Blog

Kayaking Guide Meme I would switch around squares 1 and 2 and the “what I actually do” box is obviously way off base but otherwise this is a funny meme I guess.  Guiding tours through the swamp makes my mother worry sick.  I picture her being violently awoken from a quiet mid-day nap imagining the…

Stuff you should know about Alligators and Crocodiles. by Emma Reid   On our tours, people ask A LOT of questions about alligators, but the most common question by far is, “What is the difference between an alligator and a crocodile?” It is important to know that we will not see any crocodiles on our…

The untold story of Swamp Washington by Jeffrey Chitek (only surviving family member of the Washington legacy)   It is in our nature as humans to omit details from our history, that is, to only disclose the parts that help our predecessors learn the lessons we believe they should in an attempt to manipulate the…

Upstream Color The Environmental Death of the Mississippi by Josh Jack A diesel spill in New Orleans this Thursday made front page headlines in the Times-Picayune: an estimated 4,200 gallons of diesel fuel was released when a cargo vessel collided with a pier near the Nashville Avenue Wharf. And yet, as Coast Guard helicopters circled…

Salt Locker  by Josh Jack   Below Baton Rouge, Louisiana lacks much topographical relief. Slender strands of high ground gird the banks of rivers, lakes and bayous (extinct and contemporary) where these waterways have built up natural levees in times of flood. Higher manmade levies might rear several stories high along the Mississippi and Atchafalaya,…

Walk it like a Crawfish by Josh Jack Louisiana loves crawfish; while we produce nearly all of the mudbugs consumed in the US —  roughly 100 million pounds a year — almost 75% of those are eaten before they ever leave the state (the rest go to Texas, but also to Mississippi, Alabama, and the…

The Plagues to Come by Josh Jack   Apart from their striking beauty, the coastal reaches of southern Louisiana are some of the most productive and fecund environs on the planet, encompassing about a quarter of all the wetlands in the United States. Two-thirds of all the migratory birds in North America lay-over here…

Frady’s One Stop There are very few places in the Bywater that have the neighborhood charm comparable to Frady’s One Stop Food Store.  It’s basically a crowded hallway with a counter and a kitchen, but is a vital organ of the community.  Their kitchen serves the classics;  po-boys, beans and rice, macaroni, pork chops, dirty rice, chicken, sausage and all day breakfast.  The catcher for me is the “grumpy old man”  which consists of 2 eggs any way, potatoes or corn grits, toast and your choice of meat all for $5.50. This tiny corner stop is always bustling with folks coming in and out with unmatched banter between workers and regulars.  It has a timeless appeal that makes you want to slow down and speed up at the same time.  The ideal spot to grab a smoke and a paper,…

Benefits of Kayaking Interview of The Great Jeffrey Chitek by Abbey Wise Do you know of any physical or mental benefits of kayaking? I am not a health freak at all.  I love red meat and I live in Louisiana, one of our nation’s fattest states, with the temptation of fried chicken and lard baked…

Butt-breathers by Emma Reid Sure you may think Louisiana has pretty mild winters, but do not underestimate how cold our swamps get with all that cool freshwater coming from up north. Dip your toes in from the kayak and you’ll see. Now, imagine being a turtle in Louisiana or even in Minnesota under ice for…

Autumn photo recap by Ross Baringer In the fall marsh marigolds draw butterflies into the swamps of the Pontchartrain Basin. The red-shouldered blackbirds, who build the most intricate nests in the spring, spend the cooler autumn months gathering in noisy gangs sometimes hundreds of birds strong. The ever-present barred owls take advantage of the receding…

A Louisiana summer in swamp photo color. by Ross Baringer The American alligator is undoubtedly the most famous resident of Louisiana swamps. Hollywood has given this animal a monstrous reputation, and while it is a dangerous predator it tends not to be aggressive. Alligator attacks are rare. Eco-swamp kayak tours provide a great way to…