Down the Mississippi at Historic Low Water - Vicksburg to Baton Rouge 

I’m glad I found this channel 13-14 years ago. I’m grateful you have been recording your progress/journey all these years. I haven’t had an opportunity to help in the process, but being able to watch this has made me feel I am somehow a part of it all! From my family and myself all the way in Phoenix AZ, thanks for doing what you’re doing, and bringing us along on this once in a lifetime experience! Look forward to more content and progress in the future!

Holy mother, you're looking emotional there, Doug. I love it. So glad you found your happy!

My dad is a recently retired towboat captain. He spent 35 years on the river. Most of it was from Caro IL to NOLA also known as the lower Mississippi. When he retired he was on tripple screw boat (3 engines). He rountinely had 40 plus barges. He still keeps up with the river conditons, the boat he left is tied up because the water is too low for it. My dad was 3rd generation on the river. His brother is still out there. Stay safe out there, great videos! Its been neat to follow your channel over the years and see the Seeker come together.

Afternoon here Hello Doug and all. Coffee ☕️ made, Perfect timing

I live in Vicksburg and its been crazy to see how low the waters been!

Good morning Doug!

Traveled the route pushing crude oil, from Vicksburg to Buras La for 3 years . Learned how to steer a towboat and got my Pilots license on that section of river. It was fun, low water steering a narrow channel and to taking short cut across bean fields in high water.

I remember when I found your channel, it must have been about 5 or 6 years ago and seeing the progress since then is insane, I’m so happy for you and seeker.

Love the way the wheel house turned out. Looks like a fantastic communal area where everyone can enjoy the view while the boat is underway. Very cool!Safe travels!

No matter where you go there will be always something from Newfoundland and Labrador. So nice to hear that your crew is playing music from my home province. And yes. I am proud to be a Newfoundlander.

I voted for Michael Shellenberger for governor of CA this last election! His book Apocalypse Never was great!

What a coincidence, I saw you guys anchored near the Riverwalk casino in Vicksburg. I rode past you in a boat and snapped a couple of photos

so happy for you doug, ive been watching your vids for YEARs now and i knew no matter what you would see this through to the end

Great captain, great crew, great atmosphere! Dream come true! I salute you Captain Doug and everyone that helped SV Seeker come to life!

I just discovered you. It’s fun seeing the river from your perspective. I am captain of the Jane Merrick. I worked on yachts before tugs. I miss the freedom of cruising.

I lived in Baton Rouge and worked on the river, makes me homesick, I can tell you stories about most of the boats on the river having been on them to repair their RADAR, the funny looking boar was built just after WWII and as smooth and pretty as the superstructure looks, the inside has lots of jagged steel from decades of repairs and renovations, and lots of Bondo. You noticed the Big sea going ships at Baton Rouge, that is as far as they can go up the Mississippi River for reasons. The Huey P Long bridge is the one in New Orleans, I was standing on top of a BIG PUSHBOAT going up river under it when some RR Company's publicity steam locomotive engine was crossing over it while on the phone with the Japanese about the RADAR, very cool moment.

I have built several of the terminals from Baton Rouge to Oswego. You will go by all of them. OMG at 26:07 you pass by the Andy Mckinney which is one of our work barges and tugs. When you down river from the USS Kidd on the West side you will see a very large Grain Elevator rebuilt in 2013. And we are working on it now. Wish I would have been down there when you guys went by.

I live on the Mississippi River and enjoy the videos about river life. The river definitely got low this year. Thank you.

I loved this video. I was born and raised in the Baton Rouge area and currently live abroad. As many days as I spent walking on the levee's, your video gave a unique look at the city, via the river. I had been wanting to see how low the river was there. Thanks so much for posting!

Thank you and keep going everything in the sun is showing up in the Mississippi

Great adventure. My grandparents and I used to live in Grafton, Illinois where the Illinois and Mississippi meet. Loved my time on the river and miss it terribly. I now live in Tucson where I am a bit landlocked. Thanks for awesome ride along with you. Canadian Folk aka Hosers....just kidding.

From Eagle Lake to Grand Gulf is stomping grounds.

The T is silent in Atchafalaya! Good to hear my birth place gave you permission to tie up! 👍👍🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🤘🏻🤘🏻

Pensacola that my next of the woods! Always enjoy your videos.

Just stumbled upon your channel my Father was a boat captain on the Ms River for 30 yrs mostly for Compass Marine and for the 1986 World Fair he was the Capt of the Lagonda who went and got the Space Shuttle

Love the videos, thanks Doug! In aww of the miles, Seeker has traveled! Been watching the videos for years, All that time she was stationary, but now she’s spreading her wings! Good on you Doug, enjoy your time with her!

