Day Seven

Zoobley and I checked out of the Rathbone this morning and took a last stroll through the French Quarter to do some shopping before heading on. I sure hope everybody likes the "I got bourbon faced on shit street" t-shirts we got them for Christmas. If not, Zoobley picked them out.

Our Campsite

On a scale of one to five Zoobs, five Zoobs being the best, Kudzu and I give the French Quarter the coveted five Zoob award. It's a little run down and dirty and there are some really unusual odors here and there, but there's a tremedous amount of fun to be had and the people obviously have a deep seated appreciation of small spotted dogs. Congratulations, French Quarter!

We have been hearing the Ocean's siren song for several days, so after negotiating I-10 in a rainstorm we headed south for Grand Isle. Grand Isle is about two hours south of New Orleans and on the map appears to be about as far south as you can go in Louisiana. As we arrived, we also realized it's about twenty miles past the last solid land. There's very little here but bridges and marsh. Zoobley and I stopped for provisions in Galliano and decided to spend a few days at Grand Isle State Park. Fees are cheaper here than in Mississippi and amenities are sparser. For $10.00, we get to drive the truck on the beach a few feet above high tide and make use of a picnic table and a semi-clean bathhouse with cold showers.

To the East

According to a Louisiana Office of State Parks brochure, "since the days of Jean and Pierre Lafitte, who carried on their notorious smuggling business in these waters, Grand Isle has been on the route of commerce and industry.French exploration of the islands and subsequent settlement of sugar plantations occurred in the 1730s. Just before the Civil War, Fort Livingston was constructed across the Barataria Pass from Grand Isle State Park. It was part of a United States defense system begun by President James Monroe and protected the Barataria approach to New Orleans. Today most business activity consists of shrimpers and other fishing boats carrying their cargo to New Orleans and markets throughout the area. And ever present are the offshore oil rigs dotting the horizon, busily extracting energy sources from below the Gulf, and incidentally providing superb fishing spots around their supporting structures." I'm rapidly beginning to suspect that tourist brochures are written by advertising industry dropouts. By the way, those offshore oil rigs also provide an abundance of spent light bulbs and other garbage to wash up on the beach.

To the West

Zoobley and I spent a few hours walking the beach and enjoying the sound of the waves. This is the Zoobs first time at the Ocean and her initial focus of interest were the many crabs scurrying across her path. She soon learned that they can dig faster than she can and, when she finally caught one, that they sport big nasty pinchers. She seems indifferent to the water but she is thrilled by the variety of fauna. She had previously thought the world of prey consisted only of skunks, squirells, rabbits, and possums.