[Bob Reynolds]

Rather than get on another "Gustav" thread, I decided to start a new one. I am on the Lower right now, and we have been running from Alliance, LA (mile 63, some 30 miles below NOLA) up to Chalmette, LA. Coincidentally, we have been without internet service for a week, not related to the storm, so I have been unable to post until today when our service was restored by remote control due to the wizardry of our tech support person in Vicksburg.

On Saturday Aug. 30th, we high-tailed it out of New Orleans to get away from Gustav. We decided to go up toward Baton Rouge, thinking we would escape the worst of Gustav's wrath. When we got to Plaquemine, LA (mile 212), we decided we had gone far enough and caught the only tree we could find. Gustav came ashore Monday, and by 2:00 pm Monday we had sustained winds of 80 mph with gusts to 101 mph and 6-foot seas in the Mississippi. The wind blew out one of our pilothouse windows (no injuries), but otherwise we came through fine.

We got underway downbound last night, and I was saddened and surprised to see the Steamer LUNGA POINT, a former DPC towboat, sunk and washed up on the bank at Plaquemine. The LUNGA POINT had been used for years at Baton Rouge to provide steam for a barge cleaning operation, and a few years ago was moved to a fleet office opposite Plaquemine as an office barge. I doubt the boat will be used again. There were also a number of barges, loaded and empty, washed up on the bank at 81 Mile Point above Donaldsonville, LA -- I mean high and dry. Fortunately, as Judy posted elsewhere, the Str. NATCHEZ was safely tucked up behind Bayou Goula Towhead and looked to be fine when I passed there about 7:00 last night.

All in all, an experience I do not care to repeat.