Muddy Bridges
Muddy Bridges by Jeffrey Chitek As you cruise southbound into New Orleans on 55, something happens…The rolling hills of Mississippi taper of into the flat plains of the primeval Silurian seabed and then.. seemingly no land at all. Towering Cypress and tangled sawgrass give the facade of solid ground but when you cross that…
WHAT LIES BENEATH
WHAT LIES BENEATH backyard archaeology in New Orleans by Jeffrey Chitek New Orleans has a long history by new world standards…an obvious statement. One can find this history in plain site…in the architecture and the streets, in the food and callused hands. The thick river air still reeks of a time past. But many secrets…
SWAMP “DO-NOTS”
A list of things not to do in the swamp for the most enjoyable experience and also your general safety. by Jeffrey Chitek I’ve taken thousands of people, (of widely varying intelligence) from all over the world into the swamps of Louisiana. Fortunately, no one has been seriously injured, as I am a savant…
“Lake” Pontchartrain
“Lake” Ponchartrain As you drive northbound outside the city, a sudden and dynamic change in the landscape occurs once you cross to the other side of the levee. Bounded by seemingly endless cement, floodgates and cypress forests, the Lake Pontchartrain Estuary makes up 10,000 square miles of Southeastern Louisiana and is the largest delta in…
How we almost got hippos
Hippos in Louisiana? Intro by Jeffrey Chitek If you find your way to virtually any body of water during the summer months in SE Louisiana, your going to likely see more green than water. We have a mortal enemy in these parts…an invasive species that has been killing fish, upsetting natural PH and oxygen levels,…
ALLIGATORS VS. CROCODILES
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…
Upstream Color
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
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,…
Benefits of kayaking
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-breathing Turtles
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…