From Friday, May 9, I just want to start my next Baja column by telling you just how bad the Belle River boat landing is. I drove there yesterday just to see how far the water had risen and the landing was almost comical. Trucks and trailers were parked everywhere-In the shallow water, by the levee retaining wall, on the drives going in and out, in the water, several sitting right in the middle of the whole lot almost like they’d been abandoned. Facing the spillway, the levee, each other, every which direction. It was almost hilarious to see the confusion. I almost ran into one boat trailer which was parked on the downside of the only usable entrance drive, right on the driveway. It wasn’t visible until you reached the top of the levee ready to go down and there it was, right smack in the road. I stopped quickly and had to laugh when I saw the mess down below.
I don’t blame anyone for parking where they could, nobody wants to walk far after working for hours putting out and/or running traps so nobody was parking on the other side of the levee where there was plenty of room. And the water on the parking lot itself was mostly easily navigable for trucks if there weren’t mounds of lilies and/or big drifted logs. At least one enter sign was flat on the ground.
I checked the landing on Mother’s Day and it was almost empty as usual. The water appeared to be about the same level.
The dog and I walked on the levee, staying on the top by the seawall mainly because the batture is underwater. I met a guy on an ATV who stopped to chat. He, like everyone else I’ve met on the levee recently, and come to think of it, probably for ever, had just seen an alligator in the shallow water and of course it was at least l6 feet long. I have never met anyone who has seen a short alligator!
It is pretty chilly in the evenings lately but nice in the day. Sunny, no rain, not much wind.
On my latest trip to Morgan City I passed the new structures just before the Stephensville turn off. The multiple concrete pilings now have beams lying on top - fastened, I’m sure. Made me think of Stonehenge. Another structure is being prepared a little south. It will be interesting to see what the future camps look like.
Speaking of structures, if you go through Pierre Part you’ll see the new mausoleums being built across from the school. I know what they are but to a noncatholic the buildings with so many identical holes might seem strange.
I am reading a Hampton Sides book, The Wide, Wide Sea about Captain Cook’s voyages to Hawaii and other places. I’m only half way through but I know Cook was killed by natives. If you’ve never read Sides’ books, I recommend them. This one and another about Kit Carson are really great. Sides has a way of making what might be a boring subject fascinating. It is impossible to really imagine what it must have been like on those sailing ships—they leaked, the food was rotten, they were cold (or hot). Truly horrible conditions but Cook made three trips and never returned from this one.
I’m at the point where this expedition had left the Canary Islands and was now at a place where pretty much nothing grew, no people for sure, lots of birds, no trees. I know sailors for these voyages were often impressed or sort of kidnapped and had no choice but to be there but Cook chose to make this trip even when he didn’t have to. Anyway, it’s a good book and easy to read.
lindacooke1939@ gmail.com.
By Linda Cooke
