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FURTHER AFIELD
Travel deals and tips from Dale Irvin.
BEYOND THE PAGE
Country Roads
in the community.
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White Light Night
Friday, Nov. 21
6-10pm
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Weekends Away
Marshland Memories
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| A getaway to remember the past, and protect the future. by Sam Irwin |
Then came Oil. And Big Timber and Flood Control and the Modern Economy. Now we either take care of the coast or the coast will take care of us, if you know what I mean. And we can take care of the coast, one weekend at a time. Every boy, girl, woman and man can do it. And it can be fun. It can also be hot, but it can be hot fun. And at the end there will be fishing, shrimping, crabbing, splashing, swimming and even surfing. Mel Landry, the public involvement coordinator of the Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), a group dedicated to preserving pirate Jean Lafitte’s hideout, says beach sweeps can be organized through them. In a perfect world beach sweeps would not be necessary. But trash happens and it all seems to get deposited on the sienna sands of Fourchon, Grand Isle, Rutherford, Holly and Johnson Bayou beaches. While no one would ever mistake Louisiana’s working class beaches for the prissy white sands of Florida, there is a natural beauty to the Bayou State’s coastline. Haphazardly placed driftwood, brown pelicans flying low in formation over the shoreline while panicum fronds rustle in the wind—this beach scene is like a robust wine appreciated for its full flavor. Still, a Louisiana beach ain’t necessarily pretty. And trash makes our beaches ugly. Landry and BTNEP can organize a beach sweep for your church group, family reunion, fraternity and auto club and feed you ham and cheese sandwiches when you’re done. “We all love to see clean beaches,” Landry said. “We can arrange transportation on the beach, trash bags and a dumpster.” If that’s too formal for you, plan your own personal environmental activist weekend. Bring sunscreen, mosquito repellent and get-wet clothes. Bring trash bags and hand disinfectant. And be prepared to lug the trash you pick up with you. Despite your heroic effort to do your part for Louisiana’s coastline, Landry said full trash bags left on the side of the road most likely will become trash again. After your work, rediscover Highway 1. Stop at all the places your dad never did on childhood road trips and do touristy things. Dip crab nets from a canal bridge. Say a prayer and leave a donation at Smith’s Memorial, a tiny church just south of Leeville. Have your wife photograph you in front of Petit Caporal, the first motorized fishing vessel in Golden Meadow. Stop and take pictures of all interesting boats floating down Bayou Lafourche. Fill your ice chests with shrimp from Roy’s Shrimp Company and if the surf is high, you might just be able to carve a wave with the surfers down at Fourchon Point. Seafood restaurants abound from Grand Isle all the way up to Des Allemands. There’s B&E Seafood and Mommy Jo’s in Cut Off, Leeville Restaurant in Leeville and Anthony’s in Fourchon. Improved campsites are available at Grand Isle State Park but motel accommodations can be found, especially at the Sand Dollar Motel on Grand Isle. For the intrepid, primitive camping is allowed on Fourchon Beach. It will be a great camping trip. After all, the beach will be clean. Details. details. Details. Grand Isle State Park Admiral Craik Drive, Grand Isle, La. (985) 787-2559 For reservations, (877) 226-7652 toll free. www.crt.state.la.us/Parks/igrdisle.aspx A listing of other accommodations on Grand Isle can be found at www.grand-isle.com For information on the Barataria Terrrebonne Nationa Estuary Program, go to www.btnep.org.
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January 9
Laurel Street Lollapalooza
Baton Rouge,La
January 9
As You Like It Redux
New Orleans,La
January 10
Covington Second Saturday Gallery Openings
Covington,La
January 10
19th Street Red Blues
Zachary,La
January 10
Calligraphy Classes at the Library
Baton Rouge,La
January 10
Photo Preservation Workshop
New Orleans,La
January 10 - March 8
Southern University: History in Images
Port Allen,La
