Mid-January 2021

In Ocean Springs, MS, we stayed at Davis Bayou, which is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. So, what’s the difference between a swamp and a bayou? A swamp is a forested wetland. A bayou is a slow moving body of water in a flat, low-lying area, commonly found in the Gulf Coast region of the southern United States. The current in these waters changes daily, with the tides, creating a brackish environment.

These areas are prone to flooding and take a big hit from coastal hurricanes. Davis Bayou is still recouping from Hurricane Sally, which meant some nature trails were closed. But the campground was in good shape and we were able to enjoy biking down to the waterfront in Ocean Springs.

From Davis Bayou, we traveled west into Louisiana, and then spent the next couple of weeks exploring the New Orleans area. We stayed at Bayou Segnette State Park, just south of New Orleans. (Map at foot of this post)

Later, we shifted to the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and stayed at Fairview-Riverside State Park, and then Fontainebleau State Park. I think we liked Fontainebleau the most, as it was larger and had more to explore.

We rode parts of the Tammany Trace, a 30 mile rail-to-trail hike and bike trail that runs from Covington to Slidell, LA.

We could also sit on the beach at Lake Pontchartrain and marvel at the sparkling water of this massive lake.

Everywhere we went, the marshes and grasses of the bayou stayed with us. The miles and miles of levees around New Orleans, along with sea level elevations, help you understand what can happen here with climate change and rising sea levels. You kind of feel like you’re in a wide fishbowl.

After a rain, there are puddles and standing water everywhere. And the waters don’t recede; the water table is too high. So they persist. Any structures in water’s path are on stilts. Houses, restaurants, businesses, even the post office.

On our first full day at Bayou Segnette, we drove into New Orleans, only to discover that the city was deserted. Effective that day, the city had reinstated Phase One of their Covid restrictions for a three week period. That meant that, effectively, all parades and celebrations associated with Mardi Gras would be canceled. City bus and walking tours were canceled and many businesses were shuttered. Preservation Hall, which usually has five shows a night, was closed. The French Market was nearly empty. It was grey and cold with on and off rain. Okay. Time to regroup.

We did find that Longue Vue House and Gardens was open, so the next day we went to the outskirts of the city and enjoyed a private guided tour of the House. The house is extraordinary and the story of its civic-minded owners, Edith and Edgar Stern, is uplifting. The house and gardens were designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman in collaboration with architects William and Geoffrey Platt. Shipman worked on this garden from 1935 to 1950. Visiting here was a lovely throwback, for me, of homes in Cornish, NH, where I lived and worked before I met John. The Platt brothers’ father, Charles Platt, had designed many of the homes in the Cornish Colony, including the home where I worked. Ellen Biddle Shipman was the landscape architect on many of those. Longue Vue is the only one of Shipman’s designs that remains intact, exactly as she planned it.

We also went to see the New Orleans Botanical Garden. It was quiet and we had the place mostly to ourselves.

It’s January, when southerners rely on camellias to provide color outdoors during the coldest months.

But there were some roses in bloom, too. It’s obvious that during normal times, a lot happens here. Events, weddings, educational programs. There’s a large outdoor kitchen for cooking demonstrations. The kitchen is surrounded by a huge vegetable garden.

The day we were there, so much was looking delicious: huge heads of different lettuces, swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, herbs, cauliflower, onions and leeks – all beautifully grown and ready for the picking. Oh, so tempting to sneak veggies into my purse…but I didn’t.

The Botanical Garden is also home to the Enrique Alferez Sculpture Garden. Alferez was one of the many artists employed by the WPA during the 1930s and 40s. His style was mostly Art Deco, and the sculpture on display here, along with the interpretive story, is wonderful.

We found the locals to be very welcoming and kind. At Northlake Seafood, Rachel the owner took the time to give John a lesson in beheading and cleaning fresh caught shrimp. Gulf shrimp are terrific, by the way. Rachel also directed us to another local shop, Moo Moo’s Custard, where the owner gave us free samples of Randazzo’s King Cake – because you can’t come to NOLA during Carnival and not have some King Cake. Wow! What a sugar rush. It starts as a buttery Danish ring, with icing. And then purple, gold, and green sugar crystals are layered on top. And if you’re very lucky, you might find the little plastic baby baked inside. It’s a NOLA thing…

We capped off our visit to Louisiana by taking the causeway bridge over Lake Pontchartrain – almost 24 miles of bridge – and making our way out to remote Grand Isle, LA. The state park is at the far eastern end of this narrow barrier island, about a hundred miles from New Orleans. Grand Isle is the only Louisiana state park on the Gulf of Mexico.

The road to Grand Isle winds through miles of tiny islands and inlets. On our way here, we saw shrimp boats coming and going, lots of people fishing from bridges, and a pelican for every available roosting spot along the way. The bayous are a smorgasbord for water fowl. Wading birds and ducks find lots of good eats here.

The state park is small, quiet, and nicely appointed. Each site has a paved pad and there’s grass in between sites. There are also areas for tent camping right on the beach, but not of lot of takers this time of year.

We will spend a few days here, catching up and enjoying the ocean’s roar, before moving on.