Eight Hours of People Pleasure

Eight Hours of People Pleasure

Traveling is a great way to meet people. We have met so many wonderful characters over the years.
In the spring of 2004 we spent two days on Grand Isle, Louisiana. It is a spit of land on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico about three hours drive south of New Orleans.
Our first eight hours were packed with people.

For three hours we went sailing with the campground owners and watched the dolphins cavorting in front of the oil rig supply ships.
We were accompanied by a couple and their two, young, wonderful daughters from Wisconsin. They had driven all the way from up north.

Also pulling on the jib lines was a former Grand Isle resident who had returned with his wife and 13 year old son for a vacation on the island. As well, there was the carpenter from Mandeville who feeds his pet gators from a small row boat. On this trip he was in charge of the rum rations.
We all ended up on the yacht not knowing each other but having a grand time.

Now the couple with the 13-year old had plenty of food at their cottage. When we docked they invited all of us over to their cottage for the evening.
The stars hung over the Gulf while the lights from the oil rigs sparkled out on the water. “A thousand rigs are out there,” someone said. The view was accompanied by shrimp, crab, chicken, pork, gumbo, beer and wine. Stories were told; stories about feeding gators and growing up Cajun. There were travel stories and love stories. All this wrapped in the smell of seafood and beach breezes.

When I finally made it back to the trailer it was the whole delightful day and thoughts of the wonderful people that carried me to sleep. There was a smile on my face as I finally dozed off. I was remembering that big yacht berthed at the marina. It was captained by a very senior sailor. The vessel listed Albuquerque, New Mexico as its home port!