Hope and Prayers Out of Louisiana – Our Follow-Up After The Oil Spill

Please watch the video profile on New Orleans and our featured Indie Model, the remarkable Captain Ginger, to get the full story prior to reading this article as a follow-up to our trip.

Upon embarking on our trip to shoot our travel video featuring the great multi-cultural city that is New Orleans and also spotlight “Captain Ginger,” a remarkable woman we chose for our Indie Model profile, we had no idea of the unraveling consequences of the oil spill and its dreadful impact on the environment and the people of Louisiana. We arrived a few days after the story broke, yet like most people we had no idea of the severity of the accident and the prolonged efforts in the aftermath, trying to clean up and contain the oil from spreading. There is almost a sense of guilt in not being aware sooner of the catastrophic proportion of this environmental disaster — in having too much trust in the media, the false reassurances, and the people in high ranking positions who tried to pacify those affected promising that all will be solved timely and efficiently. Now more than 60 days after the occurrence, the world is watching as a nation is struggling to come to terms with what has happened and where our leaders, federal government and regulations have fallen short of keeping the interests of ‘we the people’ in the forefront.

Captain Ginger of AttakapasAdventures.com

We decided to catch up with Ginger Rushing who took us on an eco-tour of her beloved swamp late in April, to see what effects the spill might have had on her personal life as well as her boat chartering business, which solely depends on tourism and the pristine beauty of the place she calls ‘home.’  In retrospect, it’s so uncanny how prior to the oil mess we somehow ended up choosing ‘Captain Ginger’ as our IndieWoman Model – a person who is so tightly linked to the waterways of Louisiana, and whose mission is to preserve her beloved land through education.  Truth be told, her business will never make her rich.  She invested far more than her returns to date.  But it’s never been about money.  As a single mother of three, she quit her job working in chemical factory that made her sick, and decided to get a degree in Geology, buy a small charter boat, and take a risk doing something that would always remain true and dear to her heart.  She raised her children as she was raised herself – teaching them to cherish and protect the land that enabled all of them to have a descent quality of life through providing a livelihood and a home all in one.

When we caught up with her just a few days ago mid June, Captain Ginger told us the spill hadn’t reached ‘her swamp’ yet. But she did say that a lot of ‘her birds’ migrate up from Mexico and South America for the summer and then back down for the winter.  Birds such as the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, which crosses the Gulf, the Yellow Crowned Night Heron, which is the Mexican National bird, and the Prothonatary Warbler which comes to the region to nest every April, and is considered endangered in some areas. “These birds and others will have to first get to the Gulf by crossing the marsh, eating and drinking along the way. Who knows how the oil spill will affect them.” Ginger tells us that the oil is in the middle of the Mississippi flyway area, which is a major migratory flight path for many birds. And this is not to mention all the shore birds that stay in the area, including the Brown Pelican that was just taken off the endangered species list and was nesting at the time the spill took place.

“Tourism was knocked to its knees for Katrina.  This sure isn’t going to help.  Beaches are closed all the way to Florida.  People have canceled bookings to the Gulf region.  The dispersant they have insisted on using is now in the Gulf waters, and you can’t see it or taste it.  What will this do to the fish and other seafood, or to people swimming in the waters or people eating the seafood?  I don’t know when I will feel it to be safe to eat seafood from the Gulf again.”  This is a place where seafood is a big part of most people’s dinner tables.  No more shrimp, oysters, crabs, and fish.  Many restaurants will have to close.  Ginger told us she just read an article about an oyster house in New Orleans that has been in business for almost 150years.  They have now had to close.

Lake Feliz, Napoleonville, Louisiana

We are told of parishes along the gulf and state agencies that are not being allowed to do anything to prevent oil from reaching the beaches, or to clean up.  As we’ve seen it on the news, there thousands of people wanting if desperate to help, yet BP has not allowing it.  The people who are responsible for this mess, and who were sadly entrusted to clean up, are not in any way capable of handling a disaster on such a scale. They can’t stop the leak and they can’t clean up the mess, because let’s face it: they don’t really know how!  The fear that Ginger has is that if there will be hurricane winds blowing from the south she could get oil into’ her swamp.’

