Exploration day.

I went exploring yesterday. I drove south and then west. I went across quite a few drawbridges and "intra coastal waterways", and flooded prairies. I saw some farmland (soybeans and rice), and cows, and crawfish farms but what made the biggest impression was all the decimated houses and trailers. This is the area that was hit by hurricane Rita.
We all heard about how devastating Katrina was to the New Orleans area, but very little about the mess that Rita made. I drove down the Creole Wilderness Scenic Highway, and it was anything but scenic. Hundreds, maybe thousands of homes, everywhere you looked, were damaged, abandoned, partially dismantled and most of the people are living in travel trailers similar to mine parked next to the decimated houses.
I have to say that I was amused to see trailers 15 feet up in the air on pylons, though. I always thought that looked funny, but that is the standard when you build on a floodplain. What do you do with the cows?
I saw a few beautiful old brick homes that were abandoned with no windows. I kept thinking that they could be saved somehow, but the owners probably don't think it's worth it, in case another Rita comes through.
Then I drove through a town that is all duck hunting lodges. Every trailer, cabin, RV, or whatever is used seasonally during duck hunting season. This time of year, it's virtually a ghost town.
I saw a sign that said Acadiana Marina, so I turned that way. I found myself at a pretty little marina. Half of it was messed up but there was some construction equipment parked around, and the back half looked shiny and new. I only saw one living person, so I stopped and asked him to explain what I'm seeing. He told me that THIS half is privately owned by the individuals who have rebuilt, the other half is just now starting to be rebuilt, and the damage I see was caused by Rita. Wow. I asked if the bad half was state-owned, he said it was privately owned also. The whole marina was empty and occupied only by about 5 boats. Not a person to be found on such a beautiful warm day. I think I should like to move there and make it a hopping little tourist town with RV spots and a general store and a nice new coat of paint on everything... (I'm such a dreamer, I know.) Then when the owner comes back and sees what I've done, maybe he'll let me stay?
I saw a brown pelican.
(Yep, there's a conversation stopper.)
I have such daydreams when I'm exploring by myself. I stopped heading west when I was near Lake Charles, and I turned back north then east on hwy 14. I discovered that I had wandered 87 miles from Abbeville, so I wanted to see hwy 14 all the way back. I was a little disillusioned however. I had thought the area would be swamps and cypress and old oaks and... forest-y. Instead I saw flooded plains. Not all that appealing to me. I'm thinking maybe I'll want to settle closer to New Orleans or maybe on the east side, closer to Slidell. I still have plenty of time to decide, but I really want to have trees. I need the trees to surround me, shade me, protect me from the wind.
Once again, I took off without my camera. I hope I painted a clear enough picture without it.
You have a great day.
MsAmber