New Orleans Boating??
 

Thinking about a job offer in New Orleans, what's the boating like down there? Are there any nice sand bars or beaches to get to by boat.

Don't know much about the area, any help would be appreciated.

Its a blast, lots of water and lots of poker runs in the surrounding areas with big get togethers as well. I live in Lake Charles La (3 hours away) and we have a good size group that does not need much of a reason to make the drive. You will meet some of the best people around but as far as sand bars/ beaches im not too sure on that but there is plenty of hang out spots and bars and night clubs on the water and several you can only access by water.... when people in that area want to hit a real sand bar beach they get big groups together and make a 2.5 hour or so haul to Destin Fl. to Crab Island for some of the best beach / sandbars around.
have a look as this website for lots of pics and get an idea of what we get into in La.
http://http://www.gcoffshore.com/ Gulf Coast Offshore

If you do make the move....You will not be bored

Joe ......

From Port Isabel Texas to Key West Florida, nothing beats living and boating in the US gulf coast states. We enjoy the most awesome weather than anywhere else except for perhaps San Diego or the state of Hawaii.
Trust me on this, all of the entire southern Louisiana ROCKS bigtime.
You can't go wrong with a relocation like this. Just watch where your looking for a place if you want to be in the city, I personally suggest the suburbs like Slidell where my wife's sister lives on Lake Pontchartrain. In addition to the beautiful beaches in Florida, there are also some awesome beaches right next door in Mississippi too
Good luck on your relo.

See ya,
Kelly

lots of boating water, pretty good # of places to stop and hang out, and of course the best people/hospitality you can find IMO :whistle: as far as sand bars, tchefuncta river had an exposed white sand bar at one time but a storm a few years ago took it out. Its still there just about 2-4' deep now. We all hang out at tickfaw "sand bar" and "blind river/Amitie river "sand bar" but not what i think you're talking about but a it's a good time and place to drop anchor and socialize. Also a place over at the old Ponchartrain beach were those crazy azz NOLA people hang out at LOL. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all in the boating around here!! check out the site listed above and there is a small forum some of us hang out on (http://www.bayouboaters.com/forum/) go to face book and look up blind river bar, blood river landing, SunBuns, Prop Stop. lots more that's just the ones of the top of my head.

Cool, sounds like there is plenty to do, which I figured. I have buddy I worked with that moved down there and his boss is hiring again. It has relocation budgeting which makes it even more desireable, all I get to do is get the boss on board. Boating here in OH is ok but when summer comes we ignore a lot of everything else to get the most of it which sucks. Our local lake is sort just a puddle to cool off in and we are 2 hours from Lake Erie. We have a lot more fun up there but its starting to be a hassle towing back in and forth, and not sure I'm ready to leave it up there.

I've been going backwards with my current employer and this probably the best chance I got going forward. I just wish I can my lady on board with me it would make the decision a whole lot easier.

What does everyone do when a hurricane or tropical storm rolls into down? Other then Slidell what are other areas that are descent, with good schools, and close to a ramp? How far up river do you need to be to get out of salt or should I invest in a new trailer?

I'm up the tickfaw river off Lake Maurepas north of the hwy 22 bridge.(goggle earth that) The tide does affect my place a little but its fresh water unless we get an Isaac LOL. Slidell is what I'd call salt/brackish. you'll have to get one of those guys to let you know about that area. for hurricanes, first you :pray: it goes somewhere else then buy a generator/get it ready, lots of fuel for it and of course a ton of booze:drink: at least we know its coming unlike tornadoes and earthquakes :lolhit:

Is that 2.5hrs by tow or by water?

+1 on Slidell, we normally pull 40 min to gulfport and head due south by boat for 14 miles to hit ship island! Schools are good, mine are small but my lil boy in 1st is in public school! Any other parish (county) around here and you have to do private!! Slidell and Mandeville/madisonville are all good and on northshore of lake!!

I'm sure that's towing the boat east on I-10

In addition to Slidell, Hammond, Covington, and Mandeville are good options to being near the city but Hammond would be a long haul for a daily commute to work. The other 3 are an easy commuting distance.

Keep us posted on the possible relocation.
You will find southern hospitality to be awesome for sure.
There are lots of great folks on the Gulf Coast.

See ya,
Kelly

Holy Hell... I ment to put 3.5 hours not 2.5, anyways that was towing

Up at on Lake Erie you can only get to Put in Bay by boat. It has bars, hotels, winerys and all kinds of cool stuff to do. Is there anything around New Orleans like that, only accessible by boat or ferry?

