Farewell to the River...

Before we left New Orleans, it was time to farewell the Mississippi River. We had traced it from near its frozen headwaters in Minnesota down through all the river states to Louisiana, and we got as close to where it spills into the Gulf of Mexico as the road would allow. We had crossed the river in over a dozen locations, as we criss-crossed between the states.

New Orleans' "Monument to the Immigrant"

Our final crossings were on the free pedestrian ferry which runs from the bottom of Canal St over to Algiers, and back, according to some timetable would could not find. This ferry has to contend with strong flows and heavy river traffic. The ferry affords good views back to the city and French Quarter, but there was no need to hang around in Algiers - we came straight back.

Here, the Creole Queen, the pedestrian ferry and an oil tanker manoeuvre around each other.

Railway/trolley lines run along the river side of the French Quarter, and there is a pleasant riverside walk. We sat here on several occasions for some time - there's a lot of traffic to watch on this river. We saw two cruise ships that had arrived undetected (by us).

New Orleans street-cars ply along a riverfront route, with the giant twin-span bridges in the background.

Like many US cities, very long goods trains pass right through or alongside the CBD, this one on the same thoroughfare as the street-cars use.

The Natchez riverboat runs from the French Quarter riverfront, but it was out of action for winter maintenance for the duration of our visit. Instead, we did an evening dinner/jazz cruise on the paddlesteamer Creole Queen which goes several miles downriver, then struggles against the current to return. The city view at night is nice, but it ain't Manhattan! A daytime cruise would be more interesting - the Creole Queen also goes to the Chalmette Battlefield, but we had already been there.

At night, the most distinctive building of the New Orleans skyline as seen from the crescent in the river is the Harrahs Casino.

Maybe the most interesting feature of the riverfront is the flood precautions. There is a continuous levee, but it is interrupted in places to allow service traffic, as well as trains and trolleys. At each interruption, there is a huge sliding lock door which can be closed to keep the water out. It is defences such as this which apparently failed during Katrina. The fact that the river level is higher than the ground in the French Quarter is painfully apparent, just standing on the levee.

All along the riverfront, the levee is supplemented by a sturdy wall to hold back rising tides. Huge sliding gates can be closed when required.