Interstate 10 from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Lafayette is an experience.  After you cross the Mississippi River and drive west you soon reach the Atchafalaya Basin.

This is basically a swamp that goes on for miles along the Interstate highway.  It also stretches a hundred miles or so north and south as it slowly drains into the Gulf of Mexico.

This wet track is a tangle of swamp, waterways, lakes, canals, rivers and bayous that are incredibly beautiful.  The Interstate traverses a narrow part of the basin but it is still many miles across.  The road is an engineering marvel of bridges and causeways that cross over muddy, boggy, impenetrable wetlands. 

Miles of Bridges

We have the privilege to know some people who live in the Atchafalaya.  One is Jeff Acoin a sculptor from Belle River, Louisiana.  He gathers all manner of driftwood and does beautiful wildlife carvings from the found objects.  The area is not the home of dilatants and drifters.  It is inhabited by people like Jeff who know how to live off the land.  Fish, hunt, trap, and use whatever God gives you to make your way in life.

The trip across the Atchafalaya is well worth the effort.  If you are traveling in the area or visiting New Orleans find an excuse and take the drive.  I rarely recommend a scenic Interstate highway tour but this is one to remember. 

Home for Gators and Folks Who Like Them