RSS Feed

There’s an old camp song titled, “Going on A Bear Hunt,” with a catchy rhythm that goes something like this.
We’re going on a bear hunt,
We’re going to catch a big one,
I’m not scared
What a beautiful day!
Oh look! It’s some long, wavy grass!
Can’t go over it,
Can’t go under it,
Can’t go around it,
Got to go through it!
This past weekend Mrs. Flores and I were watching, “no,” entertaining two of our grandchildren, whose parents were taking an anniversary trip. We decided it would be fun to take them on a short hike.
When you’re in your late 60s, half the battle of watching grandchildren is finding creative ways to expend pent up energy. After all, you want them to have fun at Papa’s and Nana’s, so one, when they go home, they’ll tell mom and dad how much fun they had, and two, so they’ll want to come back.
Part of the creativity is knowing there was a reason why God gives children to young people. The two grandsons we hosted for a few days were 8- and 4-years-old.
Boys don’t take a lot of fussing over, but they do need plenty of snacks, fluids, and focus reminders in the form of questions like, “Did you go potty?” “Did you wash your hands?” You get the idea.
We decided to take a 2-1/2-hour (one way) trip to Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge near St. Francisville to take our family hike. The reason?
On Cat Island NWR is the National Champion bald cypress tree. There is a sign posted near the tree that says it is the largest bald cypress in the United States. The tree is 83 feet tall, a whopping 54 feet in circumference, and 17 feet in diameter.
It goes on to say that it is the sixth largest tree in the U.S. and the largest tree of any species east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
It’s also estimated to be about 1,000 years old. In other words, this magnificent tree starting growing sometime during the middle-ages of world history.
Suddenly, about 2 hours into the drive north, came a song from the back seat.
We’re going on a tree hunt,
We’re going to see a big one,
I’m not scared
What a beautiful day!
Oh look! It’s a pothole in the road.
Can’t go over it,
Can’t go under it,
Can’t go around it,
Got to go through it!
The little rascals had changed the words of the camp song to fit the occasion. What’s more, it became an immediate hit with everyone in the truck cab, as we all began singing the little jingle.
Fall hiking can be an excellent way to get out in nature and out from in front of the television. By the third weekend in October, the morning temperatures are usually cool and midday temperatures modest. The weather in Louisiana from September through April can be spectacular — barring any tropical storms.
The hike from the parking area on Cat Island NWR to the National Champion bald cypress is only ¾ of a mile. Perfect for young children. Plus, the trail is wide, graveled, and flat. Not one time did I have to pick up the 4-year-old and carry him.
Still, no matter where you plan to go hiking, there are some things you should consider carrying in a small day pack.
On short hikes you should always carry at least one bottle of water per person. A couple of snacks in the form of energy, protein, or granola bars will provide your body a shot of nutrition that’ll keep you going. Trust me, small children are going to say “I’m thirsty” or “I’m hungry” at some point.
Longer hikes take a little more thought when it comes to planning. There are plenty of websites on the internet that can guide you through the nuances of easy, moderate, difficult and strenuous hikes. The key is be sure to plan ahead and take nothing for granted. Better to plan ahead than become an emergency, where EMTs have to extract you from the trail.
Always remember, “what you brought into the woods in the form of trash needs to leave the woods with you.” Don’t litter!
The National Champion bald cypress was truly a magnificent sight to see. We touched it, walked around it, and hugged it like a long-lost friend. And we discovered there were other giants down the trail around it.
At the end of our hike the 4-year-old said to his Nana, “What a fun adventure!” And, indeed it was.
October and November are great months to go hiking weather-wise in Louisiana. I highly recommend a trip to Cat Island NWR to see the National Champion bald cypress. It’s a “tree hunt” worth doing. And when you find it, worth seeing.
John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother Joan Carol Freia Kostulsky, 86, passed away peacefully October 14, 2024. Joan was born July 22, 1938 in Morgan City, LA.
Joan is survived by her loving husband of 40 years, George I. Kostulsky, her loving daughters, Dorinda Anne Boudreaux Bogran (Steve), Mary Allison Boudreaux Heinen, her brother, Anthony Luke Freia (Barbara), step-daughter Maria Kostulsky (Jimmy), grandchildren Richard (Ricky) Joseph Heinen, Cody Samuel Heinen, Cole Steven Heinen (Christine), Vaughan Raymond Bogran (Kayleigh), Marley Renee Bogran, and many great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony (Tony) John Freia, Beatrice (Bessie) Grizzaffi Freia, her brother Joseph Anthony Freia and her daughter, Alayna Marie Boudreaux and son-in-law Craig Steven Heinen.
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date and time.

Louisiana voters will decide the fate of one constitutional amendment in the Nov. 5 primary. It would dedicate the money the state government receives from alternative energy production offshore to the fund that pays for coastal protection and restoration.
Early voting begins Friday and runs through Oct. 29, except for the two Sunday during that period. St. Mary resident can vote 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. each open day at the Registrar of Voters Offices at the Parish Courthouse in Franklin or at 301 Third St. in Morgan City, or at the West St. Mary Civic Center.
Here’s the official summary for Amendment 1:
“1. Do you support an amendment to require that federal revenues received by the state generated from Outer Continental Shelf alternative or renewable energy production be deposited into the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund? …
“Present Constitution provides for the manner in which the state treasurer makes required annual deposits into the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund from federal revenues received by the state from Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas activity.
“Proposed Constitutional Amendment retains present constitutional language and adds other federal revenue sources received by the state, including, but not limited to: wind energy; solar energy; tidal energy; wave energy; geothermal energy; and other alternative or renewable energy production or sources.”
According to the Public Affairs Research Council, the go-to source for information on state amendments, voters created the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund in 1989. Voters in 2006 changed the name to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.
The fund is the primary source of direct funding for the 50-year, $50 billion coastal master plan approved by the Legislature last year.
Money for the fund comes from dedicated oil and gas money from state and federal sources; settlement and recovery money from the 2010 BP Horizon oil spill; and state surplus money directed by lawmakers.
Along with a diminishing amount of money from the BP settlement, the biggest source of funding is the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, known as GOMESA, which directs federal energy revenue to Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.
The Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund pays for barrier island restoration, diversion projects, and flood risk reduction work such as flood gates, levees and pump stations.
If the amendment fails, nearly all the money due Louisiana from alternative and renewable energy sources will go into the state’s general fund.

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office has begun the process of seeking a builder for its new Central Branch Office in Centerville.
The Sheriff’s Office released a request for qualifications Wednesday, inviting responses for “pre-construction and construction management at risk services.” Information about the proposed building is at https://www.stmaryso.com/new-branch-office-project.
The building will bring together the office’s motor pool, evidence processing area, media room, dispatch and communications area, administrative offices and the Criminal, Investigations and Patrol divisions.
Those functions are now in separate offices.
“By bringing them together into one centralized location,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release, :we will
--Improve communication and coordination between divisions
--Streamline operations and administrative processes
--Enhance efficiency in investigations and patrol services
--Updated equipment that will enhance the services of the SMPSO.”
The building will along U.S. 90 West near the Centerville-Burns Point exit.
The press release said Sheriff Gary Driskell and the SMPSO “are committed to transparency and fiscal responsibility in this important project. This new branch will enable us to better serve the people of St. Mary Parish by providing a modern, accessible space where law enforcement can operate efficiently and professionally.”
We look forward to sharing more updates as the project progresses and are excited to see how this new facility will strengthen our connection with the community.