She leaves us with these final thoughts, and we can’t help but listen.

“There are millions of gallons of oil sitting on the sea floor (thanks to the dispersants) just waiting to be pushed around and stirred up.  There is no way to stop it from coming in short of totally blocking waterways. It is a very sad thing to have to wake up to every day.  I’ve had to try and explain this to my 5-year-old granddaughter.  How the heck do I do that?  She asked why can’t they stop the oil leak, and why can’t they clean it all up.  What do I tell her?  It’s so sad to think that she may never get to taste fresh seafood or swim in the gulf again.  My son will never get to fish the gulf again.  Our way of life has been taken from us.  There is no fix now I am afraid.  The damage is done.  Now we just have to wait and see how bad it’s going to get and how long it’s going to take to get it back, which may be years and years.”

If you have been as touched as we are, and are looking for ways, or any way to get involved, here is the time. Take a trip to New Orleans!  Book an Attakapas Adventures Eco-Tour with Captain Ginger – and let her show you her ‘endangered’ home, as this may be the last chance to see an eco-system fully alive and thriving before it’s claimed by irreversible damage.  We can only hope and pray this won’t be the case.

The Cheerful Blues of New Orleans

I admit it, I was never gung-ho about taking a trip to New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  I imagined this city to be a playground for bead tossing Spring breakers looking for a 24-hour party town, or for socially repressed individuals seeking to feel liberated by the legendary drink-in-the-street-and-let-your-hair-down lax codes of conduct. I pictured New Orleans as a grittier, more gimmicky version of Vegas without a multi-million dollar casino industry behind it to keep its alleyways clean or crime free.  What I found instead was something that completely exceeded every possible expectation, a town far beyond gimmicky and far from soul-less.

photo by Claudia Ghetu

The first day of my trip, I decided to bypass the typical city attractions and embark instead on an excursion into the heart of Cajun country, an hour and a half outside New Orleans.  So I booked an eco swamp and bayou tour through Attakapas Adventures out of Napoleonville, run by Captain Ginger.  This remarkable self-made woman, who charters a small boat (which makes for a far more personal touring experience) quit her job in a toxic chemical factory to dedicate her life to promoting the natural beauty of the very waters and land that nourished her as a child. I was transported to a place where time stood still, floating amidst the cypress trees covered in moss, listening to the melodious and colorful migratory birds of South America, and watching the serene and languid passing of small alligators and turtles on the water’s surface.   The best part of the tour was listening to Captain Ginger describe her mission and great love for ‘her swamp,’ while pointing out to the sky at ‘her bald eagles,’ whom she single-handedly identified with great affection by their distinct markings.  As I bid her good-bye she eagerly turned to speak to a Wildlife & Fisheries Enforcement Division officer, proceeding to convey her serious concern towards alligator trophy hunters who compete for the highest kill, and the illegal hunting of the endangered Louisiana Black Bear being slaughtered ‘right in her back yard.’   Needless to say, I left this place with a completely different understanding and appreciation – much broader, much more personal, and far more inspiring than if I had chosen my first experience to be on the sidewalks of Bourbon Street.  A day later the oil spill loomed just a few miles from the coastline of Louisiana, and threatened to devastate the very waters that Captain Ginger fights so earnestly to protect while making a living.  I will post several links at the end of this article on ways to give a helping hand in light of this growing environmental disaster.

