Leonard Ray
March 30, 2007
Lady Tigers fall, but LSU baseball, softball teams have successful weekend
April 3, 2007
The Tri-parishes are known for our scenic waterways, the most famous of which is Bayou Lafourche. Yet, many of us have never experience the bayou firsthand.
But that can soon change.
The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) is hosting a backyard experience, a four-day, 52-mile excursion down “the world’s longest street.”
Set for April 12-15, the annual trip draws about 200 paddlers n a day’s sightseeing trip is limited to only 100 participants n who travel in canoes, kayaks or pirogues.
“Some people go all four days, some only go one,” said Shelley Sparks, Paddle Bayou Lafourche project manager.
At the end of each day, campsites will greet travelers. And special events n appearances storyteller Richie Kay, the band Southern Image and the United Houma Indian Nation Tribe n are planned for each night. And meals are included in the registration price.
A limited number of tickets are available to non-paddlers who would still like to join the nightly campsite events.
For travelers who opt to forgo camping out, discounts are available at a number of bed and breakfasts and hotels along the route, Sparks said. A shuttle service will be available, too.
The trip extends from Donaldsonville to Lockport, with stops in Napoleonville, Thibodaux and Raceland along the way.
“It’s all about getting people back on the bayou,” Sparks said.
Boats set down in Donaldsonville at 8:30 a.m. April 12, and stop at Madewood Plantation. The second day, paddlers will travel to the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Cultural Center. And day three’s stop will be at the home of Dr. Mike and Brenda Dardar Robichaux.
“Paddlers will see everything from a Civil War site to plantations and plenty of wildlife,” Sparks said. “Bayou Lafourche is an incredible cultural, historical and ecological resource. This trip will give people a real appreciation for the bayou.”
Expect also to be greeted by Louisiana’s renowned southern hospitality. Residents who live along the bayou often cheer on paddlers, Sparks said. “They’ll make signs and welcome the paddlers along the way.”
BTNEP has 20 canoes available for rent. The cost is $40 per day, and includes the registration fee, a boat, two paddles and two life jackets.
For more information, contact Sparks at (985) 447-0838 or, online, visit paddling.btnep.org.
