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…
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…
Understanding vs. Fear Breaking down our misconceptions about swamps. By Ross Baringer Swamps have carried a negative connotation and inspired fear for centuries, even in Louisiana where most of our culture is in some way connected to that environment. In literature and film they are often portrayed as dark festering areas full of evil….
My name is Ray Swaney and I live to create art, representative, surreal, cubist, and completely abstract. I am also a poster designer, and a slam poet. Feel free to check out my online art blog for some art, poetry, and large temporal gaps between blog entries. Cheers
The Haunted Swamp by a Voodoo Priestess The Voodoo priestess Julie White was more reclusive than most, although no less feared. It was said that White enjoyed trying to predict the demise of surrounding towns as she sat on the porch of her swamp shack, where she spent much of her time. She would also…
All throughout the swamps of southeastern Louisiana the most memorable understory shrub is the Dwarf Palmetto. Out of 2500 plus varieties of palm in the world, this is one of only a dozen native to the United States. Looking back to the civil war days, during tough times, palmetto hats became commonplace across the south….
Nature and Tree Nerd If you’re a nature/tree nerd such as myself then listen up, you may find this story interesting. Back in 2013, a sonar scan of the gulf floor got a strange reading off the coast of Alabama. From the reading, it appeared that several hundred lumpy structures were protruding from the ocean…