Right to the very end!

Flying from South La Fourche airfield, Galliano, Louisiana.

My little ultralight with it's two-stroke engine and limited range,

wasn't adequate to fly over all the alligator swamp to get to the river's mouth,

So friend Joe offered to fly his Zenith 701 down here and take me.

that's the perfect aircraft and pilot for such a flight,

good visibility, excellent slow flying ability,

and the ability to ditch onto a short beach if necessary.

This is the route we took.

All that green is really swamp, with no firm ground at all.

Along some of the way there are narrow beaches that could be used for an outlanding.

(It's noteworthy that the details of the drilling rigs off Port Fouchon are blanked out. by Google...)

 Out over the swampy delta.

 The long toll bridge to Port Fourchon and Grand Isle

 Port Fouchon, serving the offshore drilling rigs.

The final bridge to Grand Isle,
a popular holiday and fishing retreat.


Trying to protect the beaches from erosion....


The remains of Fort Livingston on Grand Terre Island
Early in the 19th century this island was home base to the pirate Jean Lafitte.
In 1814 the US government pushed the pirates off,
and planned to build a coastal defense fort,
but the Civil War interrupted the construction, and it was never finished.


There are beaches on the barrier islands and we were tempted to land just for fun,
but caution prevailed....

Lots of oil and gas has come out of this swamp

And tracks of old oil activity are everywhere....


Just like a freeway in the swamp.....


 Lots of basic fishing camps in the swamp


But this one has a mowed lawn and American flag flying!

 The main river channel, which ocean going ships can access far upstream.

 Finally the ultimate mouth of the mighty Mississippi River!
The river has three main outlets,
this is the Southwest Pass.


So this is the end of my trip down the  Mississippi River.........
Now let's remember the beginning....,