New Orleans, Natchez Steamboat

One day we decided to take the lunch cruise on the steamboat, Natchez.
The Natchez is the last steam-powered paddle boat on the Mississippi!
We were encouraged to visit the boiler room. This equipment is over 80 years old.


Watching the action of the arm going out

to make the paddlewheel run was fascinating.



Seeing the city from the water gave a sense of where things were in relation to each other


This shows the St. Louis Cathedral in the middle with the Cabildo, where the Louisiana Purchase was signed, on the left, and the oldest apartments in the country (red building) on the right.
We saw Fort Jackson

a closed Ford Motor Co. plant


Domino Sugar Plant

Chalmette Plantation, now a National Park

Oil refinery



We also saw lots of ships like these,


barges (this one with rock from the north to build levees)

and tug boats!



Navy had a presence on the river, with Cape Knox and Cape Kennedy

as well as a Navy training center



Damage by Katrina was evident


When we docked, It was interesting to watch the captain give instructions from the deck.

A sax player and Mime were there to greet us on our return.... and for their share of the tourist dollar!

It is truly a unique city~