Wasn't that music cajun-kickin' fun?? Makes ya' wanna get up and dance...but I promise I wont...maybe.
And yes--I also caught some fish. Here's a video of my speckled trout. It was 18" measured the 'Deb way' --yep--18"--that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!! Oh yes--note how calm the waters are in the background (we'll discuss this later) and...don't mind that crazy man in the squeaky chair--his hat is too tight!
Ok so-- the lands associated with coastal Louisiana come courtesy of the Mississippi River. This lazy ol' thing has shifted its course across south Louisiana numerous times--east to west and back again looking for the shortest/easiest route to sea--each time creating a new delta system. The most current Delta is known as the Plaquemines or Birdfoot delta because of the shape its distributaries make. (click on the photo to enlarge)
When the Mississippi River abandons one spot for another, it takes with it the source of sediment--sand, clay and silt--that is needed to maintain an active delta. Without these sediments--coastal landforms succumb to the erosive powers of wind and waves until only the sturdy bar that was once the river's mouth remains. Eventually, all of the marsh built along the river sinks or is washed away--leaving open water between the mainland and the remaining barrier island. This is the process that created Isle Derniere--the Last Island--a barrier island once associated with the LaFourche Delta. The following map gives you an indication of what Isle Derniere once looked like in its heyday---and yes--it had a heyday....
So the story goes that back in the day..Isle Derniere was an island getaway--an exclusive summer resort for the rich folks of New Orleans who wanted to escape the city heat. Roads were built from New Orleans for easy travel to the numerous cottages erected to accommodate these wealthy families and the many servants they brought along to do the cooking/cleaning, etc. --Reportedly about 400 inhabitants.On August 10, 1856 the residents noticed increased wave heights and there seemed to be a storm-a-brewin' to their south...little did they know--'cause there was no TV or satellite imagery...a Category 4 hurricane was barreling towards their shore! Somehow--Weather Underground was able to recreate its track.
Needless to say--most of its residents were killed--washed out to sea or worse. Paul and I got out of the boat and waded to the island. I took the following video of what remains of Isle Derniere--just seagulls and a bunch of poop--certainly not enough of it left to build much of anything.Before we return to the boat--let's have a brief oceanography lesson...When we first arrived at dawn..the waters were flat and calm. The wind was pretty much undetectable--muggy and hot actually. But with a little time, things began to change--the wind picked up speed and made for a most pleasant day. The waves also began to increase in size--due to the combination of increased wind speed, time and fetch--the length of water over which a given wind has blown...and the greater the length of water--the greater the wave size.
Here is my video of those crashing waves that almost took my life!!! No--really ;-)So if the waves weren't threatening enough--how 'bout being abandoned on a deserted island. Well it just about happened to us! Big Lou and Diane motored their way--back and forth--fishing and babbling and forgetting about us. WE ALMOST DIED--AGAIN--NO REALLY ;-)
Enough of the drama. The last point I'd like to address before I end this post is the presence of the Oil and Gas Industry in Louisiana. I'm surprised when many students in my Oceanography classes don't realize that Louisiana has a heavy presence of this industry--they think that Texas is the only real oily spot on the Gulf Coast. So--here's a little 'oily' flavor for you to swallow about Louisiana...my message...GET READY FLORIDA!!!
To begin with, I'd like to show you a temporal map of oil and gas production platforms in coastal Louisiana (40 year period). Although the final year of this map is dated 1981, it gives you a good sense of the increasing presence of this industry in Louisiana.
Now about some of the problems. To begin with, data from the Department of Energy indicates that well over 80% of the U.S. offshore oil and gas is piped through Louisiana's coastal zone. The map below was produced by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and shows the extensive number of pipelines offshore of Louisiana (and fewer off Texas). While we were fishing, tugboats approached with yet more pipeline to lay thru Isle Derniere. I'll post the video as soon as Paul gets back from hunting in Idaho with his dad.
"So what" you say--well to begin with ...it ain't pretty. Offshore Oil and gas production requires an enormous infrastructure--offshore production platforms are connected by pipelines to onshore storage and refining facilities. In Louisiana alone the numerous offshore production facilities have deemed it necessary to dredge "thousands" of miles of canals to accommodate pipelines and access production facilities--each pipeline and canal increases the many problems associated with saltwater encroachment and coastal land loss. The photo shows what these canals look like.
The USGS has determined that Louisiana has lost about 34 square miles of coast PER YEAR over the last 50 years--that's a landmass about the size of Delaware!! Although there are natural processes that lead to coastal land loss, data from the Gulf Restoration Network indicate that the activities associated with Louisiana's Oil and Gas Industry are responsible for up to 60%. The photo shows an example of this land loss.
I imagine most citizens of Florida don't realize that offshore drilling will bring new problems and challenges to a state heavily dependent upon a $65 billion-a-year, beach-type tourist industry. So--what about those oil spills? Not too many tourists are gonna wanna sit on a piped and oil-stained beach!! And don't think a spill wont happen. Even Louisiana's decades of experience with laying/maintaining its pipeline couldn't deter the recent oil spills of August, 2009--resulting in contaminated beaches along Louisiana and Texas.
Storms only increase the spill factor. Data reported by the MMS indicate that hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused 124 offshore spills that dumped more than 743,000 gallons of pollution into the ocean while another 9 million gallons of pollution was spilled from onshore pipelines, tanks and refineries.
Seriously Florida--think about it!! It's not too late to just say no!!! and take this time to be innovative...on the cutting edge of new and daring forms of energy...like maybe tap into the endless amount of energy produced by the Gulf Stream or try Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion--maybe a little solar energy. Fossil fuel is history--let's try something new!!
