SIXTH SAFARI

Made it to my friend's house on Grand Isle OK.  Took photos all along the way.  Got some of Bayou Lafourche and a lot of fishing boats tied up at their docks.  It's interesting to note that there are also pleasure boats along this route which reflects the vast fortunes that have been amassed by folks in the oil industry in this area. 

Bayou Lafourche is often referred to as “the longest Main Street in the world.”  It’s an apt nickname when you consider the 65 miles of communities stretching along the bayou from Donaldsonville near Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico.  The bayou is paralleled by Louisiana Highway 1.   Bayou Lafourche was once one of the main tributaries of the Mississippi River leading to the Gulf of Mexico.

Took some photos of my old neighborhood in Golden Meadow near the bayou where I grew up and spent the first 15 years of my life.  There is a new 4 lane highway that runs in the back of these small communities where most people travel now and no longer use the long Highway 1 that follows the bayou.

My grandmother's house where one of my cousins lives now.

One of the old Draw Bridges still left.

The school I attended up to 9th grade.

Comical seafood signs along the way.

Approaching the toll bridge leading to Grand Isle.

Notice the small strips of land that used to be prairie land.

Entering Grand Isle

Crossing the bridge to get to the island.

Over that sand levee is the Gulf.

Camps on the beach side

Camps on the Bay side

Drove to the boat dock at Blanchard's Seafood Plant on Grand Isle and purchased my usual 5 pounds of shrimp - fresh off the boat. 

Those big orange bins hold the shrimp.

And they're not kidding!

Drove to Pat's and parked the coach in a shady spot on the side of his house.

Entering his compound

Lots of trees and shade to choose from.

Hooked up to electric and took the dog out for a walk.  I'm teaching her how to walk off leash and stay close to me and come when I call.  She's learning well. 

Took the electric stove outside to start cooking my shrimp, that has become my tradition every time I come to the island.  The whole time my little doggie remained close by.

Just before dark, I gave her supper and we went for a last walk for her to potty.  We went to the far back of the property and just when she had found a suitable spot for her to do her business... I turned my head around and saw two dogs running towards her.  One was a Boxer and the other was a larger dog - not sure what kind.

From then on everything seemed to play out in slow motion... just like in the movies.  The Boxer attacked my Shih Tzu and she began to scream loudly which only made him more aggressive in his attack.  I ran towards them and fell on the ground and hurt my right knee, got up and tried to kick the Boxer off of her.  He showed no fear of me or my kicking and screaming. 

I picked up my dog (hoping he wouldn't bite me)  and lifted her into my arms - but he did not let go of his bite on her neck/shoulder area.  So at this point, I'm lifting around 50 pounds of screaming, kicking, and biting dogs.  I lifted my right injured leg and aimed for the Boxer not knowing if I could reach him or not... but I did.  Where I got the strength I don't know.  I screamed loudly for him to get out and he slowly walked away the same way he came... stopping by my coach to smell my supper cooking on the outside table.  The other dog followed him. 

I was trembling so badly and trying to walk on my injured knee when I felt a wet liquid on my right hand which was holding my doggie's hind end.  I couldn't look as I just knew it was blood.  I kept telling her I was sorry and hugging her and trying to console her as she squirmed in my arms. 

Once inside the coach, I could see that she had urinated on herself in the scuffle.  I was relieved it was not blood.  In fact, I could find no blood on her at all.  She was walking alright and didn't appear to be limping or anything.  I put her on the sofa and examined her which was hard to do as she was still hyper.  Her pupils were fully dilated which made her beautiful amber eyes look completely black. 

I let her calm down a bit and then I washed her rear end.  A little later I parted her long hair in order to look for bite marks and cuts.  Finally found the area and the skin was barely broken but was red and inflamed.  I sprayed some antiseptic medication on the area and hope everything turns out OK and that the Boxer isn't passing on any disease.

She slept well last night (I didn't) and this morning I woke to gun shots outside my coach.  Looked out my window and saw Pat with his pistol.  I opened the door and asked what happened.  He said that the Boxer was trying to attack one of his cats so he shot at him and thinks one of the bullets may have hit him.  There is no Animal Control on this island and this is not an uncommon occurrence here.  However, I felt sorry for the Boxer.  I would like him caught and his owner found and for them to take the proper measures to confine him.  But the likelihood is that he has no owner.

So there you go.  Out for a relaxing camping trip and disaster happens.  I'll spend a few more days here then go to the State Park on the beach for a few days -  where all dogs are on leash.... let's hope.

On a more positive note, my windshield cover works just GREAT!  It made a big difference in the amount of heat that was coming in from that area - especially as it is in the upper 90s this week.