I am quite enjoying your adventure, thanks for sharing.

Clive Cussler wrote an adventure novel called Flood Tide, what could happen when the sluice system between the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya River would breach. It is an rather amusing story that has its roots in 'it WILL happen because it is inevitable'.

Sailboat ⛵️ sailing on Mississippi River! Mike from Missouri

I really love these videos I'm so fascinated with the mississippi and just watching this voyage I wish the video would never end thank you

Thanks for taking us along on your epic journey!

Just came across this video and it happens to be when you were in Baton Rouge. I’ve lived here all my life and have never seen it from that vantage point (especially during such low water levels). I’m glad that our city and the KIDD was so welcoming to you when you were here.

From somebody who has been what to do from the side of the pond is being brilliant from build it in your backyard to now well done

I've been following you since you "fell" your first steal. What an awesome journey and a happy place it is. Good on you!

congrats on finding your happy becuse watching you makes me happy and the lads own adventure

Thanks for the river tour. I grew up in Baton Rouge, crossed the Vicksburg and Natchez bridges many times, and have been in the New Orleans area for more than 3 decades.

Navy Vet strong. Can't wait till she gets her sails and sails on her own power.😉👍😉👍Buckets of Blue Crab galore❕❕Only in the south❕❕Doug cool thing about any water cooled engine boat you can put a 5 sided sheet metal box covered with BOOM MATS to deaden the sound coming off the engines by half.

One of the best this video. Thanks for all the details, for not being there this is the next best thing.

only 252 miles to go to the ocean great update and please have a great day on the water

2:59 there's a small river piece like that that was intentionally closed and turned into a lake. It's called False River.

Hello all from Siesta Key Florida

Watching you build the boat I used to wonder what it will be like when it is finished and in the water. It’s almost surreal seeing her motor down in the Mississippi, I can’t wait to see her set sail! So awesome how far you guys have come, this is amazing content! Thank you for sharing the journey with us 🙏

Aaiiee!! for Baton` Rouge!!! Makes my Acadian side smile (dad's side peeps from N.O. to Houston) Cheers from the Blue Ridge Plateau.

Great video, loved hearing Whiskey in the Jar. Irish jig music. BTW that was Gaelic Storm! So appropriate.

Years ago in Vicksburg there was an elderly black man walking down a sidewalk on a Friday afternoon. In those days paydays were on Friday cash. Well, these 2 young bucks attempted to roll the old man for his money. He just left them wadded up on the sidewalk. They didn't know his profession. He was the Donkey Engine at the grain elevator down on the waterfront. It was his job to move the grain barge by hand back and forth beneath the grain shoot when a barge was being loaded.

Still amazed thinking about the whole scope of your project, and seeing it coming together, headed for the open ocean, and sailing congrats!

Doug this is a great series of videos in the southern Mississippi part of the has a great story and sense of achievement. There is a lot more interesting stuff to see and talk about.Seeing you happy is wonderful too. The early part seemed more stressful... Cheer Warren

Very informative thanks for sharing 👍

Leuke Serie maak je volg dit al een jaar of zo 👍

Another fantastic video Doug! It is so great to see Seeker on the river, pushing towards the ocean. I bet all the naysayers enjoyed it too :)

I watched you on my AIS receiver as you passed. The coal plant is "Big Cajun, or Cajun 2." It is directly across the river from the "Riverbend" nuclear plant. The tile the river comment is clever. Articulating concrete mats are placed along the river banks to reduce the effects of erosion from the wakes of heavy vessels. Have a safe voyage.

Congrats SV SEEKER on ur adventure down the Miss. lv the water views. happy thanksgiving to all.

Fun to see the USCG Peekaboo. My uncle was stationed on that boat for a couple years...I was down there for a change of command ceremony. Cool that she's still out doing her work.

Got "Life on the Mississippi" by Mark Twain in my audiobook folder but just haven't quite got round to listening to it. Watching this makes me want to finally get around to it.

You guys need to get a data reporting system where each boat that goes by reports the river depth and condition on a continuous basis. That way would be far better than just reading the current and buoys.

@17:20 the dog staring at the barge....through the side of the boat. 🤣 🤣

Wish I had come across your site sooner. We could have gone down to see your vessel. 😁 BTW: The tall building you spotted is the State Capitol building. Also, enjoyed your music, it sounds a lot like our Cajun music. Happy to see you had a pleasant experience in Baton Rouge. Safe travels! ☮️

Just an amazing ride along....stay blessed

The cranes on top of the old river gate live there. The gate is a series of pins that the cranes pull out, to release water. Old school.

