We are sitting on one of the biggest secrets of the planet, a secret oasis of common sense on the banks of the Mississippi River. Not only that but it’s peaceful, affordable, spacious, and if you need help, all you have to do is ask a neighbor. It’s just amazing. If living on a campground is not your style, it is a good way to make a transition. Tait Seldon, the owner of Bordeaux Point RV Park, also has Tunica Realty, so he can fix you up with a home in town as well, and compared to Seattle, New York or Chicago, they sure are cheap. Or just make it a stop on the way to your actual destinatio.
Fishing, hunting and boating? They are all right here, with free boat ramp access to our 20 mile long horseshoe lake when you check in here. We have city water and city sewer connections. It’s the best of both worlds combined, with the worst left out. And by God, we do love our Veterans.
Let me tell you a little story. I lived here 14 years ago when the economy was crashed in 2008. I loved it. The very first time I drove into the camp I decided; “This would be a great place to live.” Sure enough, within a year I had an address on the “Cutoff”. It was quiet, you could let your hair down – though I had cut mine off by that time – and there was never any traffic noise, at all. It was like I was already home. Then the crash of the CDOs hit and you just couldn’t find a job. Well, my friend Troy was in Seattle and kept telling me how much higher the minimum wage was there. , I packed up my Dodge Stealth and headed for the pacific Northwest. Troy was right, the minimum wage was higher, much higher, but so was the cost of living.
Now I have lived many places in the US during my life, and at one time I was a Fiber Optic Cowboy – what we called ourselves – for WorldCom. I traveled all over the US working on long distance telecom rings. And yet, when I made my escape from Seattle I knew exactly where I was headed. I was going back to the Tunica Cutoff, back to Tait’s camp. Of all the places I had lived, and worked, this was the only one I considered returning to. I had bought a 30′ camper and though I spent three months in Butte Larose LA, it was nice but it just wasn’t home, and it was twice the cost. It was close but close wasn’t good enough. I made a couple phone calls and packed back up for Tunica MS.
And let’s talk about costs and prices a little bit. Gas is presently $3.91 and inflation has hit us here as well, but not nearly as bad. Back in Seattle they are changing the pumps at the gas stations to allow them to display gas prices of $10 per gallon. My friend Dennis is there and keeps me informed. When I did return here my truck had lived all it’s life in rainy Seattle, and the first winter I was back my truck refused to start whenever it was under 32 degrees. You could actually tell whether it was freezing or not by whether my truck started. I had my truck towed to the local garage, and being used to Seattle prices I figured I would be very lucky if the repair bill was $300 or less. Well, Chad’s replaced my fuel pump and charged me $150. That was it, I was truly home.
Winters here are mild too, compared to anywhere in the North. And, if you travel about 30 minutes North to the Memphis area you will pay twice as much for a camping spot, and they are likely booked up through November. If you need to borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor in a Memphis camp, all you have to do is reach out your window and you’ll be able to knock on the wall of the next camper. Aside from that Memphis has become rather dangerous lately, as most big cities have. But not at Bordeaux Point RV Park where there is always room, quiet and safety.
Taxes, you ask? When I departed from here for Seattle, the property taxes on my home were $35 per year. Yep, $35 per year. And though I live in a camper now, taxes have not increased to any noticeable degree. People are friendly here too. Folks wave at you, even if they don’t know you. They smile and talk to you. This did take some getting used to when I first came here from Illinois. In Illinois you don’t really smile at folks for fear that they will decide you are foolish and try to take advantage of you. Not so down here.
Jobs you ask? Everyone is hiring. In fact, though I am retired – save for website work – I was offered a job at the local NAPA/Ace Hardware. I had to explain that my legs were shot as far as standing on them for eight hours at a time, but I was buying hardware, not applying for work. But honestly, you will have a hard time finding a business here which isn’t looking for more employees right now. Combine this with the amazingly lower cost of living and you can breathe a large sigh of relief. Oh, and don’t forget the Levee Commissary. Just across the Levee from the camp is the Levee Commissary. It’s a deli, a convenience store, a bar with great food, pool, darts, and when you are having a drink you are free to smoke a cigarette if you like. Fair warning though, the Friday Catfish Special will send you for a nap afterward.
So come on down and visit, or come on down and stay. You will love this area, as I did. Bordeaux Point RV Park is so quiet, so spacious and so affordable it constantly amazes us that we aren’t full to overflowing.