Paddle Bayou Lafourche
The weekend began early on Friday with a paddle down Bayou Lafourche with friend and former co-worker, Diane Huhn of Bayou Grace Community Services who provided the photos for this post.
The first time I participated in this paddle trip was way back in November of 2004, where I met and made friends with Kim and Sam, who just happen to be down here from New Mexico for the paddle. They stopped by Camp Dularge for a couple of nights, but I had a surprise for them.
When they left camp Dularge on Wednesday, they headed for the headwaters of Bayou Lafourche at Donaldsonville, LA, where the tenth anniversary of the “Paddle Bayou Lafourche” would begin on Thursday. My secret plan was to surprise Kim by showing up at the launch site at Madewood Plantation on the Friday, the second day of the paddle.
As we awaited instructions for the morning’s paddle, I sneaked up behind her with a big HELLO! and am very sorry I didn’t have my camera with me. There were about 100 people on the paddle trip, in about 60 boats, so there wasn’t much time to visit before launch time.
The paddle was a strenuous one because of the headwinds we endured most of the day. Thank goodness Diane loaned me her gloves, or I would have had blisters the size of Texas.
Along the way, we found time to chat with old friends and made new ones along the way. As we traveled down the bayou, folks paddled by and exchanged greetings followed by questions of “where are you from?” and “is this your first paddle trip” and then just like the wind, they were gone, replaced by new set of faces, floating by.
Thank goodness for the occasional bridge crossing the bayou, where ropes hung down holding baskets of refreshments for us.
What a marvelous idea!
I think Diane helped herself to a “Big Bird Juice Box” while I had an apple to stave off the hunger until we reached our lunch stop.
We finally reached Nubby Duck’s at around 12:30 and had worked up quite an appetite.
We were tired, but not too tired to joke and cut up about our newly-acquired cases of “the boat butt”. If you’ve spent any time sitting in one spot, sweating, for hours, you know what we’re talking about!
Somewhere along the way, we were treated to live music. Only in south Louisiana will you find a Cajun band, playing on the banks of the bayou in the hot sun and loving it. We hung out there a while, resting, enjoying the music, and taking pictures.
The 15-mile paddle trip ended at the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Center in Thibodaux around 4 p.m. It was a long, enjoyable and very rewarding day. Everyone else hung around to have supper and set up their tents while I drove on down the bayou to my cozy bed to rest up for my next adventure.
I sure would love to have been at that folk festival! I would like to have seen the art. The Moss Pickers (at least some of them) played at the end of the Bayou Lafourche Paddle in Lockport.
Ah, so that’s why they left early!!! I should have followed them down to you! What time did they play?
It was around noon that they were playing. I paddled with Leonard the last day so we ended up bringing in the rear or the paddle. They may have been there a bit earlier, I’m not sure.
Oh, this is wonderful! I would have loved to do the paddle and go to the festival – but if I read things right, the Kenny Hill/ Chauvin Sculpture Garden is open to the public anytime. Right?
I’m just going crazy with longing to get over there. Work and money and Mom just are making it so hard – but one of these days les bons temps are going to roulez for sure!
And I’ve got another interest – the cheniers. I didn’t have a clue that Clifton Chenier’s last name was related to the geology of your wonderful state! But that’s off topic and for another time.
Your photography is just wonderful – I like the pink alligators, too! You sure do a fine job of making people want to learn more, not to mention packing up and heading over to your part of the world!
Ah, I love that the “Louisiana Bug” has got you, Linda! Yes, we can go to the Sculpture Garden anytime, and there is a little locked box by the gate for donations! And we can drive down to Grand Isle and walk on the oak chenier, too. If you come soon, we will see lots of pretty migratory birds! You always teach me something new, like the history of Clifton’s sir name. Where did you read that tidbit? And thanks for sharing that “off topic” topic! Also, merci for the kind words about photos. Many more in days to come.
Why, BW, I didn’t read that about Clifton’s name anywhere. I figured it out by myself. Here’s how it happened.
A weather blogger with roots in the bayous somewhere mentioned to me the cheniers south of Cameron. I went to google maps and sure enough you can spot them there if you zoom in. So, I’m thinking, hmmmmm… The English have names like Baker and Steward that have their roots in occupations. I wonder if the name Chenier is rooted in geography? As it turns out – yes!
I will say this – the cheniers have better music than the bakers!
Oh, I see. It was that inquisitive brain of yours that got you thinking about it. You know, that is pretty amazing, isn’t it? LOL!!! I had a feeling you were referring to the ridges west of here. There’s not much left on GI and I think I showed you the skeletal remains of ours from the boat. Anyway, pretty cool information, Shore! Thanks for sharing.
Looks like a good time. I never take anything but a little bit of cash when I go to any kind of arts and crafts market. Lesson learned the hard way!
Sounds like a great time.
I really wish I could have got down that way. Amost makes me regret the800 mm of zoom I acquired last week. Almost but not quite . lol. Sounds like a great weekend and the art was probably more amazing in person. I too would have had to leave all but running money at home. that stuff makes me crazy!!! Also sorry I missed kim. Would so like to meet her.
I used to make flower jewelry from garfish scales and other tiny shells in fl as a teen. never got to learn to drill and make dangles but the flowers are fun and pretty. They take a steady hand and lots of patience so I really appreciate her work on a whole other level.
Hope to make it down some time this summer or fall.
Right now the egrets are soon to fledge ao maybe ill get some good pics to post.
Am thinking of a photo story about the life and animals in bayou country. Just in the thinking stage now but gotta staert somewhere.
God Bless
moura
I’m still here Moura but won’t be down by Wendy. I’ve got friends and family to visit in the Baton Rouge and Covington area.
Nice post BW! Did you catch the video of Bec describing the boat butt situation? The camera work is horrible cause I was shaking so much trying to contain my laughter.
Loved this post. You really have been busy. Beautiful carvings! I am going to tackle a duck decoy one day. I love doing the carving, but get impatient with the detailing (burning and/or painting). It’s soooooooooooo time consuming. I know why they are so expensive!
Looking forward to more photos.
I encourage you to tackle a duck! So, pass the details off to someone in the family or a friend who likes that sort of thing! More photos coming soon. Today, must get out to real life and away from this cyber machine.
I missed Houmatoday.com coverage? What was I doing?
You guys sure have a lot going on. We got cornfields.
Corn fields!! LOL! Can you sit and listen to them crackle in the sunshine?
YES! I grew up in the Iowa cornfields and when conditions are right – plenty of heat, plenty of moisture – the corn grows fast and you can hear it!
Tummy flu symptoms today virus fighting all week.
But I thought I’d mention those cool knots on the drop basketry at bridges.
Paddle sounds like and looks like a ton of fun.
Be a great preretirement blast next year for me.
It WOULD BE a great trip for you next year. It lasts four days and a total of 55 miles from Donaldsonville down to Lockport. Bring your tent. You will meet lots of paddling nerds just like yourself! Should have seen the four hot middle-aged women from Pensacola paddling their sit-on-top kayaks!!! Could have kept them company and dazzled them with your wit . . . . they were dead last and needed some encouragement!
Was they Baptists? I got P-cola Floorduh connections in the Baptists. I don’t have a real tent. Illinois ought to do this on the Hennepin Canal. Tourist dollars and heck you can’t afford to drive anywhere anyway.
Speaking of hot M-A-B’s my unemployment person was older than me and a hottie today.
I could just show up and use wile, guile, cunning, and charm to get down the bayou by you.
I see your picture advertising Bayou Lafourche in a supplement called America’s Best Vacations in today’s newspaper!
Hey K! Is that in print? Or can we see it online, too? What newspaper is it?