They have bars off of lake maurepas that are only accessible by boat. Prop stop and blind river bar are 2 of the more popular ones. I live right next to new Orleans (10 minutes away) and I can tell u there is never a shortage of boating or good food, easily 8 or more months of boating a year. They have sand bars in the lakes here, just have to learn Where they are, shallow enough to anchor and Hang out. Like mentioned before, plenty of poker runs every year, and a couple hour drive to crab island in destin which is always a good time.

Do you guys winterize at all? What's it like temp wise around Dec Jan Feb?

no winterizing for me....just flush, drain holding tank and faucets and put a light in the bilge under each engine if it get real cold, which only happens every few winters.

boating does die down a bit come LSU football season. other than that its a damn good time.

Winter starts around mid December and ends about mid March....give or take a few weeks. Thats when you do updates , rebuilds and upgrades anyways. Today it is 86 and sunny and this weekend there will be lots of boating going on.

Oh and I'm going to go on record and say some of the finest women around just incase this question was going to come up .... If your mind is still not made up we are just not going to be able to convince you anyways.

I have a nice prop stop bikini slide show but its too large to post. If i email it can someone shrink and post on here?

I have an interview today for the job, I'm nervouse as heck, its a big move and a bunch more responibility. Hope all goes well, I will keep you all informed. Thanks for all the info, the last couple weeks have been fun looking at places to stay, buy and/or rent.

BTW I can't seem to find the prop stop on a map anywhere??

http://www.facebook.com/#!/PropStop?fref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bli...982786?fref=ts

Just had the interview a couple of hours ago, it seemed to go pretty well. I should hope to here something within the week. The position is right in New Orleans but could be located somewhere on west bank, kenner, or metaire. Slidell is on the other side of the city, what are some descent place to live on the west/north west part of New Orleans.

Take the causeway across the lake and check around Covington, Madisonville, and Mandeville. The northshore is a great place to be and you'll have great access to I-10 off of I-12 to go either towards Baton Rouge or Bay St Louis and Gulfport.
My wife's family is all over southern Louisiana and Mississippi, it's just like living in SE Texas except that they've got better duck hunting and fishing, which if your into them check out Houma on HWY90. Her late grandparents were there forever, it's the best of the best for an outdoorsman, but it'll be a longer commute to town.

See ya,
Kelly

Out of the 3 you listed most would probably suggest Metairie. But like anywhere there are good areas and bad ones almost anywhere u go. Some of us locals would be able to guide you in the right direction if you make the move. And if you're interested in living in Slidell, it's only about a 30 minute drive to downtown if that.

My commute now is between 26 to 29 miles depending on what route I go, it use to be and may change back to 29 to 31. I'd like to keep my commute the same if not less. So if I'm around the downtownish area how far to does that put my options?

If your in the downtown area Slidell would be the closest
and if your in the Kenner/Metairie area Mandeville, Madisonville, and Covington would be.
As I suggested in the 1st reply and Brett just did, if you want to be in the city area (this is Kenner, Harahan, Metairie, New Orleans, Chalmette hook up with a local OSO resident for the best areas within them.
25 years ago my same sister in law moved to live on the north side of the Mississippi river near Huey Long bridge before she moved to the lake, it had changed quite a bit in the caliber of the area by the time she moved to Slidell.
I don't remember the town as it all looked like city but I think it was Jefferson or Harahan.

Good luck with getting the new position.

See ya,
Kelly

If you work in downtown new Orleans all of the areas you listed would be within your usual 31 mile commute. It's not a widespread city, everything is relatively close to downtown with the exception of going north of the lake (mandeville, Covington, madisonville and Slidell) however, Slidell is only a 30 or so minute drive from downtown and it's all interstate so it's not too bad of a commute. The other north shore areas are going to be a little bit longer. The reason is there are 2 different ways to access the north shore from the city, Slidell is one way and the other 3 north shore areas you would be taking the causeway which is a bridge that is 24 miles long once u get on it. For reference, you would have to drive through Metairie to get on the causeway so add a minimum of 24+ miles each way to your commute if u decided to move to the north shore (mandeville, Covington or madisonville). As far as neighborhoods go, that all depends on your budget.

