March 2010
We have settled in a Habitat for Humanity construction site driveway in Galliano an hour southwest of New Orleans, deep in the bayous amid the canals and shrimp boats. We are building porches, stairs and railings. Never know when you might need that skill. Grand Isle is the town and Louisiana state park at the end of Bayou Lafourche, the river/bayou/canal that is main street for the towns along the 50 miles from Thibodaux to near the Gulf. It was fascinating to drive along the bayou. There are no cross roads across southern Louisiana. Roads follow the biggest bayous and are crossed by roads that go out a couple miles only. Then it becomes too marshy, more water than land. The bayou is lined with shrimp boats, fishing boats, and tugboats. This does not appear to be a prosperous area; houses are not big and not always kept up well. Near the Gulf it is apparent that this is a big port. Oil platforms are visible out in the Gulf.
We walked the beach at the state park and saw LSU students planting shore plants to stabilize the shore—expenses paid by Shell Oil. The brown pelicans congregate near the beach as they fish. All the houses near the Gulf are built on pilings 12 to 15 feet off the ground. Threat of hurricanes is part of life.
The people here in the bayou towns are down-to-earth and friendly. On our walk last night, we met Ernie on the street behind the Habitat development. After ten minutes of small talk, he gave us a package of local redfish he had caught and advice on how to cook it. It was delicious. He and others think the modest Habitat homes we are building are “so nice. Those are great houses, really nice.” We have met several of the new homeowners, eager to move in to these houses.
The porch, steps and railings we have been working on have been difficult—mistakes, twisted wood, ripping out, redoing. Don says it needs an exorcism. We finally finished it and started on the second one. Michael, an Americorps worker, is directing us.
On most of the builds we have worked, the supervisors drive trucks donated by Nissan. Today a neighbor living in a completed Habitat house told us that Shell Oil had contributed funds and volunteer hours to his house. It is so nice to see companies donated to help people obtain decent, affordable housing.
Four new RV’s came in over the weekend—Care-a-vanner neighbors. Hooray. They are all interesting people, very friendly and fun—three couples on their first Habitat build, and one guy, Hank, who also is on his 5th build. Two of the guys, Eric and Larry retired from careers in construction, so they are really good. They finished their porch and steps on the next house before we finished ours.
Here we relax after work after hitting the drive-through daiquiri stand. It is legal as long as the driver’s straw still has its paper cover on it. Life in the Bayous has been an experience—Cajun food, shrimp, plantation tours, bayou boat ride, warm friendly people.
PS added later: The BP oil rig explosion in spring after we left tore our hearts. The people in the bayous are shrimpers, fishermen, oil rig workers, dock workers. All this is imperiled for people who haven’t much money to start with. May God be with them.
