Facing West in New Orleans: Water on Both Sides

Stand in the French Quarter, face **west** (toward the Mississippi River).

• Left (South): **Gulf of Mexico** — 95 miles downstream via river, but the *Gulf* is the ultimate receiving basin.
• Right (North): **Lake Pontchartrain** — 5 miles north via canals/bayous (Lake Pontchartrain, Industrial Canal, Lakeview).

Why the Confusion?

New Orleans sits on the **east bank** of a **north-flowing** river bend. The river loops east, then south. “West” points *across* the river to the West Bank (Algiers, Gretna)—not to open water.

Water Bodies Relative to City Center

So facing west: **river on your west, Gulf to your left (south), Lake Pontchartrain to your right (north).** The city is surrounded.