A Ferry Ride Away.....

March 6, 2012

Happy Birthday Sloane!

Another day of getting up at the crack of nine, lying around reading and talking at the picnic table with Roku and Ton-Ton…..in the clear blue sunny skies of 75 degrees.  Happy.  Around two we start thinking of driving the country side, by 2:30 we’re showered and on the road. 

Yesterday we headed to Shell Beach, which is a local park nearby.  However, we “went left for a little while”, and ended up way, way down the road in the opposite direction, at a charming town called Pointe a la Heche (Point a la Hesh).  It’s nestled between levees on the Mississippi River, and looks like it got hit hard by Katrina in a few spots.  We headed to the post office – I like small town post office’s as they’re easier to manage – and as usual, ended up talking with the post mistress, trying to figure out where to go next.  Her advice: take the free five minute ferry across the River! 

So we did a sideways board of the vessel St Charles, and talked with a 19 year old employee who is pursuing his engineering license.  This is a Plaquemines Parish (county) operated vessel, the ferry up the River at Belle Chasse is run by LDOT and charges a dollar for cars, free for walk-ons.  This fellow will be making $50,000 a year plus OT, as well as working on his dad’s fishing boat when off work.  He gets full benefits, works a week of days, a week of nights, then a week off.  Great career for him, and a surprise to us at the pay and benefits in this historically poor state.  How do they do this and not charge fare?  Also, the engineers only start the engines – any maintenance work is contracted out to a local mechanic.  Wow.

Belle Chase Ferry

Pointe a la Heche Courthouse Destroyed

Terminal at Point a la Heche

Beautiful empty old house at Point a la Heche

Stairs to Nowhere at Point a la Heche

Plaquemines Parish Sign

Vessel St Charles Leaving Pointe a la Heche

Tone and St Charles Ferry Employee

On the other side of the ol’ Mississippi, we cruised back north toward home and viewed some great, prosperous little towns.  The last place I expected to see more orange groves was in LA, but here they were, on every square inch of a lawn or field.  Gotta’ get me some of those today!  At Belle Chase (bell chase), a slightly bigger town, we boarded the Plaquemines Pride for another five minute ride to Braithwaite, just a few minutes from St Bernard SP.  Totally wonderful day.

Belle Chase Ferry - $1!

Loading on the Bell Chasse Ferry

Belle Chasse Ferry Behind Us

Terminal at Belle Chasse

Bridge to Belle Chasse

Mardi Gras Floats in Belle Chasse Storage

We were starving and tempted to eat out, but pulled it together long enough to have Tony make the best burgers with teriyaki.  Happy!  And saving money for Shula’s!