Evidence Photos

Aug 31-Sep 3, 2001
New Orleans, LA

(OK, these pictures were taken 45 minutes outside New Orleans in a place called Bayou Barataria,
but the day started and ended in NO so I think it counts....)

Swamp tour day! Mieko took a regular tour with a flat bottomed boat, I took an airboat tour. I don't think there was much difference
between the two besides the fact that the swamp boat will briefly run over sand bars and I lucked onto a better guide.
It happens that gator hunting season had just opened. Gators are hunted with traps; large, barged hooks bated with
chicken meat and suspended just above the water. A tag to catch a single gatorcosts $85.
This year the prices for gator hide and meat are low so the many hunters who happen to catch smaller alligators
will not get their investment back. You don't shoot alligators until after they are on the line or they'll just sink
to the bottom before you can get them in the boat.


This is pretty much what Louisiana swamp looks like, just imagine miles and miles of it populated with _lots_ of alligators, large
spiders, and various other nasty creatures. I understand that after dusk the mosquitos are horrendous, but we got out of
there while the sun was still high.


Left and right are two gators on patrol. The one on the right is chasing a marshmallow thrown from the tour boat.
Alligators have brains about the size of a quarter but are smart enough to learn that tour boat engines lead to
marshmallows, they approach the boat and snap up the white (easy to see against dark water) floating snack, guaranteeing
the tourists a good show. One problem: alligators fed by people learn to associate people with food and become far more
likely to attack humans. Some other fun alligator facts: they can run up to 25MPH on land but have to
stop to turn so if one is chasing you make a sharp, sudden turn.