Keelboat Aux Arc sets dockings in Catahoula posted Thursday, November 19th, 2009 @ 8:35 am  E-mail Story |  Print Story  The annual Ouachita & Black river float will begin on Sunday, December 27th at the ferry crossing near Duty, Louisiana, and make other stops in Catahoula Parish, including Harrisonburg, Jonesville and the Corps of Engineers Locks and Dam on Black River. The keelboat Aux Arc is a 38-ft. replica of the type of boat that traveled the Ouachita and other rivers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Plans are to leave at or near 8 a.m. daily and to arrive at this year's next destination by 5 p.m., depending on wind, current, and muscle power. The only exception is to spend the entire day on Tuesday, December 29th, at Jonesville. The crew consists of men and women, young & old, from the Camden, Ark., area who enjoy the river and history. The trip this December will begin at the ferry crossing near Duty on Sunday, December 27th. The keelboat and crew will travel to Harrisonburg, and spend the night at the Corps of Engineers Park on the east side of the river. On Monday, December 28th the keelboat will travel to Jonesville and stay the night at River Front Park in Jonesville. The keelboat and crew will spend Tuesday, December 29th at Jonesville to meet with the public and discuss & demonstrate life as it was in early 1800s. On Wednesday, December 30th, the keelboat will travel to the Jonesville Lock & Dam and the crew will spend the night at the Corps of Engineers Park just up river from the dam and on the west side. The 2009 trip ends on Thursday, December 31st at the Tensas boat ramp located about 13 miles downriver on the east side. Plans for 2010 are to travel to the Mississippi River. The crew are members of the Early Arkansaw Reenactors Association (EARA). For additional information and to participate in a blog of this year's float go to the EARA web page at www.arkansasw.us. Contact Information: Ed Williams: 501-666-4304 (home), 501-447-3386 (work), or e-mail: ed_laurine@juno.com The Aux Arc, built by EARA was launched in 2004. Funding for this project came primarily from private donations and the Little Rock Rotary Club. The primary purpose for constructing the Aux Arc and floating the Ouachita River was to replicate the downstream travels of the Dunbar-Hunter Expedition of the Ouachita of 1804 and 1805.