Boat Launch

THE CLOSING OF THE MRGO AND HOW IT RELATES TO
SWEETWATER GUIDE SERVICE



    The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet or MRGO is a wide canal dug from the outer fringes of the Gulf of Mexico through the center portion of the St. Bernard marshland.  Its purpose when built was to enhance and expedite shipping to the Port of New Orleans.  It was a huge failure due to the bottom conditions of the waterway which was sandy and soft.  It would have to be dredged every 2 months and could never maintain the depth it needed to be in order for it to be a success.

  
   Recently we have heard many reports on the MRGO and its closing.  The MRGO was one of the main causes of flooding because of Katrina in Chalmette, New Orleans  East, lower St. Bernard parish and the upper and lower  ninth wards.  Its closing has been greatly anticipated and  welcomed by many watch dog groups and  environmentalists. 

   The MRGO was in many ways  detrimental to the fresh water marsh and habitat.  The  introduction of the salt water into the marsh killed  thousands of Cypress trees and destroyed acres of the  fresh water marsh.  The only good thing about the MRGO was that it allowed easy access through the direct   waterway to the very rich fishing grounds of the Breton   Sound.

 

There are 6 boat launches currently operating in the lower St. Bernard parish area that lead to the Breton Sound:

1.    Breton Sound Marina, Hopedale, LA
2.    Pip’s Boat Launch, Hopedale, LA
3.    Blackie Campo’s Launch, Shell Beach, LA
4.    Reggio Boat Launch, Reggio, LA
5.    Serigne’s Marina, Delacroix, LA
6.    Sweetwater Launch, Delacroix, LA

   Breton Sound is by far the most popular and the biggest with its proximity to the MRGO being ¼ mile away and 17 miles from the mouth of the Breton Sound.  Pip’s is also located in Hopedale but is 3 miles away from the MRGO down Bayou Loutre.  Blackie Campo’s launch located in Shell Beach is only about 150 yards from the MRGO but 5 miles north of Hopedale which means a 24 mile ride to the mouth of the MRGO and the Breton Sound.

    The Closing of the MRGO will profoundly affect these 3 launches.  The MRGO was closed about ½ mile before the Breton Sound Marina roughly 4 weeks ago.  With the closing of the MRGO came the reality to most anglers that they would have to take an alternate route to get to those prime fishing grounds of the Breton Sound.  This means a dangerous back route through much smaller canals, more shallow bays and many more boats to contend with including commercial vessels.  Most anglers will not want to take a chance of possibly running a ground, wrecking their boat, or even worse injuring themselves or a loved one.  They simply will launch somewhere else.

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    The first of the remaining boat launches in lower St. Bernard is the Reggio Launch located approximately 6 miles before Delacroix.  It is located in an area geared toward inside fishing and does not have easy access to the Breton Sound.  The remaining two launches are Serigne’s and Sweetwater which are located in Delacroix on Bayou Terre Au Boeff and have easy access to the Breton Sound fishing grounds. This means access to both inside and outside fishing.

   Serigne’s is located further up the bayou which means a longer ride to these areas.  Sweetwater is located at a prime spot in Delacroix at the intersection of Bayou Gentilly and bayou Terre Au Boeff which is in fact the bayou that you take down to the Breton Sound fishing grounds.  With Sweetwater’s launch having a closer less dangerous route to the Breton Sound means simply more business for us with the closing of the MRGO.