MOONLIGHT TRIP
JUNE 16, 2000
June 16th dawned cloudy. It was raining by 10 AM. A light rain but still raining. Throughout the day I received calls from people signing up for the trip. 3:30 PM I was up to 17 people signed up and it was still raining.
Then calls began to come in asking if the trip was canceled. "No" I said, "Let's meet at Middendorf"s at six, eat and go to the launch at 7:30 and we'll see what it looks like. If we can't paddle we'll still have a get together."
Five Fifty -- Arrived at Middendorf's in the rain and spotted a truck with a canoe on top. David Hingle was outside waiting. A few minutes later Walter Tabary drove up. Six ten the three of us decided to go inside and order. Six twenty Charles and Phillis Mattier showed up. Six thirty, here come Bob Allen and Linda Mitchell. Seven forty and Linda Michon showed up. Still raining. Charles decided they would go home and watch the NBA playoff game.
About seven twenty six of us departed for the Ruddock boat launch in the rain. Seven thirty we arrived at the boat launch and the rain had stopped. Ritchie Labat from Thibodeaux drove up.
We started paddling about seven forty five. Still daylight and clouded over but no rain.
When we reached the mouth of the Ruddock Canal just about dusk the mosquitoes attacked with a vengeance. Lake Maurepas was as smooth as glass in the absence of any wind. We paddled into the lake southwesterly along the shoreline for about a mile. There was no visible moon but there was enough light to see.
We were rafted up taking a break and talking when someone said: "Look the moon." Sure enough the moon was faintly visible through the clouds. The moon became brighter as the clouds moved on. The ghostly, moss draped cypress trees reflecting in the water in the moonlight created a picture that will be etched in my memory forever.
Just before we reached the Ruddock Canal the water alongside my canoe exploded and a huge something jumped over the canoe just inches in front of me wetting me from head to foot. Bob Allen was right behind me and he said he got a good look at it and it was a four foot alligator gar. I was extremely happy that it did not land in my canoe.
A symphony of night sounds, frogs and crickets kicked in as we paddled through the canal and a small bayou back to the boat launch.
I and everyone on the trip was extremely happy that the trip had not been canceled.
Happy Paddling!!
Hulin Robert