Left Port Arthur at approximately 7:30 and ensured we had booked passage through the Ellender Lift Bridge (800-752-6706 or 337-437-9100) for 2:00 (they require 4 hours notice). We had an easy passage with beautiful scenery and wildlife. We checked out a couple of anchorages around Shell Island just past Sabine Lake that were listed in Active Captain (https://activecaptain.com/index.php) for future reference and found that they would have been excellent places to stay. We took a side trip up the Calcasieu River to Bow Tie Marina (25$ includes power and water) and arrived about 4:00. This is a great little marina located just south of Lake Charles on a very private bayou. We took a cab to a little Mexican restaurant called Casa Ole and had a good meal. The cab ride is very pricey for the length of the trip but the meal was good. We filled up with diesel, water and ice and emptied the holding tanks all without leaving the dock. This marina is truly a little gem.