Louisiana (Loo-Z-Anna)

Post date: Jan 6, 2015 2:59:43 AM

We arrived in Lake Charles yesterday.  A 5-hour drive from San Antonio.  Staying at a very nice Casino Resort on Lake Charles.  We chose this area as our entry to the gulf coast because of the lakes, rivers, swamps and amazing wildlife preserve.  We spent the day driving 100 miles around the Calcasieu Lake.  Stopped at a migratory bird sanctuary. We walked a mile-long boardwalk that goes out into the marsh.  Saw Snow Geese, Egrets, Blue Herons, Spoonbills, Brown Pelicans, Laughing Gulls, Red Tail Hawks, Ibis, American Coots and Cormorants! We even saw a couple of Dolphins when we drove out towards the Gulf in the town of Cameron.  Making the loop around the lake, we had to take a Ferry (took 3 minutes to cross, but a half hour of waiting & boarding)  Cost was one dollar per car, but since we were over 65 - there was no charge!)  We had a picnic lunch on Rutherford Beach. (able to drive onto the beach and look out over the gulf with all the oil rigs)  The beach is covered with shells, pristine, with only a handful of houses. The small towns had shrimp boats tied up and there were a number of drilling equipment businesses all along the rivers & lakes.  The river we crossed by ferry is an inland river that goes all the way to New Jersey.  (Wouldn't that be an amazing cruise by barge!)  The sky was blue, the sun was out - what a wonderful day!

Tomorrow we leave for New Orleans.