Louisiana, deservedly known as the sportsman's paradise, is not the type of state where you would make a beachfront booking. Of the thousand or so miles of shoreline, there are really only two beaches in the whole state that are accessible: Holly Beach and Grande Island. The muddy waters of the Mississippi River make concrete pools the best bet for a swim, but locals enjoy wading out in the turbid water to surf fish and escape the summer heat. The fishing is great, but the shrimping is better; the lion's share of shrimp and oysters that Americans consume come from Louisiana's bayous and coastal waters. Louisiana has the most severe erosion problem in the U.S.; the marshlands are slipping away with the loss of several acres per hour, and the beaches are eroding at rates approaching 50 feet per year. Coastal Louisiana is a river delta that has been building for thousands of years, but now it is the erosion hot spot in the country.

I spent many memorable days in Louisiana, enjoying the sights and foods of New Orleans, but mostly working in the coastal wetlands with landowners and the local Cajuns. The Cajun culture is wonderful to experience; just wish I knew French. The coffee is laced with chicory and so thick it would likely float a horseshoe. Too many cups and you will feel like you have been kicked in the head by a mule. I enjoyed gator hunting with Clarence Breau, who has been making a living at it for over 60 years, but that's another story.

Louisiana Office of Tourism
P.O. Box 94291
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9291
(800) 334-8626

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