New Orleans Question

[jlgab345]

Hello!

We are moving to New Orleans, LA in the near future. We bought our first boat this summer and LOVE spending the weekends on the lake.

A couple questions for locals -

Will we need to winterize our boat down there?

What is the typical timeframe of available usage, I'd imagine the season is extended?

Can I expect to be scared of alligators in every body of water there?

Are there plenty of spots for skiing/tubing/kneeboarding in the New Orleans/Mandeville area?

Any advice anyone wants to add would be much appreciated, we haven't seen the area yet and don't know where we'll live. We have school aged kids, so schools will be important and we don't necessarily want to do private schools.

Thanks!!!

 

[RoryDominick]

Re: New Orleans Question

Hi I'm from Lacombe, La in St. Tammany parish which is north of Lake Pontchatrain. If you like water activities, you'll love it here cause theres ton of water. Cant go anywhere without crossing a bridge over water. Wel to answer your questions
1: It only gets cold in spurts and a very short winter. So even if its to cold to get in the water, theres still plenty good fishing and usually a warmer day isnt to far away.
2: If you wanna get in the water, April-November(at times)
3: While there are a number of alligators in some water ways, an attack is extremely rare. The only one I know of, was in a completly closed pond. Bayous and rivers are very safe.
4: YES, Mandeville and all of the Northshore are very nice. Planty of good water ways for water sports.

For best schools, I'd stick to St. Tammany Parish where Mandeville is located or St. Charles Parish which is south-west of New Orleans.
I am personnally fond of the Northshore and St. Tammany Parish. I live very near Mandeville and commute to New Orleans for work, its about a 45min commute.
Hope this helps! Anything else you would like to know, just ask!!

 

[45Auto]

Re: New Orleans Question

I live in Slidell, about 20 miles east of New Orleans. I help out with the Mandeville High School robotics team and have lots of friends over there.

Will we need to winterize our boat down there?

Most people that I know don't, although there are usually a couple of hard freezes every year. I do, since it literally takes 2 minutes with the single point drain, I like my motor, and have no use for the cold anyway!

What is the typical timeframe of available usage, I'd imagine the season is extended?

Lots of people go year round. All we do is hang out and watersports, so it's warm enough for me to go anytime from about April through November. The Madisonville Wooden Boat festival is the end of October, it's usually pretty nice. If you go to last year's Quick-n-Dirty boat building page, (http://www.woodenboatfest.org/events/events_qnd.php) you can see me on the left side of the picture standing on the back of my red and white boat watching, in the dungarees and gray t-shirt.

December through March we'll usually get some occasional weather in the 70's or low 80's which is barely warm enough for me to cruise around!

Can I expect to be scared of alligators in every body of water there?

We enjoy cruising around looking for them, but have never had any concerns about being bothered by them. You can usually see one or two, but in the 23 years I've been here I've never heard of them messing with anyone. A kid lost his arm to a big one in a pond several years ago, but it was because he went after it!

Are there plenty of spots for skiing/tubing/kneeboarding in the New Orleans/Mandeville area?

The Tchefuncte river in Madisonville (5 minutes from Mandeville, where the Wooden Boat festival takes place) is VERY popular, but it's too crowded for me. You always have the lake which is usually great for tubing, but usually a little rough for skiing/kneeboarding/wakeboarding. Best for that is the East Pearl river on the opposite side of Slidell (Louisiana/Mississippi border), which is awesome for watersports (wide, long, smooth, usually not another boat in sight), probably about 35 minutes from Mandeville.

PM me when you're coming down, maybe we'll see you on the lake!

Edit: LOL, pretty amazing, everything I said actually agreed with RoryDominick and we were posting at the same time!!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: New Orleans Question

Hello!
Can I expect to be scared of alligators in every body of water there?

Thanks!!!

Ever watch the show Swamp People??!!

 

[RoryDominick]

Re: New Orleans Question

Hey 45auto yall ever go out to bikini beach on the pearl?

 

[45Auto]

Re: New Orleans Question

Hey 45auto yall ever go out to bikini beach on the pearl?

Always cruise by it when we put in at Hwy 90 or Pearlington and we're heading south looking for alligators or dolphins, usually don't stop if it's crowded.

We've been going to Slidell beach lately, just north of Hwy 11 bridge by the fire station on Carr Drive. Usually a dozen or so boats anchored around, water is waist deep for a couple of hundred yards off the beach.

 

[RoryDominick]

Re: New Orleans Question

Yea slidell beach is really nice. I used to go there alot with my Dads boat. My boat now is a 16' bass boat and you know how that lake can get. I still go sometimes when I can catch a nice day. I launch in bayou lacombe by my house and it only takes about 8-10 min to get there. Maybe I'll see you there on the next sat or sun the lake is flat.

 

[45Auto]

Re: New Orleans Question

Sounds good. We usually launch in Bayou Bonfouca, behind the train station in Slidell. Look for the red and white Crownline with the dark windshield.

We were cruising around in Bayou Lacombe a few weeks ago. Lots of nice houses back in there.

 

[jlgab345]

Re: New Orleans Question

Thanks for the tips everyone! I'm sure we'll have plenty of questions when we actually get down there and will be looking for some boating friends!

We are leaving a great circle of friends here so we are hoping to find some down in LA that are just as great. There's nothing like spending the summer on the lake!

 

[BTMCB]

Re: New Orleans Question

Good luck in New Orleans. We lived in Mandeville (Beau Chene) from 1989 - 1996. We used to boat on the Tchefuncta (sp?) and the lake - great fun. You are going to love the people (really is something to "southern hospitality") and the food! Now.... the heat and humidity........not so much. You may be leaving a great group of friends but I can assure you will have a new group of great friends in no time. We have been back in Ca now for 14 years and we still are in touch with the great friends we made in the Big Easy.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: New Orleans Question

Sounds good. We usually launch in Bayou Bonfouca, behind the train station in Slidell. Look for the red and white Crownline with the dark windshield.

We were cruising around in Bayou Lacombe a few weeks ago. Lots of nice houses back in there.

I'm sorry to be off topic for a sec.... but what an awesome boat!

 

[jlgab345]

Re: New Orleans Question

Good luck in New Orleans. We lived in Mandeville (Beau Chene) from 1989 - 1996. We used to boat on the Tchefuncta (sp?) and the lake - great fun. You are going to love the people (really is something to "southern hospitality") and the food! Now.... the heat and humidity........not so much. You may be leaving a great group of friends but I can assure you will have a new group of great friends in no time. We have been back in Ca now for 14 years and we still are in touch with the great friends we made in the Big Easy.

Revitilizing an old post, sorry! Interestingly enough we moved into Beau Chene, too bad you've moved! The sad part is that none seems to come outside so we haven't met many of our neighbors...I hope we have the opportunity to make friends when it's warmer.

I'm starting to get anxious about boating in the summer now that I've seen the Tchefuncte.... Also looking to make some boating friends!

 

[BTMCB]

Re: New Orleans Question

Revitilizing an old post, sorry! Interestingly enough we moved into Beau Chene, too bad you've moved! The sad part is that none seems to come outside so we haven't met many of our neighbors...I hope we have the opportunity to make friends when it's warmer.

I'm starting to get anxious about boating in the summer now that I've seen the Tchefuncte.... Also looking to make some boating friends!

Well, you picked a great place. If you golf, Magnolia and Oak are both great courses. We lived on Maringouin Lane on the 10th tee of Magnolia. Good luck, enjoy the boating on the river and the lake. Are you slipping the boat in the BC marina?