Lake Ponchartrain Sailors

[Idratherbesailing]

Has anyone been into Bayou Lacomb recently with a 5 foot or over keel? I used to take my 5'3" draft Hunter in prior to Katrina, but haven't been in since then. Thinking of a trip overnight in the Bayou...is the restaurant still there with docks?

Thanks for any information, especially on the depth of the entrance bar.

 

[kloudie1]

I was in there in December.. I draw 5' 6". If the lake level is at "0" or above you should be OK.. Hold away from the reds a little .. go slowly. The little place with the best boiled crabs in the world and very cold beer got gone with Katrina. The house and dock is still there but it is now rented for weekends etc.. We've tied up at the dock for overnight when no one was there.. Good Luck.. Have fun!

EDIT: The little place by the bayou mouth was called Glockner's

 

[Idratherbesailing]

Thanks for the information...I'll post if I try this spring.

 

[Sandy Stone]

Now I'm curious - what does lake level "0" refer to? And it is a shame about Glockner's.

 

[kpgraci]

Now I'm curious - what does lake level "0" refer to? And it is a shame about Glockner's.

1/2 way between low and high tide?

I know that on charts bridge clearances are based on Mean High Water, depths are usually Lowest Astronomical Tide, thus giving worst case values for both.

Heck, I draft 27", It all good.

 

[Winkfish]

Now I'm curious - what does lake level "0" refer to? And it is a shame about Glockner's.

If you look at a tide chart (graph), there will be a line running through it at "0". So, per Kloudie, if the tide graph shows that the level is above zero at the time you're going in, you should be OK.

 

[kloudie1]

Yeah.. kinda the "normal" level.. Here is a weather place where ya can get a feel for it..
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/product.php?site=lix&product=OSO&issuedby=LIX
as you know, the wind and rain can have much more effect than our nominal 6" tide range.. Like today, showing +1 on the south shore.. and wind is south.. so ya gonna have plenty water .. rare to have under 0 except when the strong north or especially west-northwest is howling..

 

[Sandy Stone]

Ohhh... I was not aware that NOAA posted water level observations online. Cool! And thanks for the link.

 

[Winkfish]

Here's a chart I use for fishing. There are links to several places in the lake and surrounding areas. It shows the "0" line in relation to the tides.

http://www.freetidetables.com/state/Louisiana/sid/05515928/

 

[ChuckThomas]

is there anyplace within walking distance of the bridge?

 

[kloudie1]

Chuck, it is a little over a mile from the Trace Bridge to the shops/eateries.. If you tie up on the east side of the bridge, note that it will be raised from sunset to sunrise... so if ya go to town, be sure to check with the tender so they don't leave early .. it is a 2.5 mile walk to bypass the bridge. from town to the east side of the bayou. . The bridge opens during the day for boat traffic. There are no public docks.. but you may find enough water close to the boat launch which is the second cut to the left after the bridge.