New Orleans - Facts

Description:

New Orleans is an important port, both historically and in modern times. The city is famous for its music, culture, nightlife, and Mardi Gras celebrations. It is also one of the most filmed cities in the United States, having been featured in countless movies and television shows. Obviously, English is spoken here, but there is also a special local French Creole dialect still in use here, as is an adherence to certain Caribbean culture influences (food, style, and voodoo). There are tours for almost every possible taste.

It may come as a surprise to first-time cruisers, but New Orleans is some distance inland. It does not actually sit on the Gulf of Mexico, but the city is situated on an area of land between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain. It is possible to dock directly downtown in New Orleans, and cruisers report that doing this is an incredibly enjoyable experience; however, the path to those docks is somewhat long.

There is no reason to use the Mississippi River approach. Though the old town "French Quarter" and many other areas are directly on the Mississippi River, there is practically no facilities for yachts of any size. The commercial port is on the Mississippi River and there is no access to private yachts there.

All marina facilities are on Lake Pontchartrain. Access to the lake is via a northern passage (66ft fixed bridge) and an Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) approach. The ICW approach has a few bridges, but they are either fixed very high (110ft or more) or they open.

Both approaches to Lake Pontchartrain and the New Orleans area begin approximately at the Rigolets Inlet to the east.

Position:  

30° 08.76'N, 89° 37.24'W (Rigolets Inlet)