Mississippi River Flood 2011 Barges battling the current at Vicksburg

taken March 11, 2011. You can see how hard the boats have to fight the current at Vicksburg. Vicksburg is in a big bend of the river and the current tries to force to barges to the outside of the bend. The barges have to run sideways under the bridge to fight the force of the current.

[@DROPTINE]

I was on the Sally Bromfield in 2011 with United Barge Line at the time.

[@sayittomyfaceidareyou8629]

11 years ago? Thanks alot you tube.

[@Zhukov-3]

Even the Tunica Mississippi casino's were shutdown during this time! I know, I worked at Horseshoe!

[@danetibbetts5302]

Driven on em hard and look at the slide he got going on. River sure puts your skills to the test

[@anthonymarks629]

I rode the Ron W. Callegan through that flood. 2011 flood was bad to the bone, we were cut back to 25 loads southbound on an 11000 hp boat and had some wild rides through bridges...

[@wbuttry1]

doesnt look like he is fiting current to much looks like he is running with the current

[@sequoyah59]

A friend and I flew over to the Old River Structure in that flood to see if the river was going to find its way to Houma again.

[@ejackcity34]

1st boat: Sally Bromfield, 8,400-9,000 hp. ; 2nd boat: Arlen B. Cenac, 3,400hp. . Both had smaller tows than normal and NO, the 2nd boat NEVER backed on it, he was "hooked-up" making no less than 13 mph. the entire time, possibly 17 mph. with straight rudder. As for barge restriction and HP. per barge, that is for southbound tows only and the 3mph. rule is for upbound tows. If you cannot maintain 3, then you are subject to being manipulated by the current thus causing a hazard. In high water m

[@ESSER68NJ]

excellent capt skills..

[@MrSuzuki1187]

Some great piloting skills on display here.

[@JamesJones-cx5pk]

I ran a tour boat on the Mississippi at Vicksburg. (The Sweet Olive). We ran for twelve years. The 2011 flood shut us down.😞

[@doughesson]

The USCG marine broadcasts still advise that a towing vessels needs to have at least 300 hp per barge for a maximum of 25 barges if the boat is under 6500HP & to request an assist tug if they cannot maintain a speed of 3mph over ground when apporaching the bridges @ Greenville & Memphis.
That river is "Cooling through dere" as a pilot I once decked for would have said.

[@samuelgordonelliott]

CRAZY highwater this year. I spent most of it between Baton Rouge and mi 184 LM.

[@b_rad5678]

Looks like Vicksburg.
Not the first time those captains have flanked those bridges.

[@cvic13]

The current is swift there.It set us hard towards the port pier when we went thru it. The hardest I've ever seen it.

[@eddie75935]

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT WOULD MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE BARGE GOING DOWNSTREAM THAN UPSTREAM. I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO 'OUTRUN' THE CURRENT TO HAVE ANY CONTROL.

[@philr7201]

That's true. And you can't stop on dime, either! If they line up on the bridge wrong, it's going to be a big dangerous wreck.

[@rexcaspian9665]

InstaBlaster...

[@lorithorpe3502]

wow , that current was strong , if looked like the second tug was losing it before he got to bridge , i don't envy your job in the floods .

[@ejackcity34]

First boat: M/V Sally Bromfield: 8,400-9,000hp.. Second boat was Arlen B. Cenac, 3,400 hp. and NO, he never backed, he was pushing full ahead making 13-17 mph. and never let up!! And as for horsepower per barge and tow-size restriction, that is for southbound tows only and the 3mph. rule is for northbound tows. If you can't maintain 3 mph. against the current(and many boats cannot), you are at risk of being manipulated by the current and at many spots at risk of stalling-out completely. Curr

[@TokenTombstone]

It looks different in 2022.

[@eosrk]

I know the first boat was a 10-5 or what I call a 10-5 over...10,500 hp or more...and the other one probably has 2000-4000 hp, and had to back awhile before driving it.....

[@Barrygrif]

You sure got to be in the groove and know how to drive for the pier --

[@sjcoulter1991]

The Arlen B was almost to far out of shape that time, he had to race the mississippi piers to keep from hitting them. Came down way to low off of Flag pier!

[@kenrose1154]

I added some background music James Brown's Mind Power

[@tommyhunter1817]

And now people are whining about the river going dry???? Never happy.

[@ytmm9055]

WOW PRETTY FREAKY

[@eosrk]

that's the hairy point there on the Lower....you moving good thru there on high water...no room for error at all

[@shay29772003]

I have seen them go full reverce then go full ahead to get it right in low water

[@adamfowler5475]

Man makes you just wanna jump right in for a swim doesn't it

[@CJColvin]

Adam Fowler Yea that's great until you get sucked in by the currents.

[@shamiraclemonique6132]

sheetup

[@carsonkurtz1199]

I live there

[@neanam]

Tell Vicksburg Reed I said what up..

[@willardcupit5305]

W.A.B.look back tug watch pull engines wake fighting swing keep hitting bridge

[@elizabetheades3237]

cool

[@chambliziOfficialChannel]

@warfl4g XFFFFFFD!

[@godofdestruction4636]

11 years later river dried up

[@doughesson]

The USCG marine broadcasts still advise that a towing vessels needs to have at least 300 hp per barge for a maximum of 25 barges if the boat is under 6500HP & to request an assist tug if they cannot maintain a speed of 3mph over ground when approaching the bridges @ Greenville & Memphis.
That river is "Cooling through dere" as a pilot I once decked for would have said.