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Marina is four stars and could be 5. The worse part is getting there and back. Slidell and Lake Pontchartrain is being held hostage by erratic (nicest word I have for them) Bridge Tenders. Both, coming into the lake and leaving I was held up at the CSX Rigolets Pass Train Bridge by the Bridge Tender. First, for 45 minutes and leaving for two hours.
Upon leaving, on July 5, I started calling him on the radio and cell phone an hour out to make sure he was there and I could get thru. No answer. His voice mail box was also full. I tried every number I could find on the net. No response to my calls or radio transmissions. I sat infant of bridge and called. No response. I contacted another Bridge Tender down the way who called and finally got thru to Rigolets. He claimed he'd been there all the time.
After lot of time and gas spent waiting for that guy. No apology.
With the only two other bridges closed for repairs by CSX, the Rigolet's is the only way in or out and they're holding Slidell and the whole of Lake Pontchartrain hostage! The other Bridge Tender who was AWOL the same morning is the one at the Bayou Bonfouca Bridge. I left toward the bride and began calling on both radio and cell phone. No answer. I called all the numbers I could find until I reached someone in the state office who located him and told me he would return to open for me but she could not tell me how long. After a half hour, his excuse was he was at Liberty Marina because they had air conditioning.
In conclusion, I didn't give Slidell Municipal Marina at Heritage Park a 5 star rating because their pump out equipment didn't work or were locked and I got no response when I tried to inquire about them. I loved the marina and park close to a grocery store and Old Town Slidell. Met wonderful locals while there and had very good meals at Palmetto's on the Bay Restaurant (nice ambiance), good hamburgers at Times Grill, a restaurant attached to the Amtrak train station which was really convenient because I could comfortably get into New Orleans in about an hour for $5-13. Also, Whiskey and Ashe an intimate, friendly and comfortable cigar bar in old town.
I want to thank Bill who met me at the dock (not what they ordinarily do) because I was running solo and had no real idea of their docks. However, the water is so smooth and docking easy I really did not need help but Bill's help and local knowledge was a great. Thanks again.
In short, I do not recommend going into Lake Pontchartrain or up Bayou Bonfucha to the marina until they give the bridge tender ac or the boot. Be warned, don't try entering or exiting the Pontchartrain, if you need the CSX bridge tender to be on duty. You may become a hostage!