Lake Pontchartrain
From SkipperGuide, the online cruising guide for sailing areas around the world
| Navigation | |
|---|---|
| waters | Inland water > North America > Gulf of Mexico |
| political | North America > United States > Louisiana |
coordinate: 30°11'0.05"N 090°08'23.46"W
Lake Pontchartrain is a large 630 square-mile lake with a mean depth of 10-16 feet, which is mischaracterized and is actually more of a bay or tidal lagoon. Located in southeast Louisiana it forms the northern border of the city of New Orleans and opens up to the Gulf of Mexico through Lake Borgne and the Rigolets.
Lake Pontchartrain is served by Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans Yacht Club, Pontchartrain Yacht Club, Corinthian Sailing Association, South Shore Yacht Club and Tammany Yacht Club as well as numerous marinas and haul-out/repair facilities.
The Lake is heavily and competitively raced, especially on the shores of New Orleans. Wednesday Night Racing occurs throughout Daylight Savings Time and virtually every weekend there is a regatta, the biggest of which are the Lake Pontchartrain Racing Circuit, the Great Lake Race, the Sugar Bowl Regatta and the Race to the Coast.
Racing on the Lake is governed by the Gulf Yachting Association or GYA.
Contents |
[edit] Sailing Conditions
With its relatively shallow water depth, the lake can churn up a steep chop if under a strong northerly breeze. The Lake is also notorious for shifty southerly breezes.
[edit] Navigation
The Lake is disected nearly in half by the world's longest bridge, the Causeway, at 24 miles long. One third of the distance from the Northern shore is a drawbridge allowing tall masted vessels passage.
[edit] Tips
Lake Pontchartrain, being entirely an inland lake or bay, creates a sense of security that can be deceiving. The shallowness and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico makes the Lake trecherous very quickly. In summertime, squalls can pop up unexpectedly and create very large (6ft.) swells with a very short frequency. Combined with winds in the 30-50kts., these summer squalls can be deadly. Again, in the winter months, prevailing North breezes combined with the aforementioned wave sets creates difficult sailing conditions. Remember, there are no natural inlets to speak of that can protect you in the open lake. The only protection is usually offer in the various harbors and marinas which are concentrated in select areas.
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