Bayou Corne, Louisiana

I had a lot of fun on Bayou Corne.  And while times have changed, one this is the memories and beauty remain the same.

There’s a sad part about Bayou Corne that I’ll briefly touch on today and I’ll make another visit about that shortly after speaking with a high school chums whose life was drastically changed by it.

But first the good stuff.

Sunday’s were the day.  My mom and dad liked to play bingo, and that was a hopping place for bingo goers of all ages except for my age and that was alright by me.  Don’t get me wrong, I liked the game, but just as I couldn’t play……the young girls with their family couldn’t play either and that made for some good times.



When it wasn’t about girls during bingo, I loved to fish off the bank of the bayou.  My parents had rules and I was good at following those rules.  First I didn’t want my dad’s belt swatting my tiny ass, and secondly, I knew the dangers that come with a bayou.

So, I loved going there.  More than Palisades Park Bar over in Grose Tete.



On the cold days I’d wear my long black trench coat with my French beret (ala John Lennon) and the girls seemed to like my attire and were quite willing to flirt or respond to my flirtation.  It was cool.

The bingo hall and bar was like a HUGE barn.  A kid could get lost in there and I did sometimes and was duly sat down for my shenanigans.

This particular bayou was the most serene and beautiful I’d seen.  On the banks stood this spectacular Cypress trees with grey moss adorning it….I found it mesmerizing.

Playtime, Bayou Corne…

There was a gravel road that ran next to Bayou Corne on the side where the bingo hall was located and for me, there was a boundry that couldn’t be crossed.  And I knew it well, but just the same my dad would point it out and then walk it with me.  Always reminding me to play safe.

I got it.

But time has changed.



Oh, don’t get me wrong the beauty of the bayou remains to this day.  But where that gravel road once was is a fence in green St. Augustine lawn.  And behind there was a 6 foot high fence and what appears to be some fancy looking homes.

I didn’t venture on this particular day.  But, I will before I do the next Bayou Corne Blog if I can because, you see this is now the site of Environmental Damage.  My high school buddy will be able to give me an upclose and personal view and his story in another blog shortly.



Homes have had to be abandoned because of a ‘sinkhole’.  But, I’ve gotten the impression it’s not like one of our Florida sinkholes.

This sinkhole is the result of a collapsed salt dome cavern operated by Texas Brine Company and owned by Occidental Petroleum.  Nearly 350 nearby residents were advised to evacuate.   More details on that in an update blog.  Some of the information I’ve got has evidently changed.

Sad sight of an environmental castastrophe…

These abandoned houses aren’t your run of the mill charming bayou shacks as you can see.  And it’s even worse on the opposite side of this road which I’ll share in the near future.

I’m not an environmental reporter so, I’ll need to get my facts straight before I can report any further.

It’s a lovely place to visit on the way to Pierre Part, Louisiana.

Before I forget, please take a moment to visit my daughter’s GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/single-momkids-with-car-debt.

For more adventures here’s another blog, http://www.60plusandfearless.com

Keep an eye out for the next Bayou Corne Blog.

Peace, love, and beaches,

John

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