Elsaesser Fellowship 2019 - Project Start

Family and Friends beside the 15" Rodman Cannon
in the North Bastion at Ft Massachusetts, Ship Island, Mississippi

I originally began developing this idea prior to Hurricane Katrina.  Conceived as an expedition to document the fortifications, lighthouses and historic properties along the US Gulf Coast, not so much out of fear for their loss, as I had never experienced such an event as "Katrina", but more so due to a keen interest in coastal history and how it helped to forge our nation.

Following Hurricane Katrina, and the destruction she wrought on our coast, my interest became more focused on preserving history as it was, for the future generations.  

One specific fortification, that has now been lost to history, completely destroyed by Katrina, was a gun emplacement in Lake Borgne on the Mississippi River approach to New Orleans. Built as a fortified two-story hexagonal tower guarding the entrance to Bayou Dupre from Lake Borgne, located in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. 

Tower Dupre was built on the site of a Spanish gun emplacement from the late 1600's. Construction on Tower Dupre began in 1827 and was completed in 1830. The cannons were mounted and operational by 1833. Originally designed to mount 24 guns with a garrison of 50 troops, It was more typically crewed by a three-man detachment from Fort Macomb (To be discussed at a later time). The tower required constant maintenance because of its constant exposure to Gulf Coast storms and erosion. Eventually, the tower became completely surrounded by water. Similar in design to the image from the Civil War at Tybee Island Georgia

More images from the ruins of Tower Dupre will be forthcoming as weather permits. However currently as it sits the whole of the structure was reduced to ruins by Katrina.

Ruins of Tower Dupre

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Gearing up for the voyages, The S/V Wanderer, a 1980 Hunter H27 operating out of Bay St Louis Municipal Harbor.

No project undertaken on a sailing vessel can be documented properly without someone aloft.
While not the mast of a tall ship sometimes we need to go up for lighting and rigging.

Walker Harris rewiring the spreader lights of the S/V Wanderer.
The only nice day so far since the trip began.

While working inshore and near shallow obstructions, we were supported by a 29' SeaCat to operate UAS systems for imaging of the project.

So far weather has not been conducive to photography in the slightest. 
View from the Jourdan River, entering Bay St Louis en route to Lake Borgne

Washington Pier, West of Henderson Point, Bay St Louis, MS

Bay St Louis / West Henderson Point Ferry Landing

Washington Beach 3/16/19, Bay Stlouis, MS

Bayou LaCroix entering the Jourdan River

Bayou LaCroix entering the Jourdan River

Bayou LaCroix entering the Jourdan River

Bayou LaCroix entering the Jourdan River

A ghostly view of Bay Bridge in the foggy distance

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Much More To Come