*** PHOTO Trip Journal aboard Carnival's CONQUEST (Sept. 2012, Caribbean) ***

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

VIDEO (Boat Captain Allen feeding the raccoons @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

 

 

Marshmallows anyone? : - ))

 

[daliflor]

 

 

"One day I'm gonna die, and I'm gonna take all of you with me," oracle Julie Brown would sing from her front porch.

 

And in 1915, on the day of her funeral in Frenier, Louisiana, it happened.

 

A hurricane swept hundreds of residents to their deaths in the Manchac Swamp near Lake Pontchartrain's western shore.

 

We came upon the infamous blood red hanging tree and

the cemetery that arose after the Great West Indies Storm of 1915,

a gale that created a 20-foot tidal wave which swept 300 people to their deaths.

 

 

See the mass graves by torchlight on a night-time swamp tour through the cypress trees.

 

Hear stories of the spirits sighted, and see the red eyes of crocodiles as you float into the moss-draped darkness.

 

Edited February 11, 2013 by daliflor

[daliflor]

 

 

For every graveyard cross there is a story, and for every beautiful home there is a trapped soul.

 

 

 

 

 

Manchac Swamp is also known as "swamp of the ghosts."

 

[daliflor]

 

 

VIDEO (gator chewing a marshmallow @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

Our experienced swamp tour guide pointed out alligator nests and even little baby alligators still sporting their stripped camouflage.

 

They look cute but will grow to be very large and dangerous predators.

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

The birds wade through the shallows, gingerly stepping through grassy mud, darting back and forth between the drifting gators.

 

The mysteriously dark beauty that gives a swamp its character also adds to its macabre undertones.

 

 

 

 

Exploring a world of mysterious secrets and extraordinary beauty hidden deep within the swamps of Louisiana!

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

VIDEO (the cabin @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

VIDEO (the gator & marshmallows @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring a world of extraordinary beauty hidden deep within the swamps of Louisiana!

 

 

[trubadur]

A special THANKS to truby's DD who's allowing me to use their Photobucket account to be able to finish this photo trip journal!

 

 

U bet! Our entire family loves the wildlife and the swamp creatures are so exciting to watch!

 

 

 

 

The American alligator was designated the state reptile of Louisiana in 1983.

 

 

The word Alligator comes from the Spanish "el lagarto" (the lizard).

 

Native to the Southeastern United States, alligators construct burrows, or "alligator holes" for shelter and hibernation.

 

 

 

WOW!

[daliflor]

Our entire family loves the wildlife and the swamp creatures are so exciting to watch!

 

Overall, it was a glorious day! So many great memories!...

 

I should add that the scenary was beautiful too:

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

Alligators @ the privately owned wildlife refuge area (the Manchac Swamp)

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

Exploring a world of extraordinary beauty hidden deep within the swamps of Louisiana

 

 

 

 

 

 

The deep understanding and close relationship that Louisiana’s Cajuns have with the swamps, marshes and

nature around them help keep disastrous encounters with large alligators to a minimum, we were told.

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana's wild alligator population is estimated at roughly 1.5 million animals;

another 500,000 live on alligator farms.

 

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The goal of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries' alligator program, we were told by our tour guide,

is to manage and conserve Louisiana's alligators as part of the state's wetland ecosystem

while providing benefits to the species, its habitat and other species associated with alligators as well as

economic benefits to landowners, alligator farmers and alligator hunters.

 

 

 

 

[trubadur]

 

 

Exploring a world of extraordinary beauty hidden deep within the swamps of Louisiana

 

 

 

 

Fascinating stuff!

 

DW just ordered online Julia Sim's book documenting this swamp (Manchac Swamp: Louisiana's Undiscovered Wilderness).

 

We are now debating doing a cemetary tour in New Orleans or going for a swamp tour at nigh!Spooky, right?HA!

 

Can't wait for the plantation segment of your combo tour!

 

Keep up the good work!