Wish I'd been following closer. I'd have loved to have come out and at least shaken your hand and tell you thanks for sharing this from the time you put up the put up the 1st pieces of steel.

Where to next? You got everyone watching so jelly of your trip!

I read a book years ago, "The Headstrong Houseboat", where they went down the Mississippi and on to Florida. I recall going aground to be a constant threat/fear even then.

"operator could you put me on through, got to send my love down to baton rouge" :)

Good to see you again Doug. Getting caught up on my YT videos. Have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving.

The larger "Push Boat" is called a Line Boat and they work a 30 day interval on it. The smaller push boats are Harbor Tugs and they work regular local shifts.

17:40 The mobile home and trailer up on stilts. Cool stuff.

Impressive video wish I was with yaul. Flew 747's 20 years but not on a Pirate Ship. Dang My bucket List.

I really enjoyed watching this

Wouldn’t it be great time to get the kidd’s hull painted. Save fortune on dry dock 🤔🤔

I've been through that lock many a times

Awesome videos keep up the good work.

Irish music used to be sung by The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

Nice video work man.

great on baton rouge! great city members

Love the videos guys. Please keep them coming.

Fun video. I would have come out and said hello. Sean Astrophotographer

You should take the time to go in to lake Pontchartrain. Madisonville is a really cool little port. Then they have West end on the New Orleans side. Yacht club and racers.

What a great adventure!

I love what you are about. Lots of good insights. Your channel is the only one I purchased stuff from. Please make or get a microphone windsock.

Great content and loving the ride along. Please invest in better mics when doing outside interviews! Great info about the Kidd but could not hear a lot of it.

Go Newfies!!! Proud Grandson of a Newfie Fisherman.

WeLcome to my hometown.

Loved the distant views of the boat underway. When will we see some drone footage?

Red on Right Returning

Another great video! Thanks.

Loved Mark Twain's books.

Dough, you will have to organize some sound insulation on board...otherwise you will never be able to hear the birds of the Amazon!

Glad for ya doug

I'm turning good steel stock into art aka fucking up good steel on my lathe. I turned out a functional piece though. Not as good as I can but I am getting closer and I'm still going. I'm not a machinist, just a guy with a lathe. I'm really looking forward to seeing the salis up and your process of learning it.

Very nice, don't forger how the city of Tulsa wrote new laws and was as you said very accommodating. Cheers Doug.

How about an update on the pitch of the propelers? That used to be a huge deal.

21:34 what alot of people forgot to think about is that most of the nuclear waste is not even fuel rods but Personal Safty equipment and spare parts wich wont be as long underground as fuel rods.

When are you guys planning to arrive in Pensacola? I live in Pensacola and would love to see the boat and meet you guys! I'll bring beer!

Doug the sound was way off this episode. Sort of glitchy and feint, camera mic ? Never happened before. Great your happy place comes up, it's v obvious:-))) 👌

My cousin served on the USS Kidd during the war

So i know you are long gone from baton rouge but when you were nosed up by the kidd, to your port side about 1/4 - 1/2 mile there is exposed the remains of a ferry that sank just before ww1 now that the river is so low you can walk completely around it. If I recall its called the brookhill...

I've been telling my scientist friends this for years (they are in California, me in Texas) that even in drought conditions, its flooding somewhere else. What sucks is that you have absolutely no control of the dispersion rate. Outside of the actual ports, we've been through all those towns on this leg of your journey to visit family, so it's cool to see a route without "8 hours of trees"! Add: It's a bit out of the way, but the USS Alabama would be another one to add to your itinerary if you feel like socializing in Mobile on your way to Pensacola. The Air Museum in Pensacola is also a dynamite stop, though be warned you'll want Real comfy shoes. We were there all day so I could photograph everything that interested me. I'd say it competes pretty well with the Smith for aircraft! And if you ever venture west towards Galveston, Seawolf Park is really cool too. Bit shorter than the previous listed, but it's really great to see all the old workhorses and what the boys had to work with back in the day.

Hey Doug when y'all get around Mobile Bay you should stop and see the USS Alabama and the drum which is a submarine it's the oldest submarine still being shown if you like that stuff obviously you like boats so obviously you do check it out dude

The whole Coast Guard Crew stepped out to see SV Seeker passing by :)

Newfoundland here. Bit of a jaunt across the Atlantic though.