Kayaking Palmetto Island State Park, Louisiana

From the moment we approached the canoe launch we knew we were in for a treat! A small pond contained a very active gator that was watching a family fishing. Although there were signs that said do not feed the gator, this one was acting like a fed gator and I wondered if here, a fed gator is a dead gator.  

Staring down the bayou, Renita yelled and I couldn’t make out what had happened. My thoughts immediately were snake, as we had passed under a tree and you do here stories of snakes boarding boats. Luckily, it was just a green frog that wanted to hitchhike on her kayak.

A little further and the bayou opened up at Lake LaFleaur. There were several people fishing and so we stayed away from them so as to not spook their fish. Heading back into the bayou we came to a spot where the hydria (?) had choked a stretch of the waterway. However it was a short stretch and our kayaks glided through the vegetation.

She yelled again but this time she had spied a dead cottonmouth, one that I had already paddled past. As we neared the Vermilion River a large snake swam across the bayou, more concerned with getting away from us than bothering a couple of Wyoming visitors.

We decided to paddle back to the starting point and the kayaks glided easily through the water. Back at the launch point an alligator larger then my twelve foot kayak sunned on the bank. It didn’t mind as Renita paddled to it and took a great image. Did I ever tell you about the time in the Yukon where she got to close to a wood buffalo?

The first gator, about eight feet long saw us and swam out to my kayak, following close behind. This gator has definitely been fed and associates people with food. As Renita approached it the gator submerged and she remarked, “I guess you don’t want to be on our blog”.

A short paddle took us to Lake Evangeline, and on the way a large turtle paused for Renita’s camera. It decided that she might like turtle soup and as she neared, it slid into the bayou. Reaching Lake Evangeline we drifted, blown by a breeze and talked about the nice paddle. It’s a paddle that we will do again!

Loading the kayaks we had a picnic at one of the pavilions. It was entertaining to watch the novice canoers. As we drove back to Betty’s Rv Park, a raccoon waded through the swamp and allowed us to take its image, (can you see it looking at you)?

Closer to Abbeville a farmer was harvest crayfish in his small wheeled boat. That’s something you definitely don’t see anywhere else.All in all it was a great day, a great paddle, and lots of Louisiana wildlife! Now we have a story for happy hour! Clear skies

Ps The paddle is about two miles roundtrip and took is about three hours. However we relaxed and sometimes just floated. With little current it was about as easy a paddle as you can get, unlike the Salt River of Wyoming. The vegetation may choke the bayou so it might be more of a spring and winter paddle then in the middle of summer. Canoe rental is available.