Edited February 13, 2013 by trubadur

[daliflor]

 

 

From the smell of the swamp waters teeming with life and thick with vegetation to the sounds of water birds

calling to their mates as they fly overhead,

 

our day tour into the Louisiana swamps brought us as close to nature as possible

without leaving the comfort and safety of our tour boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO (birds and a funny, knowledgeable tour guide @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana alligators are the predominant predator in the swamps and our boat Captain and tour guide never

hesitated to point out an alligator sunning on the bank of a bayou or swimming menacingly toward our tour boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIDEO (giant, lazy alligator @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

VIDEO (tour guide Allen feeding the alligators @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

While slowly cruising through the swamps, we had the chance to see armadillos,

raccoons, white egrets and numerous Louisiana alligators.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our boat Captain and tour guide, Allen, proved to be very entertaining and knowledgeable

making this Louisiana swamp tour adventure a memorable one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

Flat bottom skiffs and airboats are the most common watercraft used for Louisiana swamp tours.

 

The Cajun style skiffs hold 12 to 24 passengers and offer a slower more relaxed tour of the swamps.

 

They are often covered and with cushioned seats that provide maximum comfort for the passengers.

 

Their slower pace allows passengers to get much closer to the wildlife

and provide for a more intimate experience with the swamp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airboats are fast and loud but allow passengers to see more territory and provide an amusement park thrill.

 

Airboats usually carry 6 to 12 passengers over large areas of swamp and marsh.

 

They have the ability to pass over marsh grasses and go places that other boats cannot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[daliflor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana's wild alligator population is estimated at roughly 1.5 million animals;

another 500,000 live on alligator farms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[crusinpsychRN]

The sunset picture on page one is stunning! The guy feeding the alligator is crazy!

[daliflor]

 

 

Allen, our swamp tour guide and boat Captain, took us deeper into the hidden backwaters of Louisiana,

as we passed through ancient swamps, hidden lakes and meandering bayous.

 

 

 

 

We found Allen, our Louisiana swamp tour guide and Captain, to be very friendly with a great sense of humor.

 

VIDEO (entertaining tour guide Allen @ the Manchac Swamp):

 

 

He was also a great story-teller and we got to hear humorous Cajun stories and numerous jokes along the way.

 

 

 

 

For two (2) full hours, we had the fortune to explore a world of mysterious secrets and extraordinary beauty

hidden deep within the swamps of Louisiana!...

 

 

 

 

Louisiana swamps are home to giant snapping turtles that can bite off a man’s finger like it was a pretzel stick

and dozens of species of snakes, some very poisonous.

 

(so we made sure our hands were kept out of the water during our swamp tour!)

 

 

 

 

This swamp tour was FUN and informative at the same time!

 

We passed by moss draped cypress trees, fascinating subtropical plant life and the animals that make the swamp their home.

 

Swamp vegetation with its Spanish moss, protruding cypress knees and tropical palmettos creates landscapes unlike any other.

 

(In the spring,we were told, water hyacinths and native irises bring huge blooms of purples and blues to the swamp)

 

 

[trubadur]

The sunset picture on page one is stunning! The guy feeding the alligator is crazy!

 

Great minds!HA! The guy did say that last year the big gator grabbed his whole leg!Crazy, crazy!!!!

 

The sunset looks superb even though the photographs were taken behind the Pool's windows!We are now looking at a cruise from NOLA 'cause we are hooked!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day, girl!

[daliflor]

 

 

On Tuesday, October 2nd 2012 we spent two (2) full hours

exploring the privately owned wildlife refuge area @ the Manchac Swamp.

 

 

 

 

Great FUN, excellent tour guide and comfortable transportation provided

by the vendor (Cajun Pride Swamp Tours) at a reasonable price!

 

 

 

 

As we returned to the original departure point, a new driver was waiting for us to

complete the second part of our COMBO TOUR that day: a visit to a local plantation.

 

 

 

 

Off we go!

 

(driving to the Laura Plantation & Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana, outside New Orleans)