I thought that if his perspective employer places him in an office in Kenner or Metaire it would be closer to Mandeville than to Slidell but I may be mistaken.
When we come to Slidell from Texas we come through Covington on 12, it's a quick trip into Slidell. When we go to New Orleans from Slidell for a football game or to the Quarter we come 10 across the twin span. Last time I crossed it last year
it was awesome compared to the reconstruction years.
Of all y'alls towns around the city, Slidell and Houma are my favorites.

If he gets the position I'm certain he'll love a Gulf Coast winter, LOL!!!
And as for hurricanes, he'll deal with it like everyone does.
Poor Kathy is still jacking with their place after Isaac. You know it seems like Katrina was just yesterday and it's been 7 or 8 years since then.

See ya,
Kelly

Thanks for the help guys, first thing first, I have to get offered the postion, then probably look for something temp close to work until I can find my way around the city and figure out the best place to live in relationship to boating and work. My buddy that already made the move might have a place for me to crash for a few weeks unless the whole family comes then I'll have to find something more permanent real fast. My biggest challenge will be selling my house back home or renting it out, that will also determine my budget for a new crib.

As for boating, should I be looking for a new trailer or are there places to launch that are fresh water. I guess if I had to I could have a marina drop my boat in with a sling but that would probably get expensive over time.

it will depend on where you relocate to with your boat...if you make it over to the north shore (madisonville) you won't have to worry about you trailer you'll be launching in fresh water fir the most part...but if you stay in the city Metarie/Kenner you'll be dropping your boat in brackish water.

Is Brackish just a mixture of salt and fresh water. Any good or bad with it.

Brackish is just a mix of salt and fresh, nowhere u launch will be extremely salty as if you were launching on the coast somewhere. And no matter where you move, you should be no further than 15 minutes from water. You won't find many launches that have a boat hoist, some do but most are back down launches.

And if you do end up on the northshore they have a place called Nunmaker yachts or nunmaker marina if I'm not mistaken where you could store your boat and they'll have it ready for u when u get there whenever you want.

I would love to find a place on the water with a dock, maybe a condo or a house on a canal. If I went that route I'd definetly want a lift, just don't like the idea of leaving the boat in long term.

Well they have many areas that would have properties like that but you would have the most luck finding one like you mentioned in Slidell. Slidell has a large number of canals that run directly off of lake ponchatrain with plenty of neighborhoods that would have a canal in your back yard with a boat dock

I got a inside word that the position is now in Kenner. What is flood insurance running down there. I can't imagine it being cheap. Do you need to carry flood insurance if you buy a condo or that the associations job?.

Insurance depends on the flood elevation of the home so it's not necessarily a general price range for any specific area. Your house could be twice as much as the one next to you. Personally I pay $600-650 a year for $200,000 structural coverage and $100,000 on contents and my house had 10ft of water when hurricane Katrina hit. As far as a condo I really wouldn't be able to say either way. Someone else may be able to help you with that one

You won't find much as far as waterfront homes on the south shore (Kenner, Metairie, new Orleans) like you would in Slidell or mandeville. They do have some condo buildings on the lakefront but they don't have many so they are probably priced high. If you choose to live on the south shore you may have to settle for a normal house and trailer the boat wherever you want to go. Main reason being the south shore is protected by levee systems where most of the north shore isn't

That doesn't seem all that bad for a 200k home. My buddy in St Pete made it seem like he was paying something like 300 a month for flood insuranse and his house is only 140k. Beats me, I'll just worry about it if I get the job. At least now I know where to look and who to ask.

Thanks.

No problem

I did not read all of the posts in this thread so this may have been mentioned. Look into the boat houses on the lake front. No yard and not very large but they can be nice, and you may be able to find one at a fair price. The down fall is they are in Orleans parish, and the bottom floor is almost guaranteed to flood at some point. Most of them are built in a way that it doesn't matter much if it does flood, just hose it out and move on.
If you are a looking to keep your boat behind your house it is one of the only places I know on the south side of the lake that you can do so.

Well I didn't get the job. Apparently someone who was on the fence of taking it or not taking the job decided to take it, and that would have been his first choice to begin with. Kind of upset about it, but what can you do. I start a new job anyway in 2 weeks, same company just different work and different location. Best of all, no forced OT, that means all I have to do is work my 40hrs a week and I'm done. It will be a nice change of pace for awhile and nice to know that I can actualy plan a life around my work, which means getting to the lake at a def time.

Thanks for all the help, I'm going to keep looking in the New Orleans area and Florida areas where I have friends and family. I hope to get to the southern boating scenera some day.