took a break. Michael was fishing for ocean fish on the banks of the Mississippi! This is because, due to the low water, saltwater seeps upstream quite a ways. He was looking for redfish, but only caught some sting rays instead. This is one of only two people I’ve seen fishing since New Orleans. It’s very quiet out here.
Soon after, I made it to my campsite at Bohemia Beach. This campsite is seriously like an oasis compared to the other camping options of this stretch. White sand beaches and no quicksand to speak of! There is a pack of wild boars that passed me, maybe 4 to 6. It was the first time I’ve ever seen them! I had to wait all the way until the tail end of the trip I guess.
Those animals are pure muscle and a lot of power — I hope they stay away while sleeping! I only with I could stay here longer, but Joe is arriving in Venice tomorrow to begin paddling the last stretch with me, and I intend to be there to meet him!
Some More Photos from the Day
You’re so close to the end! Glad you have a friend to finish the trip with and celebrate your long and insightful journey. Thanks for bringing us all along with you in the blog!
Amazed at how much industry/ocean traffic at NOLA. Totally clueless. The end is near to the constant winds. Hopefully you will get to spend a few days enjoying NOLA after reaching the Gulf.