BOGUE CHITTO WATER PARK, Miss. — The water in the Bogue Chitto River, which flows just a few feet away from here, is a little below the norm, at 5.59 feet, but there’s more than enough for the competitors who will head out at 9 a.m. Thursday on the Golden Jubilee of the 110-mile-long Bogue Chitto River Canoe Marathon.
In fact, the lower-than-normal water may work in favor of Bogalusa Venturer Post 313 and Varnado Venturer Post 200, who had battled depleted water conditions all year long.
The race gets under way at the U.S. 98 Bridge spanning the Bogue Chitto, located about halfway between Tylertown and McComb, Miss. It will end a little more than two days and 110 river miles later at Pearl River Navigation Canal Lock No. 2, just a few miles south of Bush on Louisiana 41.
Bogalusa Venturer Crew 313 and Varnado Venturer Crew 200 will be defending their titles in the race, which is run in six legs.
After getting under way, paddlers will head south to their first stop, at Walker Bridge Water Park in Tylertown. As always, this will be a quick-change, untimed stop. The second leg will run to the Warnerton Bridge, located just west of Warnerton on Louisiana 438.
The third leg of the race gets under way at 1:30 p.m. Thursday and continues to VFW Post 7196 in Franklinton, with paddlers expected to arrive about 4 p.m.
In Franklinton, as has been tradition for many years, contestants will be treated to a meal by Post 7196 members and get some much-needed rest as they continue their quest downriver.
Canoes will be in the water early Friday, with paddling getting started at 8 a.m. as paddlers head for Enon, where they will take out at Wayne’s World at about 10:30 a.m. Following a break, will put in for the start of the fifth leg at 1:30.
Take out for this leg is the Five Lakes Campgrounds, located about three miles west of Fifth Ward School on Louisiana 40. Take out will be about 3:30.
As teams prepare for the final leg to Lock No. 2, they will get the chance to rest and to refuel, as the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office will provide the Friday night meal. In addition to the meal, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office River Patrol accompanies them downstream, joined by safety boats from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, helping ensure their safety as they maneuver some rough and remote spots.
The final leg gets under way at 9 a.m. Saturday, with paddlers heading south through numerous twists and turns, including at least one “S” and a couple of near switchbacks before first crossing under the old railroad bridge and then the Louisiana 21 bridge at Sun before entering the Pearl River Navigation Canal.
Canoes are expected to start taking out about 10:30, with the awards presentations to follow after the last racers exit the water.
And, as with so many other traditions in this race, there’s no rest for the weary as Post 313 will be on the road just hours later, heading to an overnight stop near Memphis en route to the 120-mile National White River Canoe Race, which begins Thursday, July 28 at 8 a.m. at Norfork, Ark., as Post 313 defends its title.
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