I am convinced there is no other city in the world like New Orleans.  For one, where else can you find drive-through Daiquiri stands, or fried alligator po’ boys? Notwithstanding, for a young country this town has a remarkable history.  The area along the Mississippi river, including Louisiana, was first claimed by French settlers and trappers for King Louis XIV in 1682, hence the enduring heritage and prevalence of the latter culture.   In 1718 the city was officially named in honor of the Regent of France, Phillip II Duke of Orleans, and dubbed Nouvelle-Orleans.  New Orleans came under Spanish rule when it was ceded to King Charles III in 1763, and then it went back to the French until Napoleon sold it to the United States during the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 for a mere $15 million.  New Orleans was an immensely successful commercial port in its heyday and it became the wealthiest city only second to New York, trading in sugar, rum, and tobacco as a major commerce route to the Caribbean and beyond.   Money, riches, and people of different descents poured into this eclectic and colorful city with a population comprising of a mélange of French, Spanish, West Indian, Haitian, African and Cajun, the latter hailing from Nova Scotia. The Creole population was made up of people of French descent born in the Americas.  When British troops invaded in 1812, Jean Lafitte the famed pirate, rose as a national hero offering his men and artillery to Andrew Jackson, completely decimating the English despite being outnumbered two to one.  The food, the people, and the architecture of this colorful city are testimony of the unique fabric and distinct culture of New Orleans.

photo by Claudia Ghetu

The most distinct trait and the very soul of this place lies in its multi-cultural musical heritage. Blues, Cajun, Bluegrass, and Jazz music emanate from almost every corner on any given hour of the day.  But it is at night that the city truly comes alive, with bands playing in the streets or jamming in small venues each one with its distinct vibe and a gathering of faithful music lovers swinging their hips and raising a glass or two.  It is here that one finds old and young New Orleanians alike, embodying and proudly relishing in their local culture as if they were born with jazz in their veins and a predisposition to love life to the fullest.  I have never seen teenagers bopping to the grooves of live jazz as if they were at a rave concert before.  Where else would you see that but in New Orleans?

Here are places and venues not to be missed on a visit to the city, among them local favorites and off the beaten path gems.

Molly’s At the Market: Great bar on Decatur Street and local favorite to stop for a coveted frozen Irish Coffee.

Johnny’s Po-Boys Shop: This family owned sandwich shop on Louis Street in the French Quarter serves the best and freshest po’ boys in town since the 1950’s.  Locals love the roast beef and shrimp po’ boys and of course their gigantic mufaletta.

Napoleon House:  How many restaurants in America can boast that they’ve been around since 1797? This former residence on Chartres Street of the Mayor of New Orleans, who offered his abode to none other than Napoleon during his exile, may not have the best menu in town, but is a landmark which earns its standing in history.  Order a Mint Julep and take in the timeless character of this cozy place while perusing at the great artwork adorning its charmingly peeling walls.

Gautreau’s: If you really want to try some fine dining, besides the ubiquitous boiled crawfish, gumbo, and jambalaya, don’t miss one of the top ten best voted restaurants in the city!

Hansen’s Snow Blitz:  It’s worth making a stop off the beaten path and away from the French Quarter to Tchoupitoulas Street, where you’ll delight in a local frozen ice delicacy.  Locals queue outside the humble exterior of this shop before it even opens.  The ice machine was invented here, and the snow blitzes here have been cooling off New Orleanians since the Great Depression.

Frenchmen Street: This part of town is a true new New Orleans experience, away from the crowds of map reading tourists.  Here you will find great bars, music venues, and restaurants lined up in a row – and you can’t go wrong whichever one you choose. Fantastic live bands play here on a regular basis for a jazz loving local audience.

Café du Monde:  This is a New Orleans gastronomic institution not to be missed.  Who cares if everybody goes here? Don’t you want to know why their beignets (fried dough with powdered sugar) and chicory coffee have been attracting millions eager to taste the flavors of this unique city?

photo by Claudia Ghetu

In the end I can say that I did it all. I danced in the streets to the sounds of live music, took in the local flavors, got to enjoy the great personalities and Southern hospitality, and fully experienced the vivacity and infectious joy that is New Orleans.  In the wake of Katrina this city continues to thrive, and its story of survival is now part of its history, forever embedded into song.  It’s through its music legacy and unique spirit that New Orleans shines like a pearl as one of the world’s greatest cultural epicenters. Long live Nouvelle Orleans!!

For ways you can get involved to help toward the Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana clean-up efforts follow those links:

EDF, Environmental Defense Fund

OilSpillVolunteers.com

Audobon Society