Champagne's Cajun Swamp Tours - 4/29/15

Having heard about this tour from other RVers, I was so excited to check out the swamp tour of the Bayou Teche and Lake Martin by the Champagnes.

We were advised that wildlife is most active during the 10 am tour, so that's what we booked. Five of us from Betty's RV Park made reservations for the following day. Your mobile number and a credit card is required to hold a spot for a specific tour. We paid cash when we arrived (as use of a credit card adds to the cost of $20/adult). We arrived 20 or 30 minutes prior to the start of the tour.

Four flat-bottom, crawfish skiffs with comfortable swivel seats were taken out during our tour...each going its separate way to assure that everyone has the opportunity see wildlife in the swamp. A large group of young (rowdy) kids (with adult chaperones, of course) arrived. We were happy that they were in two boats that went their own way. Not that we don't love children, but this is not the kind of activity where you want a lot of noise!

We saw alligators ranging in size from two to nine feet throughout the two-hour tour. The largest gator sighted here is around 14 feet although the largest in LA is reportedly 18 feet.

This swamp was created when a levee was built in 1950 that flooded the area. Many trees perished, but two types of trees survive in the swamp today: Bald Cypress (a very hard wood) and Tupelo Gum Tree (very soft). The gum trees are gradually decaying resulting in a large amount of debris in the water. Eventually, only the cypress will remain here.

Our guide told us these are now called the "Kardashian Cypress." The second photo is the cypress reported to have the most Spanish moss.

This photo shows the "knees" that grow from the roots of a cypress providing stabilization for the tree as it grows in the water.  This "pink" stuff grows on the north side of the trees (very useful knowledge when navigating the swamp!)

This is deemed to be the oldest cypress (400 years) in the swamp. The age is determined by drilling a hole in the trunk and inserting a tiny camera to determine the number of rings.

These water lilies are actually very invasive to the waterways and grow very quickly clogging the byways of the swamp.

Turtles...these creatures are very skittish and would not allow us to get very close. They jumped in the water as soon as we approached. The alligators and waterfowl were much more tolerant of our presence! We saw so many turtles of all sizes sunning themselves throughout the tour.

Here are some shots of waterfowl we spotted in various parts of the swamp during the two-hour tour. Although I did not get a good shot of him, the final photo in this group is an eagle...very cool to see in this area.

There were many duck blinds throughout the lake area that are used by hunters. The boat is hidden underneath and the hunters sit in the area constructed for that purpose.

These plants have roots in the ground and grow to the surface of the water. They will each grow a beautiful white flower. Unlike the lilies, these will not clog the lake or swamp.

This was a fabulous experience! Our guide, Matt, was very informative and possessed a wealth of knowledge about the area. He did a great job positioning the skiff to assure that everyone could snap photos of the wildlife that was sighted throughout the tour. If you are ever in this part to the country, don't miss the opportunity to enjoy this local attraction. In addition to the $20/adult fee, we gave a $5 tip to our guide. Check out their website for additional information on the available tours and the number call to make reservations.

Website: www.champagnesswamptours.com