Today was a much awaited (and needed) day off. We’ve been wanting to go on swamp tour, so we browsed the internet and found a place that looked interesting. When we called, the man on the phone was very friendly and informative. So here we go on our Louisiana Swamp Adventure!

We thought it was a little late in the season to go on this tour, but it ended up being the perfect time to see alligators! Since the nights and days are getting cooler, they like to lay out on a log in the sun to soak up the warmth and energy. We saw about 15 alligators - some even stayed around for pictures. You can tell a young gator by his size and the yellow bands on him/her. One we saw was pretty small and was black with no bands (on tail), so we knew that was an older female. “Ya learn somethin’ new ev’ryday!”

I’m sure you’re sick of alligator pictures by now. Of course we also saw egrets, cormorants, herons, and other birds I can’t remember. Some of these birds - like the Great Blue Heron - had huge wingspans and gracefully took off flying. Butch, our guide, was very knowledgeable about the swamp and its inhabitants. It was the best science class (zoology and ecology) I’ve ever had!

It was also fascinating to see the cypress trees with their “swelling” bases and covered in Spanish Moss (which isn’t really moss). We learned so much, I can’t remember the half of it. I have to say that swamps are beautiful . . . not at all like I had in my mind’s eye. They are not slimy and yucky. They are beautiful! Yes, the water is green, but it is because there are millions of little plants with leaves on the surface of the water. You would have thought we were driving through grass, not floating through water. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I’ll let them do the talking!

The couple we met on the tour, David and Alexis, were also Christians - so it was neat meeting them. We all ended up at the same restaurant at the end of the evening, and they insisted on buying us dinner. It was a nice way to end a great day.

If you’re ever down this way, I greatly recommend this tour! Butch if a great guide and knows a lot about the area. The tour lasts between 2 to 3 hours! Well worth the money. Go check out his website at Cajun Country Swamp tours.

Thanks Butch for the great tour!