Blog

JAZZ FEST WARNING by Mike Maher(the rambling king)   For those of ya’ll coming into New Orleans for Jazz Fest this weekend, you’re coming at the wrong time. Jazz fest is in the late spring. It’s a big old music fest that has a long history and I’m sure you’d have a great time next…

  Why November is a great month to visit New Orleans Bird Migration watching Pleasant weather- No need for air conditioning It isn’t busy. Find out more reasons why fall is the best time to visit New Orleans Give thanks for the New Orleans swamps and why they are so important for our environment.

  A short poem about snails and ourselves by Kelley KirkPatrick   River clams and swamp snails, Steadily streaming swirls that crunch, The seasons change, and the shells remain. Shed your turtle belly, perhaps a palate of scales. As we grow into the next version of ourselves    

A thrilling story by a classic soul Mike Maher   The friggin dog keeps popping up on the counter to scrounge some food. I told the lil guy “hey buddy, stop doing that, I’m serious, I’m really serious”, but he keeps going for it anyway. Yesterday the lil sausage jumped up and grabbed the whole rotisserie chicken when I was in the other room! The whole dang bird, $5.95 at walmart. You know what I did, I walked right in there, took the bird from him and said “listen pal, I’m really serious, stop stealing my dang birds”. And ya know I’m feeding him friggin grain-free, the good stuff he’s getting salmon he’s getting lamb, the good stuff. Spending bout half my dang pay check on the bag. But hey he doesn’t listen, last night he jumped up and snagged…

  Sam’s swamp readings by Sam Baker   Flora and Fauna of the Swamp: Which One Are You?   Have you ever been lazily floating along in a kayak, stumble upon a gator or particularly charismatic clump of water hyacinth, and think “OMG, that is so me!”? No? Well, you should explore self reflection exercises…

Year of the bird 2018 marks the year of the bird, and this weekend, the 2 nd Saturday of May, marks National Migratory Bird Day. Louisiana’s fertile forests, swamps and marsh are ideal migrating, nesting, and wintering zones for nearly 100 million birds. One of many who are in danger in Louisiana, the Prothonotary Warbler,…

A Poetic Happening by Kelley Kirkpatrick   Dragonflies capture more and more of my attention. I often tell clients that you can only see as much as you are looking for, and encourage them to place their attention on the whole array of life within the swamp. Witnessing the markedly vibrant and contrasting colors of…

Who Dat Splash? by Nick Napoda   Paddle down a bayou in Louisiana, and chances are you will see something splashing in the water. People on our tours often assume it’s alligators, but this isn’t typical gator behavior. The majority of the time, it’s a different kind of monster lurking below! Imagine a ‘living fossil’, a fish that has hardly changed in 100 million years, with an elongated, toothy snout and scales so tough they’re like a plate of armor. This is the Gar fish, and Louisiana is home to four different species. The largest of these is the Alligator Gar, which can grow to over 300 pounds and 10 feet in length! Although the Alligator Gar is the most famous for it’s incredible size, what we typically see observe in Manahac Swamp are their smaller cousins, the Spotted Gar…

Stories from the Swamp by Jake Beale   Each day I come to the bayou to paddle, I am going with the flow, and not necessarily that of the water. Albeit paddling familiar routes, the daily changes of company and circumstances generate a healthy sense of detachment to outcome. Balancing both my kayak and the…

Yellow Swamp Canaries by Kali Bunn   2018 marks the year of the bird, and this weekend, the 2 nd Saturday of May, marks National Migratory Bird Day. Louisiana’s fertile forests, swamps and marsh are ideal migrating, nesting, and wintering zones for nearly 100 million birds. One of many who are in danger in Louisiana,…

Check out the lineup for the last weekend and dont miss Maggie Belle Band!!!  I’m the manager and bass player.  Actually, Im a kayak guide, a lawyer, a bassist, and I also book shows for bands all over New Orleans but you can call me Max!

The New Orleans Pelicans by Mike Maher for Mike Maher   Hey the Pelicans are playing some dang good basketball. Finished the season strong on a 5-6 game win streak, I think. Came out on top of the Spurs in the final game up 20-30 points, sure the Spurs have been having some trouble this…